COORDINATION OF THE SBIR PROGRAM AND THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH.

SEC. 5168. [15 U.S.C. 638 note] COORDINATION OF THE SBIR PROGRAM AND THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM TO STIMULATE COMPETITIVE RESEARCH. (a) Coordination Required.—The head of a Federal agency that participates in the SBIR program and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research or the Institutional Development Award Program shall coordinate, to the extent possible, the initiatives of the agency with respect to such programs. (b) Coordination Report.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the head of each Federal agency that participates in the SBIR program and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research or the Institutional Development Award Program shall submit to the Administrator, the Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report describing the actions taken during the preceding 1-year period to increase coordination between such programs to maximize existing resources. (c) Participation Report.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the head of each Federal agency that participates in the SBIR program and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research or the Institutional Development Award Program shall submit to the Administrator, the Committee on Small Business and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship of the Senate a report analyzing whether actions taken to increase the coordination of such programs have been successful in attracting entrepreneurs into the SBIR program and increasing the participation of States with respect to which a low level of SBIR awards have historically been awarded.