NASA ANNOUNCES 1997 STTR PHASE I SELECTIONS

Donald Nolan
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/358-1983)

RELEASE: 97-152
 

Fifty research proposals have been selected by NASA’s Office of Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology for immediate negotiation of Phase I contracts in the agency’s 1997 Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR).

The 1997 Phase I solicitation closed on April 22, 1997. More than 200 separate proposals were submitted by small, high-technology businesses from all sections of the United States. Research topics included in this solicitation were: Earth Remote Sensing; Advanced Technology for Space Science; Human Exploration and Development of Space; General Aviation; Advanced Space Transportation; and Nondestructive Evaluation of Material Properties and Structural Integrity.

All proposals were peer-reviewed for both technical merit and commercial potential. Selections were based on the following four evaluation criteria: scientific or technical merit and feasibility of the proposed cooperative research effort; experience and qualification of the small business concern; effectiveness of the proposed organization and plans for accomplishing the goals of the cooperative research; and commercial merit and feasibility of the proposed research.

The STTR program requires small concerns to conduct cooperative research and development by partnering with a research institution. At least 40 percent of the work must be performed by the small business concern, and at least 30 percent of the work must be performed by the research institute.

The objective of a Phase I project is to determine the feasibility of the proposed research. Each of the 50 selected proposals will be awarded a fixed-price contracts valued up to $100,000 with 12 months to complete their Phase I projects. Companies which successfully complete Phase I activities are eligible to compete for Phase II awards the following year. The Phase II award process allows for two-year, fixed-price contracts up to $500,000.