SBIR/STTR Application Assistance Act

This bill extends the FAST Program deadline in the Small Business Act from 2005 to 2030 and requires federal agencies to provide direct application assistance to small businesses seeking federal research grants (SBIR/STTR programs). It specifically mandates enhanced outreach efforts to increase participation from minority-serving institutions (as defined in the Higher Education Act) and Hispanic-serving institutions in these programs. The key provision requires agencies to modify existing policies within 90 days to include targeted outreach strategies for underrepresented institutions. This affects small businesses applying for research grants and institutions historically receiving fewer SBIR/STTR awards. The bill focuses on concrete procedural changes to improve access, not on new funding or outcome predictions.