SBTC Action Alert -- Contact SBA About A Key Pending Decision on the SBIR Program
Jan 16, 2005

ACTION NEEDED NOW ON PENDING SBA DECISION ON THE SBIR PROGRAM

SBA has asked for public comments on whether it should allow venture capital companies that are not small businesses to control or own SBIR companies and to access SBIR funds.

The deadline for comments is April 3, 2005.

The last time SBA took up this subject, the advocates of giving big VC's access to SBIR submitted more comments than did the opponents.

Representatives of the big VC's and big biotech companies made much of this, suggesting that it showed broad SBIR community support for their proposal.

Most of the companies that have contacted SBTC -- including biotech companies -- dispute this contention and strongly oppose such a change in the SBIR program.

This is an important opportunity for YOUR voice to be heard.

To take a brief look at the questions that SBA is asking, and to see SBTC's views (as well as those of some small biotech companies),
please click

HERE.

To send your comments to the SBA, please click

HERE
by April 3, 2005.


(For the official SBA document showing the full range of "size standards" issues that the agency is examining, including the venture capital company size standard, please go back to the SBTC home page and click on

"SBA proposes rules on remaining small business size standards issues, including venture capital company access to the SBIR program",

which is under "Technology News". Note especially pages 70201 and 70202 of this document.)

© 2005 National Small Business Association

Press Contact Information:
Rob Yunich
Director of Communications
National Small Business Association
1156 15th Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-293-8830 ext. 224
Fax: 202-872-8543