Charles Redmond
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                           December 
6, 1993
(Phone:  202/358-1757)


RELEASE:  93-216

NASA ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL 1993 SMALL BUSINESS SELECTIONS

    NASA today announced the selection of 57 additional research 
proposals for immediate negotiation of Phase I contracts in NASA's 
1993 Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), bringing 
the total to 374 selections this year.

    Each Phase I project attempts to establish the feasibility of 
a specific innovation under a 6-month, fixed-price contract up to 
$70,000 in value.  Phase I selections are made on the basis of 
scientific and technical merit, capabilities of the firm and value 
of the proposed research innovations to NASA.

    The 1993 Phase I solicitation closed in July 1993.  More than 
2,850 proposals were submitted by 1,390 small, high technology 
businesses from all parts of the United States.  National 
objectives for the SBIR program are to stimulate technological 
innovation in the United States by using small businesses, 
including minority and disadvantaged firms, to meet federal 
research and development needs and to increase commercial 
applications of federally-supported research innovations.  The 
NASA SBIR program seeks innovative projects that meet specific 
NASA needs stated in the annual SBIR program solicitation and that 
also may lead to the development of commercial applications.

    Companies that successfully complete Phase I then are eligible 
to compete for Phase II continuations.  NASA makes 2-year, 
fixed-price Phase II contract awards up to $600,000 to permit the 
small businesses to continue development of their innovation.  
Nearly one-half the Phase I projects are expected to proceed into 
Phase II. 


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    October 1992 legislation signed by the President re-authorized 
the SBIR program through the year 2000.  This legislation also 
increased agency annual funding for SBIR and allowable individual 
award limits, and placed greater emphasis on encouraging small 
businesses to develop commercial products and services based on 
the results of their SBIR projects.

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EDITORS NOTE:  a listing of selected companies may be obtained by 
calling the NASA Headquarters Newsroom at 202/358-1600.