Ms. Regina “Gina” Sims serves as the Director of the Department of War (DoW) Office for Small Business Innovation within the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering. A champion of innovation and operational efficiency, she leads the Department’s $3 billion Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. In this capacity, she acts as the principal DoW liaison to Congress, the Small Business Administration, the Government Accountability Office, and interagency SBIR/STTR representatives. Ms. Sims is dedicated to strengthening transparency, accountability, and trust across the DoW SBIR/STTR ecosystem to deliver vital capabilities to the warfighter and strengthen the defense industrial base.
Since assuming the Director position in 2024, Ms. Sims has implemented systemic improvements across the DoW SBIR/STTR ecosystem to lower barriers to entry and reduce administrative burdens for small businesses seeking to work with the Department. Under her leadership, the program awards approximately 4,000 innovative solutions annually. Her landmark modernization efforts include instituting a monthly topic release cycle that delivers 12 solicitations per year, simplifying proposal submission instructions, and automating foreign influence compliance. Crucially, she spearheaded the successful reauthorization of the SBIR/STTR programs through strategic, direct engagement with Congress.
A career DoW civilian for over 17 years, Ms. Sims previously held numerous acquisition program management roles within the Department of the Air Force. Beyond her official duties, she is a passionate mentor and coach, committed to cultivating creative thinking and developing the next generation of civilian leaders. In her personal time, she is an avid reader who cherishes spending time with her husband and children.