62 



that:^ 



"Although it is too early to make a conclusive judgment 

 about the effect of funding increases on the quality of SBIR 

 research proposals that received awards, the high level of 

 competition and the large numbers of worthy but unfunded 

 projects suggest that quality research proposals kept pace 

 with the program's initial expansion. In addition, SBIR 

 officials in the five major agencies stated that in their 

 view, the quality of research proposals is being 

 maintained. " 



One of the best indicators of the overall success and positive 

 impact of the SBIR program is the number of support activities 

 developed at the state and local level to encourage companies to 

 participate in the program and to provide assistance. As reported 

 recently by Battelle:^ 



"Just before the start of the NSF centers programs, and with 

 little anticipated state role, the SBIR program was 

 established in 1982. Not long afterv/ard, recognizing that 

 SBIR funds could help meet states' technology priorities by 

 strengthening their technology community, the states created 



( . . . continued) 

 Research: Interim Report on the Small Business Research Program 

 (GAO/RCED-95-59) . 



^ GAO/RCED-95-59 



^ Coburn, CM., Partnerships: A Compendium of State and 

 Federal Cooperative Technoloqv Programs (Columbus, Ohio: Battelle 

 Memorial Institute, 1995) ISBN 0-935470-78-6. 



