NDSS is an important resource center for North Dakota small businesses seeking federal assistance in developing products and services based on advanced technology. NDSS's primary means for assisting businesses is through a Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program grant from the United States Small Business Administration. The FAST program is designed to help companies compete successfully in the national Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program.

The SBIR and STTR Programs are federal initiatives that provide over $2 billion in grants and contracts each year to small and start-up companies to develop new products and services based on advanced technologies. Over half of the SBIR/STTR awards made each year go to firms with no prior SBIR/STTR experience.

NDSS activities and services are provided as part of the "North Dakota FAST Project" sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Ray Foundation. Although this SBA Cooperative Agreement is partially funded by the SBA, SBA funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions, or services. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.