DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM Small high-technology firms are encouraged to submit proposals to DoD for R&D projects with both military and commercial applications in response to SBIR solicitation 00.2, which will be publicly released on the DoD SBIR Web Site (http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir) on May 1, 2000. DoD will begin accepting proposals in response to this solicitation on July 3, 2000. Five DoD components will participate in the 00.2 solicitation -- the Departments of the Army and Navy, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The solicitation will list all the R&D topics under which DoD is seeking proposals, and will also contain detailed information on the parameters of the SBIR program and how to submit a proposal. Small firms apply first for a six-month phase I award of $60,000 to $100,000 to test the scientific, technical, and commercial merit of a particular concept. Proposals are limited to 25 pages in length. If phase I proves successful, the firm may be invited to apply for a two-year phase II award of $500,000 to $750,000 to further develop the concept, usually to the prototype stage. On May 1, 2000, DoD will also publicly release on the DoD SBIR Web Site (http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir) the names of the SBIR solicitation topic authors and their phone numbers. This will give small companies an opportunity to ask technical questions about specific solicitation topics by telephone before they submit a proposal. Once DoD begins accepting proposals on July 3, such telephone questions will no longer be accepted. Phase I proposals are to be submitted to the addressees designated in the solicitation, and must arrive no later than 3:00 P.M. local time, at the addressee's organization, on August 16, 2000. A hard copy of the solicitation will be mailed automatically to all firms registered with SBIR Support Services as of May 1, 2000. To register, call SBIR Support Services at 800-382-4634. Hard copies and/or electronic copies of the solicitation will also be available from SBIR Support Services (800-382-4634) after May 1. Small firms participating in the SBIR program retain patent rights and technical data rights, in accord with Public Law 97-219 and Public Law 102-564. Participation in the DoD SBIR Program is restricted to small business firms organized for profit with 500 or fewer employees, including all affiliated firms. WEB: DoD SBIR, http://www.acq.osd.mil/sadbu/sbir. E-MAIL: MurraAA@hqda.army.mil, BARONJ@acq.osd.mil. Posted 04/18/00 (W-SN445957).

Loren Data Corp. http://www.ld.com (SYN# 0465 20000420\SP-0001.MSC)