March 27, 2014
            
                 DoD Considered Small Business Innovation Research Intellectual Property Protections in Phase III Contracts, but Program  Improvements Are Needed 
            
            
                
                In response to a requirement in House Armed Services Committee Report 112-479, to accompany the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2013, we reviewed 22 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase III contracts, with a combined base award value of about $244.9 million, to determine whether the Services properly awarded SBIR Phase III contracts to other than small businesses. Specifically, we determined whether the Services considered small business intellectual property rights and properly notified the Small Business Administration (SBA) of the contract award.