Environmental technology transfer Resources for small businesses

For small businesses interested in the transfer of environmental technologies, a number of programs are available.

National Technology Transfer Center
NTTC serves as an information clearinghouse for businesses, particularly small businesses seeking information about developing and commercializing technology products and processes. The center's Gateway service is an entryway to the federal laboratory system of more than 700 labs. Small business representatives can call Gateway at (800) 678-6882 with a technology idea or need. Gateway is a free service that will search the complete Federal R&D Resource Information System for opportunities related to the business's needs. Searches include exploring licensing opportunities and assistance for those pursuing Cooperative Research and Development Agreements. NTTC will also put businesses in contact with the appropriate people at various national labs to access information or equipment.

Business Gold, another NTTC service, is a publicly accessible database that includes announcements of available federal technologies, recent solicitations, and descriptions of previously funded projects. Business Gold has only a portion of the resources accessible through Gateway, however users can conduct their own searches. This database can be reached on a dial-up bulletin board (set data bits to 7, stop bits to 1, parity to even and emulation to vt100; 300-2400 baud modems dial (304) 243-2561; 9600 modems and higher dial (304) 243-2560; for help/information, call (304) 243-2570; first time sign-ons login as guest, no password required) or via Internet (Telnet to iron.nttc.edu or 192.188.119.50; login as visitor, use your e-mail address for a password). Note: When Initiatives staff logged on, the database operated slowly, so patience is recommended.

Center for Environmental Technology
CET, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was founded in 1993 to facilitate the exchange of technology both into and out of the Department of Energy. Technology transfer is accomplished through accelerated evaluation, demonstration, commercialization, and public acceptance of rapidly evolving environmental technologies. DOE promotes the transfer of DOE-developed technology into the private sector, however, most of the activity at CET has focused on small businesses demonstrating their technologies for use by DOE. The center invites small companies to demonstrate developed technologies related to one of DOE's five focus areas for technology development: contaminant plume containment and remediation; landfill stabilization; mixed waste characterization, treatment and disposal; high-level waste tank remediation; and facility transitioning, decommissioning, and final disposition. Technologies are evaluated for efficiency, cost effectiveness, and potential use within the DOE complex. CET provides a wide range of technical and support resources for companies coming into the center to conduct demonstrations. These resources include state-of-the-art laboratories and demonstration facilities, and access to 3,000 environmental scientists and other technical experts; some funding is also available. Businesses interested in CET should call Sam Meacham at (615) 435-3239.

Small Business Administration
SBA offers a number of advisory and financial assistance programs for small businesses. The Small Business Innovation Research Program is a three-phase program administered by SBA to facilitate technology transfer. SBIR, extended by the Small Business Research and Development Enhancement Act of 1992, involves eleven federal agencies' extramural research programs. These agencies, including DOE, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Defense, set aside a certain percentage, currently two percent, of their extramural research program funds for small businesses. Each agency selects topics it would like researched or developed in the three-phase program.

In phase I, grants or contracts are awarded for up to six months to conduct feasibility studies for research ideas that appear to have commercial potential. The amount varies from agency to agency, but usually ranges from $60,000 to $100,000. In phase II, small businesses that have successfully competed in phase I are selected for funding of principal research and development of the product or process for one to two years; funding ranges from $150,000 to $750,000. Phase III of the program involves commercializing the product or process with the small business owning all intellectual property rights. SBIR funds do not support phase III activities, however, other agency funds can be used if the agency buys the product or process with programmatic funds. For DOE, $70 million will be granted to small businesses as part of the SBIR in fiscal year 1995. The Small Business Administration publishes all federal opportunities for small businesses on the SBA Bulletin Board; using a modem, dial (800) 697-INFO (4636). Technical support is available by calling (202) 205-6400. The SBA Bulletin Board is also available via Telnet at sbaonline.sba.gov.

The Small Business Technology Transfer --- STTR --- Pilot Program was also established by the Small Business Research and Development Enhancement Act of 1992. All federal agencies with extramural research budgets exceeding $1 billion are authorized to spend a certain percentage, 0.1 percent in FY95, on the STTR program. Five agencies (DOD, DOE, Department of Health and Human Services, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and National Science Foundation) are participating in this three-year pilot program. Similar to the SBIR program, the STTR program is a three-phase process in which research proposals are funded to develop a scientific or technological innovation with plans for commercialization. Unlike the SBIR, the STTR program requires research and development be jointly conducted by the small business and a research institution. The small business must perform at least 40 percent of the phase I and II activity, and the research institution must perform at least 30 percent of the phase I and II activity. Further details of the program and current solicitations can be obtained from the SBA Bulletin Board (see above).

SBA has three loan programs: the Certified Development Company Program (504 Loan Program), the General Business Loan Program (the 7(a) Loan Program), and the Small Business Investment Companies Program. The 504 Loan Program is designed to fund fixed assets, such as land, equipment, and buildings; loans are made for ten- or twenty-year periods. These loans are made through more than 300 Certified Development Centers around the nation. Borrowers must provide ten percent of the value, lenders provide 50 percent, and SBA provides the remaining 40 percent. SBA's portion of this program was $1.35 billion in FY94. The 7(a) Loan Program, the largest of the three SBA programs, loaned $8.176 billion in FY94. Under this program a small business must have been rejected for a standard loan from a private bank and then must apply for this SBA guaranteed loan. Unlike the 504 Loan Program, this money can be used for any business purpose and the loan period may extend to 25 years. The third program, SBIC, involves private venture capital companies investing in small businesses. These companies are licensed, regulated, and partially funded by SBA. SBIC investments totaled approximately $1 billion in FY94.

SBA's Small Business Development Centers help businesses solve a wide range of problems and provide access to other SBA programs. SBDCs, located in each state, tailor their services to the needs of local small businesses. These services include free one-to-one counseling on business topics, training, and technical assistance. In addition, the SBDCs also provide assistance to businesses applying for SBIR grants from federal agencies (see above).

Research Opportunity Announcements
Although not strictly designed for small businesses, DOE's Office of Environmental Management's Research Opportunity Announcements include a small business set-aside. This program supports research in the development of technologies that meet EM program needs. The solicitations run for one year, with 20 percent of the awards set aside for small businesses. This program is currently in its second year; during the first year more than half the awards went to small businesses, totaling $4.6 million. The current ROA proposal deadline is April 28, 1995; another ROA solicitation is not planned at this time. ROAs are published in the Federal Register and their availability is listed in Commerce Business Daily. ROA information is also on the Internet on the Federal Information Exchange page (see below).

The Internet
The Federal Government page on the Internet at http://www.gov.mci.net:80/fed/fed.html provides a variety of options, including Commercial Links, which connects users to several information sources. Both the Commerce Business Daily and the Federal Register can be accessed via Commercial Links. CBD is a daily list of U.S. government procurement invitations, contract awards, subcontracting leads, sales of surplus property, and foreign business opportunities. This database can be searched by keyword and is available on the Internet the day before it is published on paper.

Another valuable Internet resource is the Federal Information Exchange, Inc.-FEDIX Home Page at http://web.fie.com:80/web/fed/. This page provides links to several information sources, including Cross Agency Searches and Lists, which allows users to search for information on a variety of subject areas spanning numerous federal agencies. For example, users can conduct a keyword search of Procurement, Grants, and Assistance, a database containing information from DOE, NASA, the Office of Naval Research, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Department of Agriculture, and other federal agencies. Individual agency databases can also be searched from this page by the title, deadline, or release date of the project.