NASA selected 295 research proposals for negotiation of
Phase I contract awards for its 2002 Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology
Transfer (STTR) Programs.

The goals of the SBIR and STTR programs 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 results of federally funded
research.

The 2002 SBIR and STTR solicitation closed on August 21,
2002. NASA received more than 2,200 SBIR and STTR proposals
from small, high technology businesses in 48 states and the
District of Columbia. The combined award total for the Phase
I contracts is expected to be approximately $21 million.

Nine NASA field centers reviewed proposals for technical
merit, feasibility and relevance to NASA research and
technology requirements. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory
evaluated SBIR proposals only. The selected firms will be
awarded fixed-price contracts valued up to $100,000 each to
perform a Phase I feasibility study.

Companies that successfully complete the Phase I activities
are eligible to compete for Phase II selection the following
year. The Phase II award allows for a two-year, fixed-price
contract of up to $600,000.

The NASA SBIR/STTR Program Management Office is located at
the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., with
executive oversight by NASA’s Office of Aerospace Technology,
Washington. Individual SBIR and STTR projects are managed by
the NASA field centers.

A listing of the selected companies is on the Internet at:

http://sbir.nasa.gov.