FAST, ROP in Funding Trouble for 2002; STTR Reauthorized

With the announcement of the first 30 grants under the Federal and State Technology Partnership (FAST) less than two weeks old (see the October 5 issue of the Digest), the new federal program supporting state efforts to encourage small business technology development and commercialization is in danger of being cancelled.



The House version of the Commerce-Justice-State (CJS) appropriations bill covering the Small Business Administration FY 2002 budget (H.R. 2500) provides no funds to continue FAST or the Rural Outreach Program (ROP) that focuses on underperforming states in SBIR awards.



The Senate version of the appropriations bill (S. 1215) fully funded the President's budget request for the two programs – $3.5 million for FAST and $1.5 million for ROP – which were continuation levels for the programs. The events and aftermath of September 11, however, are causing Congress to identify as much new money as possible for State and Justice Department priorities.



FAST and ROP proponents in the Senate concede that, without some support from the House leadership or conferees, it is very possible that FAST and ROP could be eliminated from the FY 2002 budget during the CJS appropriations conference. House conferees have not been assigned yet, but key figures in the FAST/ROP battle may include Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), chair of the House CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, and Rep. Don Manzullo (R-IL), House Small Business Committee chair.



Other members of the House CJS Appropriations subcommittee who may be able to shed some light on the issue include for the Republicans: Harold Rogers, Kentucky; Jim Kolbe, Arizona; Charles H. Taylor, North Carolina; Ralph Regula, Ohio; Tom Latham, Iowa; Dan Miller, Florida and David Vitter, Louisiana. Democrats members include: José E. Serrano, New York; Alan B. Mollohan, West Virginia; Lucille Roybal-Allard, California; Robert E. (Bud) Cramer, Jr., Alabama; and Patrick J. Kennedy, Rhode Island.



STTR Reauthorized

Chris Busch has alerted SSTI to President Bush signing the reauthorization of the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program (H.R. 1860). The law:

• doubles the percentage set aside for STTR to 0.3 percent beginning in fiscal year 2004;
• increases the size of Phase II awards to $750,000 beginning in FY 2004; 
• provides greater latitude to the federal agencies in setting the length of funded projects; and,
• encourages states funded through the FAST program to address the needs of small business concerns that are located in areas that historically have not participated in the SBIR or STTR programs, or are owned by women and minorities.

H.R. 1860 is available on the Thomas Legislative Locator website: http://thomas.loc.gov/