Surety Bonds and Technology in the United States

Surety Bonds

Through its Surety Bond Guarantee Program, SBA helps small and emerging contractors to obtain the bonding necessary for them to bid on and receive contracts up to $5 million.

SBA guarantees bonds that are issued by participating surety companies and
reimburses between 70 percent and 90 percent of losses and expenses incurred
should a small business default on the contract. Construction, service, or supply
contractors are eligible for the program if they, together with their af?liates, meet
the size standard for the primary industry in which the small business is engaged,
as de?ned by the North American Industry Classi?cation System (NAICS).

For further information, contact the Office of Surety Guarantees. Phone, 202–205–6540. Internet, http://www.sba.gov/osg.

Technology

The Office of Technology has authority and responsibility for directing and monitoring the
Governmentwide activities of the Small Business Innovation Research Program
(SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR). The Office
develops and issues policy directives for the general conduct of the programs
within the Federal Government and maintains a source ?le and information
program to provide each interested and quali?ed small-business concern
with information on opportunities to compete for SBIR and STTR program
awards. The Office also coordinates with each participating Federal agency in
developing a master release schedule of all program solicitations; publishes the
Presolicitation Announcement quarterly online, which contains pertinent facts on
upcoming solicitations; and surveys and monitors program operations within the
Federal Government and reports on the progress of the programs each year to
Congress.

The Office has four main objectives: to expand and improve SBIR and STTR; to
increase private sector commercialization of technology developed through Federal
research and development; to increase small-business participation in Federal
research and development; and to improve the dissemination of information
concerning SBIR and STTR, particularly with regard to participation by womenowned
small-business concerns and by socially and economically disadvantaged
small-business concerns.

For further information, contact the Office of Technology. Phone, 202–205–6450. Email,
technology@sba.gov.