81 



StatEinent of 



Dr. Robert L. Norwood 



Director 



Commercial Development and Technology Transfer Division 



Office of Space Access and Technology 



National Aeronautics and Space Administration 



before the 



Subcommittee on Oovemment Programs 



Committee on Small Business 



House of Representatives 



It is a pleasure to appear before the Committee to discuss NASA's Small Business 

 Innovation Research (SBIR) program and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) 

 program. NASA has over 10 years of experience vwth the SBIR program and during that 

 period has made nearly 3000 Phase I awards and nearly 1300 Phase n awards. Our 

 assessments of the SBIR program have shown benefit to NASA as well as to the U.S. 

 economy, and recently we have taken steps to improve the program effectiveness. 



NASA's mission responsibility focuses on both civil aeronaudcs and space research 

 and technology. Over the years, small businesses have become an important contributor to 

 NASA's research and development program. Energetic and high-quality small businesses 

 introduce new and innovative technology concepts and contribute to the NASA enterprises. 

 To nurture that contribution, NASA's Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business 

 Utilization seeks to fully integrate small businesses into the competitive base of contractors 

 from which NASA purchases goods and services and we urge our prime contractors to do 

 so in their subcontracting activities. In contracting with small businesses, NASA 

 encourages our prime contractors to mentor, nurture, and develop such fums so as to forge 

 permanent, mutually beneficial business relationships with them, partiailarly in high 

 technology areas. 



When the SBIR program began in FY 1983, in the normal course of business, 

 NASA awarded $S.S8S billion to businesses; $482.3 million was awarded to small 

 businesses directly, and an additional $664.9 million was awarded to small businesses 

 under subcontracts. In FY 1994, excluding SBIR, NASA awarded $9,766 billion to 

 businesses; $1,011 billion was awarded to small businesses directly, and an additional 

 $1,519 billion was awarded in subcontracts. In other words, external to the SBIR program, 

 small business participation in NASA has grown from 8.6% of direct awards in FY 1983 

 to 10.3% of direct awards in FY 1994. Including the amounts awarded under subcontract, 

 the NASA contribution to the small business community has grown from 20.5% in FY 

 1983 to 25.9% in FY 1994. We are proud of that achievement 



