Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington              September 17, 2001
(Phone: 202/358-1979)

RELEASE: 01-181

NASA SELECTS 325 INNOVATIVE SMALL BUSINESS PROJECTS 

     NASA has selected 325 research proposals for negotiation of 
Phase I contract awards for its 2001 Small Business 
Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology 
Transfer (STTR) Programs. The expected value of the awards is 
approximately $21 million for SBIR and $2 million for STTR.

SBIR and STTR 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. 

In response to its solicitations, NASA received 1,659 SBIR 
and 57 STTR proposals submitted by small, high technology 
businesses from 34 states. 

Nine NASA field centers reviewed proposals for technical 
merit and feasibility and relevance to NASA research and 
technology requirements. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
Pasadena, Calif., evaluated SBIR proposals only. The selected 
firms will be awarded fixed-price contracts valued at up to 
$100,000 each to perform a Phase I feasibility study. 

Companies which 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 of up to $600,000 for SBIR and $500,000 for STTR. 

The NASA SBIR Program Management Office is located at the 
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., with executive 
oversight by NASA's Office of Aerospace Technology, NASA 
Headquarters, Washington. Individual SBIR and STTR projects 
are managed by the NASA field centers. 

                        -end-

NOTE TO EDITORS: A listing of the selected companies is 
available on the Internet at: 
                 http://sbir.nasa.gov