In response to a Congressional mandate, an expert committee will assemble and analyze evidence about the economic and non-economic benefits of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs and the effectiveness of program management practices at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Drawing on published research plus available data, the committee will examine:

• The contribution of SBIR/STTR awardees in NASA's research and development and other mission needs;
• Broad innovation impacts associated with these programs, including contributions to the commercial aerospace industry;
• Collaborations created between small businesses and research institutions that are associated with the SBIR and STTR programs, including barriers to and opportunities for collaborations, especially with academic institutions that serve minority populations; and
• The effectiveness of NASA's SBIR/STTR outreach, application and selection processes, and commercialization assistance programs, including exploring barriers to NASA’s ability to increase the number of applications and awards from small businesses that are (1) new to the programs, (2) from under-represented states, (3) woman-owned, or (4) minority-owned.

As part of its review, the committee will examine recent initiatives at NASA to improve the broader impacts of the programs, create more equitable access to the programs, and support awardees. The committee will consider the uniqueness of the space and aeronautics innovation ecosystem and suggest appropriate metrics and strategies to track the long-term impact of program awards.
A series of committee meetings will be convened to assist the committee to produce a consensus report with findings and recommendations.