Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO reviewed certain aspects of the Department of Defense's (DOD) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, focusing on whether DOD's policies and procedures help ensure that: (1) quality research is performed under the funding agreements; (2) competitive procedures are being followed; and (3) technologies developed through the program are likely to be used in military programs or projects.

GAO noted that: (1) DOD has implemented policies and procedures and has established an organizational structure to manage its SBIR programs; and (2) on the basis of these factors and the results of DOD's research under the program to date, GAO believes that processes are in place to help ensure that quality research is being conducted, that competitive procedures are being followed, and that the resulting products and processes are being used in military projects and programs.