lraP is a small protein that interferes with the delivery of os (RpoS) to the ClpXP protease by blocking the action of RssB, an adaptor protein for os degradation. lraP was previously shown to mediate stabilization of os during phosphate starvation. Here, we show that iraP is transcribed in response to phosphate starvation; this response is mediated by ppGpp. The iraP promoter is positively regulated by ppGpp, dependent on the discriminator region of the iraP promoter. Sensing of phosphate starvation requires SpoT but not RelA. The results demonstrate a target for positive regulation by ppGpp and suggest that the cell use of ppGpp to mediate a variety of starvation responses operates in part by modulating sigma(s) levels.