Letter From the Department of Transportation Concerning the SBIR Program ATTACHMENT (Continued) Page Two The SBIR Program plays an important part in FAA's research and development activities. This role is both supplementary and complementary in nature to the overall FAA mission. The SBIR Program supplements near-term, applicationsoriented research and development programs with innovative, forward-looking research objectives. This longer term approach (as distinguished from basic research for which the FAA is not chartered) would not ordinarily be performed under existing programs. The SBIR Program also complements FAA research and development efforts by filling gaps and offering alternative solutions and avenues of investigation in various R&D programs. An example of this complementary function is noted in the area of aviation security. A recent SBIR project has demonstrated the feasibility of using a complementary nonradioactive electrically driven source of neutrons for baggage interrogation at airports. This Phase I effort proved to be successful and will be funded in Phase II with project funds, thereby freeing up allocated SBIR funds for other worthy FAA research tasks. A noteworthy feature of the SBIR Program is the unique process by which research needs are solicited from the various technical groups who are aware of the most pressing agency needs. SBIR topical areas resulting from this solicitation process currently include aircraft safety, aviation security, avionics, air traffic control/flight services technology, aeromedicine and human factors. An additional feature of the SBIR Program is its ability to apply either allocated SBIR funds or project funds to accomplish R&D tasks. This flexibility to apply diverse financial resources coupled with the minimal administrative burden of SBIR provides an extra level of speed and responsiveness to FAA needs. FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) supports research programs in highway planning, design, construction and maintenance to ensure an effective and efficient national highway system. Research is also conducted to identify and correct impediments to highway safety and to improve common carrier safety. The SBIR Program effort, although small in relation to other FHWA research programs, is carefully selected by the Office of Research, Development and Technology (RD&T) to assure that it complements and supports the other federally funded highway research programs nationwide. The research work which has been performed under the SBIR Program already has had a significant effect on portions of the highway research program. The SBIR work addresses issues in major RD&T categories including safety, traffic operations, structures, hydraulics, materials and pavements. The SBIR Program is viewed as making a significant contribution to the overall highway research program. SBIR provides an opportunity for small business firms to propose novel research ideas and bring them to fruition. FHWA plans to continue to utilize the SBIR Program to pursue innovative solutions to highway research problems. Letter From the Department of Transportation Concerning the SBIR Program ATTACHMENT (Continued) FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION Page Three The Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) research and development efforts are primarily directed in support of the Administration's rail safety regulation responsibilities. FRA believes that the SBIR Program should be continued since it provides an efficient means for accomplishing the task it was designed to address. FRA has funded more than the mandatory assessment, when resources have permitted, and views SBIR as a useful way to communicate priority research needs to a broader community of scientists and engineers than might otherwise be reached. MARITIME ADMINISTRATION The Maritime Administration's (MARAD) research and development mission has included development of methods, equipment and systems to make the U.S. shipbuilding and ship operating industries more efficient, competitive and productive. MARAD has supported the objectives of the SBIR Program; however, funds for MARAD's overall research program have been severely reduced eliminating the extramural base on which SBIR funding is assessed. Although the quality of Phase I research supported has been good, none has proceeded far enough along from the initial feasibility effort to enter into a second phase development project. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) supports research for motor vehicle and highway safety research and developments including alcohol enforcement and emergency services, crashworthiness and crash avoidance research, the National Occupant Protection Program and the National Driver Register. NHTSA supports the SBIR Program as a valuable adjunct to the research procurement process to encourage small businesses to develop innovative approaches or concepts. The SBIR Program provides a unique research and development forum in which a desired applied R&D project can be prioritized on the basis of its importance to the highway safety program. URBAN MASS TRANSPORTATION ADMINISTRATION The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) provides support to research, training and human resources programs in all phases of urban mass transportation services and programs which contribute toward meeting total urban transportation needs at minimum costs. In addition, UMTA supports interdisciplinary research at colleges and universities including training of personnel to conduct further research or to obtain employment in urban mass transportation planning, construction, operation or management. Letter From the Department of Transportation Concerning the SBIR Program ATTACHMENT (Concluded) Page Four The SBIR Program provides UMTA with the ability to solicit and obtain innovative approaches to address current initiatives. The Program has resulted in research efforts which address transit efficiency and promote greater competition and involvement of the private sector in the movement of people in urban areas. The Program is an important part of UMTA's research and development efforts because it enables innovative entrepreneurs to propose and test new concepts. RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) provides support for research in hazardous materials, pipeline safety, radio-navigation, transportation statistics and emergency transportation. RSPA's contribution to the SBIR Program is limited due to the small size of the overall RSPA research program. Letter From the Environmental Protection UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY MAY 31 1988 THE ADMINISTRATOR In response to your request of December 3, 1987, seeking our views on the effects of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's research programs, we have enclosed a summary of our findings. Although a determination of the complete impact of our SBIR Program is premature, the enclosed information indicates that such an impact does exist. If you have further questions please contact Mr. Walter Preston of my staff. Letter From the Environmental Protection Agency Concerning the SBIR Program SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PROGRAM REPORT TO THE U.S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE Introduction The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) has requested the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assess the effectiveness of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program in strengthening the role of small businesses in meeting EPA's research and development needs and the needs of other agencies. EPA's response and those from the other Federal agencies with SBIR programs will enable GAO to transmit a report on this subject to appropriate House and Senate Committees by December 31, 1988, as required by Public Law 99-443. This report represents EPA's response to GAO's request. Description of EPA's SBIR Program In an effort to fulfill the mandate of the SBIR Act, EPA's SBIR program seeks basic innovative research projects that are concerned with national pollution control in solid, liquid, and gaseous media. Innovation in emission reduction/control processes are sought which concern, but are not limited to industrial, municipal, drinking water, hazardous material, and energy production sources. Performance and cost effective approaches featuring conservation, reuse, recycle, and increased efficiencies are of special interest. Research in the development of environmental instrumentation and measurement methods is also solicited, where they are directly connected to pollution control processes. In order to cultivate the widest array of innovation in research and development approaches, EPA has provided wide latitude to the recipients in the conduct of their programs, and has avoided the use of the SBIR program as a procurement tool. Methods of Analysis As in other federal SBIR programs, EPA's SBIR program is divided into two phases: a Phase I which consists of a six-month feasibility study and a Phase II, which is a development study of at most 2 years. The purpose of the Phase II research is to produce a commercial product or process in the area of pollution control, instrumentation or measurement methods. As part of our analysis, we have restricted our response to Phase II SBIR projects, since the six-month Phase I feasibility studies are too short to provide enough significant data to influence EPA's overall research and development program, and is not intended to produce a saleable product or process. |