From Newsgroup: sci.space.news

April 19, 2011

David E. Steitz 
Headquarters, Washington                                     
202-358-1730 
david.steitz{at}nasa.gov 
RELEASE: 11-113

NASA SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFERS ADDRESS CRITICAL NEEDS

WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected 27 small business proposals that 
address critical research and technology needs for agency programs 
and projects for final contract negotiations. 

The proposals have a combined value of approximately $16.2 million. 
Proposals were submitted by 27 high-tech firms in 18 states, 
partnering with 24 research institutions in 19 states. Negotiated 
individual awards, each with a value of up to $600,000, will be for 
research projects for two years. 

The proposals are included in Phase II of NASA's Small Business 
Technology Transfer program. The agency's Office of the Chief 
Technologist manages the program as part of its focus on emerging 
technologies and efforts to advance technological innovation for NASA 
and the government. 

"Through programs like this, NASA is investing in innovation in 
America's small businesses and universities," said NASA Chief 
Technologist Bobby Braun at the agency's headquarters in Washington. 
"There is no shortage of technological innovators in this country; we 
simply need to invest in them. Investing in research and technology, 
the U.S. will not only extend its technological superiority, but also 
will stimulate our economy, creating new high-tech jobs, products and 
services all across our country." 

The program's innovations address specific technology gaps in NASA 
missions; provide a foundation for future technology needs; and are 
complementary to other agency research investments. 

Innovative technologies in the program include: 
-Information technologies that enable planetary robots to better 
support human exploration. 
-Advanced space power and propulsion technologies that will result in 
durable, long-life, lightweight, high performance space power and 
in-space systems to fulfill the nation's exploration goals. 
-Modern computational fluid dynamics codes to solve fluid motion 
equations and enhance the modeling required for a wide range of NASA 
missions, including subsonic commercial aircraft, rotorcraft, 
supersonic and hypersonic vehicles and planetary exploration 
vehicles. 
The highly competitive program is a three-phase award system. It 
provides qualified small businesses, including women-owned and 
disadvantaged firms, with opportunities to propose innovative ideas 
meeting specific research and development needs of the federal 
government. The program requires a collaborative research effort 
between small businesses and research institutions. 

The criteria used to select the winning proposals included technical 
merit and innovation, Phase I program results, value to NASA, 
commercial potential and company capabilities. 

Phase I is a feasibility study to evaluate the scientific and 
technical merit of an idea. Awards are for up to 12 months in amounts 
up to $100,000. Phase II expands on the results of the development in 
Phase I. Phase III is for the commercialization of the results of 
Phase II and requires the use of private sector funding. 

NASA is required by statue to reserve a portion of agency research and 
development funds for awards to small businesses. NASA works closely 
with the Small Business Administration ensuring compliance with 
federal regulations related to the program. 

The Office of the Chief Technologist manages the program through 
NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. Individual 
projects are managed by NASA's field centers. 

For a list of selected companies, visit: 

http://go.usa.gov/TZR 

For more information about NASA's Office of the Chief Technologist, 
visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/oct 
	
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