Michael Braukus 
Headquarters, Washington, DC                  December 22, 2000
(Phone: 202/358-1979)

RELEASE: 00-200

NASA SELECTS INNOVATIVE SMALL BUSINESS PROJECTS

     Developing a new class of deep sea vehicles for sample 
collection is just one of the 280 research proposals NASA has 
selected for Phase I contract awards as part of its Small Business 
Innovation Research Program. The combined total of the awards is 
expected to be more than $19 million.

The goals of the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) 
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.

NASA received 1,847 proposals, submitted by small, high technology 
businesses from across the country. The proposals were reviewed 
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 which successfully complete the phase 1 activities are 
eligible to compete for Phase II selection the following year. The 
phase 2 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 Aerospace Technology, NASA Headquarters, 
Washington, DC. Individual SBIR projects are managed by NASA's ten 
field centers. 

                            - end - 

NOTE TO EDITORS: A listing of the selected companies can be 
accessed on the internet at URL: http://sbir.nasa.gov after 4 
p.m., Dec. 22, 2000.