NASA Selects Proposals for Next Level of Research

Michael Braukus

Headquarters, Washington, DC

(Phone: 202/358-1979)

RELEASE: 00-15

NASA has selected eight promising research proposals for
negotiation of Phase 2 contract awards for NASA’s Small Business
Technology Transfer Research program.

Phase 2 continues development of the most promising,
previously selected Phase 1 projects. Selection criteria include
scientific and technical merit, future importance and eventual
value of the innovation to NASA, company capabilities and
commercial potential. Funding for Phase 2 contracts may be up to
$500,000 for a two-year performance period.

A total of 23 Phase II proposals were submitted by
contractors completing Phase I projects as part of their 1998
awards. All proposals were peer-reviewed for both technical merit
and commercial potential. The combined award total for the eight
Phase 2 contracts is expected to be approximately $4 million.

The STTR program is designed to stimulate technological
innovation, help small businesses become better-qualified to
assist NASA in its research and development, and increase private
commercialization of federally funded research. The program also
requires small businesses to conduct cooperative research and
development by partnering with a research institution.

The goals of the STTR program 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 federally funded research results. Two of the eight companies
being announced today are either disadvantaged firms or women-
owned firms.

The NASA STTR Program Management Office is located at NASA’s
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, with executive
oversight by NASA’s Office of Aero-Space Technology, NASA
Headquarters, Washington, DC. Individual STTR projects are
managed by the NASA field centers. A listing of the selected
companies can be found on the Internet at: