Kathleen Hicks, deputy secretary of the Department of Defense and a 2024 Wash100 awardee, has released a memorandum to establish policy and guidance for the implementation of a due diligence initiative for the DOD’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.
The Defense SBIR and STTR Due Diligence Program will help evaluate and mitigate security risks associated with small business concerns with links to foreign countries of concern, according to a memo signed by Hicks on May 13.
According to the document, the undersecretary of defense for research and engineering should be responsible for ensuring that common minimum standards established through the policy for the Due Diligence Program are implemented across all DOD components that make awards under the SBIR and STTR programs.
“Working closely with the R&E leadership and DoD services and components, we will successfully implement this plan to vigilantly protect taxpayer funds and small businesses from foreign influence,” said Gina Sims, director of the Defense SBIR/STTR Program.
In early 2023, the Defense SBIR/STTR Program collaborated with military services and other DOD components to plan the implementation of the Due Diligence Program.
The Pentagon launched an online course on foreign ownership, control or influence to support small companies seeking funding under the SBIR and STTR programs.
The department also worked with the Small Business Administration to integrate due diligence requirements into the SBIR/STTR policy, including the incorporation of forms evaluating security risks into proposals being submitted to the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal.
