The Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program was established when Congress reauthorized the SBIR Program in 1992. The STTR program was reauthorized in September 2001 and will continue through FY2009. At the beginning of FY2004, STTR Phase II awards increased from $500K to $750K. Under this program, DARPA funds cooperative R&D projects involving a Small Business and a University; an approved, contractor-operated, Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC); or a Nonprofit Research Institution. Previously, the involvement of these researchers in SBIR projects, while common, tended to be in a minor consulting or subcontracting role, unless they were primarily employed by the small business. STTR, by contrast, requires researchers at research institutions to play a significant role in each STTR project, while allowing them to remain primarily employed at the research institution.

The STTR Program is a three phase program, similar to SBIR. However, the first phase is for approximately one year and is expected to be about $99,000. The second phase is for approximately two years and should be about $750,000. The STTR program requires a mandatory partnership between a small business and a research institute (minimum 40% small business, minimum 30% research institution.) Six federal agencies participate in the STTR Program, DoD, HHS, NASA, DoE, DHS and NSF.

DARPA participates in the annual DoD STTR Solicitation. Proposals submitted under the STTR Program must comply with the specific criteria and requirements as stated in the appropriate DoD Program Solicitation. An automatic email notification for each solicitation will be provided when a small business registers on LISTSERVE. 

Click here for a list of approved DoD FFRDCs for the STTR Program.

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Last revision:  January 18, 2008