Donald Nolan
Headquarters, Washington, DC                   February 12, 1998 
(Phone:  202/358-1983)

RELEASE:  98-25

NASA SELECTS 335 INNOVATIVE SMALL BUSINESS PROJECTS

     NASA has selected 335 research proposals for negotiation of 
Phase I contract awards for NASA's Small Business Innovation 
Research (SBIR) Program.

     SBIR goals are to stimulate technological innovation, 
increase the use of small business (including women-owned and 
disadvantaged firms) in meeting federal research and development 
needs, and increase private sector commercialization of results of 
federally funded research.

     The 1997 solicitation closed on Oct. 14, 1997.  NASA received 
2,665 proposals submitted by small, high technology businesses 
from across the United States.  The combined award total for the 
335 Phase I contracts is expected to be approximately $23 million. 

     The nine NASA field centers and the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, reviewed proposals for technical merit 
and feasibility and relevance to NASA research and technology 
requirements.  The selected firms will be awarded 
fixed-price contracts valued up to $70,000 each to perform a six-
month Phase I feasibility study.

     Companies that successfully complete the Phase I activities 
are eligible to compete for Phase II selection the following year.  
The Phase II award allows for a two-year, fixed-price contract in 
the amount up to $600,000.

     The NASA SBIR Program Management Office is located at the 
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, with executive 
oversight by NASA's Office of Aeronautics, NASA Headquarters, 
Washington, DC.  Individual SBIR projects are managed by the NASA 
field centers and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

                      -end-

EDITOR'S NOTE:  A printed listing of companies selected for the 
program is available in the NASA Headquarters Newsroom (Phone: 
202/358-1600) and also can be accessed on the Internet at URL:  
http://sbir.nasa.gov