Congressman Ken Calvert has reintroduced the DOD Entrepreneurial Innovation Act, H.R. 5726, aimed at enhancing the Department of Defense’s (DoD) support for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. The bill would require the DoD to identify promising SBIR and STTR projects for future inclusion in budgets and plans. Under the legislation, each Service Secretary would be required to select the top five SBIR/STTR programs that offer new technologies or processes, future cost savings, or advances to national security capabilities.
“To support America’s national security mission we need to leverage America’s technological superiority into an advantage on the battlefield,” said Rep. Calvert. “The DOD Entrepreneurial Innovation Act will help the Defense Department nurture and realize the potential of our technological innovations. I will continue to be a champion of the SBIR and STTR programs because small businesses and entrepreneurs are the drivers of innovation in the defense sector and beyond.”
SBIR and STTR are competitive programs that encourage small domestic businesses to engage in federal research and development with commercialization potential. By involving qualified small businesses in research efforts, innovation is stimulated and capabilities can be fielded more quickly.
Calvert noted that despite these programs’ potential, the DoD often fails to fully integrate successful SBIR projects. Companies may advance through early phases but are not always incorporated into broader programs to scale their innovations. Even when promising projects are identified, internal conflicts can prevent further commercialization. Calvert argues this hinders U.S. superiority across all military domains.
The congressman emphasized that shifting priorities within the DoD could affect long-term competition with China. He stated that Congress has provided necessary tools for military superiority, but believes that capitalizing on private sector technologies should be a top innovation priority for the department.
Ken Calvert has represented California’s 41st District in Congress since 1993. He was born in Corona, California in 1953, where he currently resides. Calvert earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University in 1975.
