# Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Administration — Program Element 0605790D8Z

**Program element:** 0605790D8Z  
**Component:** Defense-Wide  
**Appropriation:** 0400 — RDT&E, Defense-Wide  
**Budget Activity:** 6 — RDT&E Management Support  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605790D8Z

## Summary

Defense-Wide requests $8.4M in FY2027, sustained across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 5.3 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 8.4 |
| FY2027 | Request | 8.4 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 8.7 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 8.8 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 9.1 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 9.3 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 8.4 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 8.4 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 8.4 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 8.4 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 518 | SBIR Challenge Admin | 5.3 | 8.4 | 8.4 | +0% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 518 — SBIR Challenge Admin

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in federal research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) with the potential for commercialization. Through a competitive awards-based program, SBIR/STTR enables small businesses to explore their technological potential and provide the incentive to profit from its commercialization. By including qualified small businesses in the nation's research and development (R&D) arena, high-tech innovation is stimulated, and the United States gains entrepreneurial spirit as it meets specific research and development needs. The SBIR/STTR programs are executed in three phases. The purpose of Phase I is to determine the scientific technical and commercial merit, and feasibility of ideas submitted under the SBIR/STTR programs. Phase II is the principal research or research and development effort and is expected to produce a well-defined deliverable prototype. Phase III SBIR/STTR efforts derive from, extend or conclude Phase I or Phase II efforts, and are not funded with SBIR/STTR R7D dollars. Under Phase III, companies participating in the SBIR/STTR programs are expected to obtain funding from the private sector and/or non-SBIR/non-STTR government sources to develop the prototype into a viable product or non-R&D service for sale in military and/or private sector markets. Phase III provides a competitive acquisition advantage to American small businesses as it allows for a sole-source avenue to contract award. This Program funds the administrative support to the SBIR/STTR programs including: policy development and oversight; surveillance of program execution for participating DoW agencies; outreach and training; hosting, operation, improvement, and maintenance for the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal (DSIP); planning and execution of the OSW SBIR/STTR portfolio; reporting and data analytics; financial management, planning, and execution; strategic communication of the DoW technological needs; transition; oversight and implementation of the DoW Due Diligence Program; and the liaison between Congress, SBA, and the GAO.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBIR Challenge Admin | 5.3 | 5.4 | 8.4 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

This program supports the Department of War’s (DoW) Office for Small Business Innovation, which is responsible for the oversight, management and execution of the DoW’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. These programs are a primary driver for the Secretary of War’s key lines of effort and critical technology areas by directly contributing to the U.S. defense industrial base, helping to deter China, and defending the homeland through technological superiority. By investing nearly three billion dollars annually in American small businesses.

## Related program elements

- [0604016D8Z — Department of Defense Corrosion Program](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604016D8Z) (Defense-Wide)
- [0604791D8Z — Multi-Domain Joint Operations (MDJO)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604791D8Z) (Defense-Wide)
- [0605275A — Electronic Warfare Systems Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0605275A) (Army)
- [0604414F — Cyber Resiliency of Weapon Systems-ACS](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604414F) (Air Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Office of the Secretary of Defense RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 0605790D8Z (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="0605790D8Z")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*