PUBLIC LAW 102-564—OCT. 28, 1992 106 STAT. 4261 that is required to make expenditures under the STTR program that— (1) sets forth the Comptroller General's assessment, with. respect to each such agency, of— (A) the quality of research performed under funding agreements awarded by that agency under the STTR program since the beginning of the program; (B) whether or not the STTR program has afTected the performance of that agency^s research programs; and (C) the commercial potential of research conducted under the STTR program, if sufficient data is available; (2) contains the Comptroller General's assessment as to the effects of the STTR program, if any, on the research quality and goals of the SBIR program; and (3) determines the agencies and the federally-funded research and development centers' compliance with the procedures developed under section 9(g)(10) of the Small Business Act, as amended by this section. TITLE III—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS SEC. 301. DISCRETIONARY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SBIR AWARDEES. (a) IN GENERAL. — Section 9 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 638) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: "(q) DISCRETIONARY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. — "(1) IN GENERAL.— Each Federal agency required by this section to conduct an SBIR program may enter into an agreement with a vendor selected under paragraph (2) to provide small business concerns engaged in SBIR projects with technical assistance services, such as access to a network of scientists and engineers engaged in a wide range of technologies, or access to technical and business literature available through on-line data bases, for the purpose of assisting such concerns in— "(A) making better technical decisions concerning such projects; "(B) solving technical problems which arise during the conduct of such projects; (C) minimissing technical risks associatedfwith such projects; and "(D) developing and commercializing new commercial products and processes resulting from sudi projects. (2) VENDOR SELECTION. —Annually, each agency may select a vendor for purposes of this subsection using competitive, merit-based criteria, to assist small business concerns to meet the goals listed in paragraph (1). "(3) ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. —
- (A) FIRST PHASE.—Each agency referred to in paragraph (1) may provide services described in paragraph
(1) to first phase SBIR award recipients in an amount equal to not more than $4,000, which sha^I be in addition to the amount of the recipient's award.
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