Brian Dunbar                                    Jan. 28, 1998
Headquarters, Washington, DC
(Phone: 202/358-0873)

MEDIA ADVISORY m98-1

NASA CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS FOR 1998 SOFTWARE OF THE 
YEAR AWARD

   NASA has opened nominations for its 1998 Software of the 
Year Award, which recognizes software developed and owned by 
NASA.

   The award is sponsored by the Chief Information Officer, 
Lee Holcomb; the Chief Engineer, Daniel Mulville; and NASA's 
Inventions and Contributions Board (ICB). Last year, the 
competition resulted in nearly $200,000 awarded.  Information 
about the winner and the finalists from 1997 is available at 
the Web site:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/codei/swy97win.html

   The award, which will include a trophy, a certificate 
signed by the Administrator, and a monetary award of up to 
$100,000, will be presented to author(s) of software that (1) 
NASA has an intellectual property interest in, (2) has been 
supported, adopted, sponsored or used by NASA, and (3) is 
significant to the NASA mission. Software programs must be 
commercial-grade (not alpha or beta phase) products. 

   Entries will be judged by the NASA Software Advisory 
Council, comprised of software development experts from all 
NASA centers and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.  
After its review, the Council will submit its selection(s) to 
the ICB.  The ICB may recommend a monetary award of up to 
$100,000 for the winner(s) depending on the value of the 
contribution to government and industry.  The award will be 
presented by NASA officials later in the year on behalf of 
the NASA Administrator.

   NASA Form 1329 (ICB Award Evaluation Questionnaire) must 
be filled out for each entry.  Copies of the software, sample 
applications and data, and descriptive documentation of the 
package should be included, in addition to evidence 
demonstrating the impact and degree of innovation and 
suitability of the entry.  This information will be the 
primary data used by the panel in recommending awards.

   Additional inquiries on award criteria should be made 
through the NASA Space Act Awards Liaison Officer at any NASA 
Center or through the ICB.  Call (202)358-2468 for names of 
these contacts.  Entries and supporting material must be 
submitted to these NASA offices not later than April 17, 
1998.  Each Center will then forward to the ICB the Center's 
top selection by May 15, 1998.

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