Donald Nolan
Headquarters, Washington, DC                      July 14, 1997
(Phone:  202/358-1983)

RELEASE:  97-152

NASA ANNOUNCES 1997 STTR PHASE I SELECTIONS

     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 business 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 contract valued at up 
to $100,000 with one year to complete the Phase I projects.  
Companies that 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.

EDITOR'S NOTE:  A listing of companies selected for this 
program and a breakdown of awards by state and NASA center are 
available via the Internet at URL:

   ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/1997/97-152a.txt

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