Research Advancing to Market Production for Innovators Act
The Research Advancing to Market Production for Innovators Act (H.R. 3239) seeks to significantly shift SBIR and STTR programs toward stronger commercialization outcomes. It broadens and speeds up several processes, adds new agency roles focused on commercialization, expands the types of and limits on technical and business assistance, and requires systematic measurement of commercialization outcomes. Key elements include: faster and more commercialization-focused peer review for SBIR/STTR, targeted flexibility to allocate more Phase I/II funding in certain years, a dedicated Technology Commercialization Official in each agency, expanded technical and cybersecurity assistance, support for I-Corps participation, a new annual commercialization impact assessment, and a USPTO-led patent assistance initiative. Taken together, the bill aims to translate more SBIR/STTR research into market-ready products and services and to improve transparency about commercial outcomes. The bill would require agencies and the SBA to implement these changes over the next few years, with specific caps and reporting requirements. Notably, it introduces a multi-agency, data-driven approach to track commercial impact, and it elevates IP and market-readiness considerations in the SBIR/STTR lifecycle. Some provisions (like the phase-flexibility cap) would apply in 2025–2027, while others create ongoing program enhancements across agency administrations.
Key Points
- 1Improvements to commercialization-focused peer review (SBIR and STTR): Peer review must assess commercialization likelihood in addition to technical merit, and include at least one reviewer with commercialization expertise; review timelines are shortened to 180 days.
- 2Phase flexibility and funding caps: For 2025–2027, agencies may adjust Phase I/II award activity, but total annual SBIR/STTR funding under this mechanism is capped at 10% of agency SBIR/STTR funds (NIH cap at 30%; DoD exempt).
- 3Technology Commercialization Official: Each participating federal agency must designate a Technology Commercialization Official to guide commercialization, identify markets, coordinate cross-agency activities, and produce annual reports on commercialization progress and process improvements.
- 4Expanded and clarified technical/business assistance: Recipients may select from expanded assistance options (including cybersecurity) for SBIR/STTR projects; allows use of funding to hire staff for related training; defines cap amounts for Phase I ($6,500 per project) and Phase II ($50,000 per project) for services, with flexibility on how services are delivered; introduces targeted reviews of such funding.
- 5I-Corps participation: Agencies must offer an option for SBIR/STTR recipients to participate in I-Corps teams, and allow use of awards or other funds to cover participation costs.
- 6Commercialization Impact Assessment: Establishes an annual report measuring a range of commercialization outcomes for companies with substantial Phase II activity, including revenues, investments, spin-outs, patents, employees, mergers/acquisitions, Phase III awards, and related metrics; requires publication in the agency’s annual report and submission to Senate and House committees.
- 7Patent assistance with USPTO: Creates a pathway for a prioritized patent examination program for SBIR/STTR recipients through an interagency arrangement with the USPTO, plus outreach on Pro Se assistance and scam prevention.