Comment on FR Doc # 2012-18120

Section: 6.(a)(2) Currently Reads: "(2) NIH, Department of Energy and National Science Foundation may award not more than 25% of the agency’s SBIR funds to SBCs that are owned in majority part by multiple venture capital operating companies, hedge funds, or private equity firms through competitive, merit-based procedures that are open to all eligible small business concerns. All other SBIR agencies may award not more than 15% of the agency’s SBIR funds to such SBCs. At their discretion, if the agency has not exceeded these maximum statutory percentages, the agency may make STTR awards to small businesses that are majority-owned by multiple VCOCs, hedge funds or private equity firms through competitive, merit-based procedures that are open to all eligible small business concerns under the STTR Program and using STTR funds. If an agency exceeds this maximum statutory percentage of awards, it must transfer this excess amount from its non-SBIR and non-STTR funds to the SBIR funds…" Requested Change: DELETE this section in its entirety. Rationale:Nothing in the statutory language permits the use of STTR program funds to be used for awards to majority owned VCOCs, HFs or PEFs. Since this paragraph would only relate to SBIR awards and funding it should be removed from the STTR PD. Additionally, even if the law were to allow for STTR awards, it would not be logical to refund any excess expenditures made through STTR to the SBIR program.