Grantee Research Project Results
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM PHASE I SOLICITATION
SOL-NC-17-00028
ISSUE DATE: October 31, 2017
CLOSING DATE: December 19, 2017
*CAUTION - See Section VI., Paragraph J. (j)(c)(3), Instructions to Offerors, Concerning Late Proposals and
Modifications. And Section VI., Paragraph J. (j)(d), offeror expiration date. Proposals submitted in response to this
solicitation will be valid for 300 days.
Your proposal (including all appendices) shall be submitted in Portable Document Format (PDF), and shall be received
via FedConnect by 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern Standard Time (EST) on December 19, 2017. Your entire proposal (including
appendices) shall be submitted through FedConnect as ONE document in PDF. Only proposals received via
FedConnect as ONE PDF by the deadline identified above will be considered for award.
Please read this entire solicitation carefully prior to submitting your proposal.
Proposals shall be submitted via the FedConnect web portal (www.fedconnect.net). In order to submit proposals,
offerors must register in FedConnect at www.fedconnect.net, see main page of FedConnect website for registration
instructions. For assistance in registering or for other FedConnect technical questions please call the FedConnect
Help Desk at (800) 899-6665 or email at support@fedconnect.net.
IMPORTANT:
Please note Section VI., Paragraph J. j, Federal Acquisition Regulation Clause 52.215-1(c)(3), Instructions to
Offerors Competitive Acquisitions concerning Late Proposals, Modification of Proposals and Withdrawal of
Proposals.
It is the responsibility of Offerors to submit proposals in FedConnect with sufficient time to ensure they are received
by the date and time specified. Only proposals received by the date and time specified via FedConnect will be
considered for award.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SBIR Program Description 8
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Purpose of EPA’s SBIR Program 8
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Importance of Commercialization 8
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Life Cycle Impacts nust be Addressed 8
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Demonstration is Encouraged 8
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Two-Step Evaluation Process 9
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Phase I 9
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Performance Benchmark Requirements for Phase I Eligibility 9
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2017 SBIR Phase I Research Topics 10
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CLEAN AND SAFE WATER 10
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AIR QUALITY 12
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LAND REVITALIZATION 14
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HOMELAND SECURITY 15
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MANUFACTURING 17
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BUILDING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS 18
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- Phase II 18
- Process 18
- Evaluation 19
- Phase II Technical Criteria 19
- Phase II Commercialization Criteria 20
- Phase II Internal Programmatic Relevancy Review Criteria 20
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Phase III 20
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Guidelines 20
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Inquiries 20
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Fraud, Waste, and Abuse 21
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Definitions 21
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Research or Research and Development (R/R&D) 20
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Funding Agreement 21
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Subcontract 21
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Small Business Concern 22
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Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Small Business Concern 22
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Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual 22
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Woman-Owned Small Business Concern 22
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Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone)23
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Primary Employment 23
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United States 23
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Commercialization 23
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SBIR Technical Data 23
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SBIR Technical Data Rights 23
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Certifications 23
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Proposal Preparation Instructions and Requirements 24
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Proposal Page Limit and Cover Sheet 24
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Project SummarY 24
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Technical and Commercial Content: Phase I Proposal 25
- Technical Requirements 25
- Commercialization Requirements 26
- Other Requirements 27
- Attachment 1: Phase I Quality Assurance (QAS) 28
- Attachment 2: Phase I Cost Breakdown/Proposed Budget 29
- Attachment 3: Representations and Certifications 30
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- Method of Selection and Evaluation Criteria 30
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- External Peer Review 30
- Phase I Evaluation Criteria 30
- Phase I Technical Criteria 31
- Phase I Commercialization Criteria 31
- EPA Programmatic Relevancy Review 31
- Phase I Internal Programmatic Relevancy Review Criteria 31
- Release of Proposal Review Information 32
- Company Registry Requirements 32
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- Considerations 32
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- Awards 32
- Phase I Contract Reporting Requirements 32
- Payment Schedule 33
- Innovations, Inventions, and Patents 33
- Cost Sharing 35
- Profit or Fee 35
- Joint Ventures or Limited Partnership 36
- Research and Analytical Work 36
- Contractor Commitments 36
- Additional Information 37
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- Submission of Proposals 52
- Scientific and Technical Information Sources 53
- Submission Forms and Certifications 54
Appendix 1 Proposal Cover Sheet 55
Appendix 2 Project Summary 57
Appendix 3 SBIR Proposal Summary Budget 59
Appendix 4 - Representations and Certifications 60
Appendix 5 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 69
Appendix 6 Commercialization History 71
PHASE I SOLICITATION FOR SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH
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SBIR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Phase II Commercialization Criteria
Stage two is the programmatic or relevancy review which will be conducted by EPA representatives using the
criteria below.Phase II Internal Programmatic Relevancy Review Criteria
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Purpose of EPA’s SBIR Program
Every Federal agency with an extramural research and development (R&D) budget over $100 million is required
by law to have a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. For the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), the SBIR program provides one way it can directly award R&D funding to small businesses. The goal of
EPAs SBIR Program is to support commercialization of innovative technologies the help support EPA''s mission
of protecting human health and the environment. Each agency implements the program in a phased manner that
follows the technology development continuum: research, development, demonstration, commercialization, and
utilization. The number of phases an agency supports depends on its program needs and budget. Generally, there
are two phases: the first is for proof of concept, and the second is intended to move the technology as far as possible
toward full-scale commercialization. The objective of Phase III, where appropriate, is for the small business to
pursue commercialization objectives resulting from the Phase I/II R/R&D activities. The SBIR program does not
fund Phase III.-
Importance of Commercialization
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For the EPA, success of its SBIR program means that the technologies it supports will in fact be used to solve the
problems for which they are being developed; therefore, from the outset of the selection process, the EPA will
consider commercialization potential to be as important as technical potential, and it will evaluate proposals
accordingly.Successful commercialization usually results from reversing the technology development continuum. That is, first
identifying a need that can be addressed by technology, then assessing whether that need provides a viable market
opportunity, and, after that, identifying or inventing a technology that can be developed and commercialized to meet
that need in a profitable manner. An offeror is encouraged to conduct market research before submitting their
proposal to this solicitation to demonstrate that there is a viable market opportunity.Having had previous experience taking an innovative technology to market can be a positive indicator of future
commercialization success and is factored into the commercialization requirements in Section IV. Having received
an SBIR award to help do so is a special case. If a company receives an SBIR award from EPA or another agency,
it gains an element of commercial legitimacy that can be helpful when the company seeks private investment,
manufacturing partners, etc.Having in the past received one or more SBIR awards is not in and of itself evidence of successful
commercialization. Success is when those technologies achieve commercialization after completing Phases I and
II.EPA also requires the offeror to provide commercialization history information if they have received one or more
SBIR Phase II awards from any agency. A template is provided for the history in Appendix 6. This information is
incorporated into the solicitation as part of the evaluation criteria in section V.B. Phase I Commercialization
Criteria, (2) Management Capabilities and PI Experience and Commitment. -
Life Ccle Impacts must be addressed
In order to support the Agencys mission of protecting human health and the environment, the lifecycle
environmental impacts of the technology, including (if applicable) minimizing resource use, minimizing toxicity of
materials, efficient use of water and energy, minimizing pollution, and minimizing the impacts of disposal should
be considered. A formal Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is not required. -
Demonstration is Encouraged
Demonstration is an important part of commercializing environmental technologies. This is because the effectiveness of the technologies in protecting human health and the environment is a critical consideration in the decision to adopt them. End users (e.g. companies and municipalities) are often reluctant to install innovative technologies that have not been demonstrated for extended periods of time. There may also be Federal, state and local regulations that only permit the use of technologies with demonstrated performance. -
Two-Step Evaluation Process
The EPA will follow a two-stage application evaluation process to make funding decisions. The two stages are:
external peer review and internal programmatic review. The review processes and the evaluation criteria that will
be used in each stage are described later in the solicitation.
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Phase I
The EPA anticipates making approximately twelve (12) Phase I awards, each in the amount up to $100,000 and not
to exceed a six (6) month term of performance. It is anticipated that these contracts will be awarded with a contract
start date of August 01, 2018 The Phase I effort is for “proof of concept of the proposed technology. All companies
that successfully complete Phase I are eligible to compete for Phase II which is to further develop and commercialize
the technology. -
Performance Benchmark Requirements for Phase I Eligibility
Each year, SBA assesses the Performance Benchmark rates for all applicable SBIR or Small Business Technology
Transfer (STTR) awardees in the Company Registry. Rates are based on a companys total SBIR/STTR awards,
across all the participating agencies. Companies that fail to meet either of the two Performance Benchmark
requirements are not eligible to receive a Phase I award for a period of one year from the assessment. Note that this
does not affect a companys eligibility for Phase II or Phase III awards.All offerors for an SBIR or STTR award must be registered on www.SBIR.gov. Offerors should be sure to update
their information on the Company Registry at least once per year. To open or update an SBIR/STTR Company
Registry account, go to www.SBIR.gov/user and register as a Small Business User. After the registration is complete,
the SBA will issue your company a unique SBC Control ID and .pdf file to be attached to this application.NOTE: THE SBA NOTIFIES FIRMS EACH YEAR THAT DO NOT MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
DESCRIBED BELOW WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A PHASE I AWARD FOR ONE YEAR AFTER THE SBA
NOTIFICATION.Before responding to this solicitation, all offerors should verify their Transition Rate eligibility for Phase I awards.
Each year, the SBA will perform an evaluation of companies and the SBA will notify the companies of their status.
Phase I offerors that meet the below criteria must meet the Phase I to Phase II Transition Benchmark requirements
to be eligible for a new Phase I award. General information on the Performance Benchmark requirements is
available on www.SBIR.gov on the “Performance Benchmarks tab under the “Learn About section.The Phase I to Phase II Transition Rate requirement applies only to SBIR Phase I offerors that have received more
than 20 Phase I awards over the past 5 fiscal years (excluding the most recent year). For these offerors, the ratio of
the number of Phase II awards (awarded during the past 5 fiscal years) to the number of Phase I awards (awarded
during the past 5 years excluding the most recent year) must be at least 0.25.SBA sends three notifications each year to companies affected by the benchmark performance requirements and
will also communicate these to the EPA SBIR program. The SBA will also notify the EPA SBIR Program of those
companies that have met the benchmarks as detailed above.When logged in to the Company Registry at www.sbir.gov, awardees can view their last assessed Transition Rate
and Commercialization Rate by clicking on the “Performance Benchmark side-bar. These company-specific rates
appear under the heading “At Last Assessment. A thumbs-up/thumbs-down indicator shows whether or not the
company passed the benchmark rates at the last assessment. If at any time, a company believes the award
information on SBIR.gov is not correct, it should notify SBA using the dispute link provided. If a companys dispute
of the data used for the rates is under review, it will see “TBD under the “At Last Assessment heading. Companies
with less than the threshold number of awards (21 Phase I awards for the Transition Rate) will see “N/A displayed
because the requirement did not apply to them.Under the heading “Current (On-Going), the page displays a running calculation of the benchmark rates using the
next years time periods (each period moved up by one year) and current data in the system. Companies should
monitor these rates to anticipate their standing for each upcoming June 1 Assessment. Prior to proposal preparation,
all offerors to this solicitation that have received more than 20 Phase I awards across all federal SBIR/STTR
agencies over the past five (5) years should verify that their company will not have a failing status on the Transition
Rate Benchmark at the time of award. -
2016 SBIR Phase I Research Topics
Given EPAs broad mission of protecting human health and the environment, it faces a broad range of problems
that need solution and for which innovative technologies could help provide solutions. Each year EPAs SBIR
program selects from this broad range of problems a number of specific topics to include in its Phase I solicitation.
The highest priority needs are identified and then the topics are written to address those needs. Many of the topics
address more than one need e.g., water and homeland security, and indoor air quality and reducing toxicity of
materials. Agency strategy documents, multi-year plans, peer-reviewed research needs assessment and other
materials are used in identifying the highest needs and in crafting the topics.For this solicitation, the EPAs needs are being expressed through a variety of very specific topics. Offerors must
directly address and select just one of the specific topics described below.The topics for this solicitation are:
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CLEAN AND SAFE WATER
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of man-made, globally-distributed chemicals. They
include perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). PFAS have been widely used in
consumer products such as non-stick cookware, carpets and carpet treatment products, food packaging, aqueous
firefighting foams, and in the aerospace, automotive, construction, and electronics industries.Once released into the environment, some PFAS are not easily broken down when exposed to air, water, or sunlight.
Thus people can be exposed to PFAS that were manufactured months or years in the past. PFAS can travel long
distances in the air and water with the result that people may be exposed to PFAS manufactured or emitted from
production facilities many miles away from the point of exposure. Human exposure can also occur through contact
with products containing PFAS.A recent study of the effectiveness of currently-used treatment technologies for removal of PFAS from raw water
or potable reuse sources found that granular activated carbon and anion exchange can under certain conditions treat
long-chain PFAS and that costly nanofiltration and reverse osmosis could potentially treat most PFAS.Removal of PFOA/PFOS from Drinking Water
In 2012, EPA included six PFAS compounds, including PFOA and PFOS, among the contaminants that were
monitored under the third Unregulated Contaminants Monitoring Rule list. Results of this monitoring can be found
on the publicly-available National Contaminant Occurrence Database.In 2016, EPA established a lifetime health advisory (LHA) level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for individual or
combined concentrations of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. This amount is equivalent to 0.07 parts per billion
(ppb) or 0.07 micrograms/liter.EPA would like to improve and advance processes, technologies, and treatment systems for the removal of the
PFOA and PFOS families of PFAS from drinking water. As a result, EPA is interested in the following topic:Topic Code 1A: Removal of PFOA/PFOS from Drinking Water. Innovative technologies that can remove
PFOA and PFOS families of PFAS from drinking water. The technology should reduce the
combined PFOA/PFOS concentration to below 0.07 ppb and be compatible with other water
treatment processes, be affordable, and be easily used and maintained.Removal of PFOA/PFOS from Wastewater
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected in the effluent of municipal. industrial, and military
wastewater treatment plants.In addition, a recent study found PFAS in the effluent of on-site septic systems, which serve about 25% of the US
population.The predominant compounds found in wastewater effluent have been perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and
perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), which are degradation products of PFAS. PFOA and PFOS are persistent,
bioaccumulative, and toxic.EPA would like to improve and advance processes, technologies, and treatment systems for the removal of the
PFOA and PFOS families of PFAS from wastewater. As a result, EPA is interested in the following topic:Topic Code 1B: Removal of PFOA/PFOS from Wastewater. Innovative technologies that can remove PFOA
and PFOS families of PFAS from PFAS from wastewater treatment plant effluent. The technology
should consistently reduce the combined PFOA/PFOS concentration to below 0.07 ppb and be
compatible with other water treatment processes, be affordable, and be easily used and maintained.PFAS
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of man-made, globally-distributed chemicals. They include
perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). PFAS have been widely used in consumer products
such as non-stick cookware, carpets and carpet treatment products, food packaging, aqueous firefighting foams, metal
plating operations and in the defense, aerospace, automotive, construction, and electronics industries.Once released into the environment, some PFAS are not easily broken down when exposed to air, water, or sunlight.
Thus, people can be exposed to PFAS that were manufactured months or years in the past. PFAS can travel long distances
in the air and water with the result that people may be exposed to PFAS many miles from their point of release. Human
exposure can also occur through contact with products containing PFAS.
Water resources (i.e., surface water and groundwater) are susceptible to contamination by PFAS release from
manufacturing sites, industrial use, aircraft fire and emergency response training areas, and industrial or municipal waste
sites where products are disposed of or applied.To provide Americans with a margin of protection from a lifetime of exposure to PFOA and PFOS from drinking water,
EPA has established the health advisory levels at 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for combined
PFOA/PFOS. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-health-advisories-pfoa-and-pfos.
For these reasons, EPA is looking for both detection and treatment technologies for PFAS as described here.Topic 1B: Novel technologies for the rapid detection of total PFAS in water. Technologies should be field ready and
should be able to detect PFAS in drinking water, groundwater, surface water and/or wastewater. Ideally, sensor
technologies could detect PFAS at the health advisory level of 70 ppt or less.Replacements for PVC and PE Water Pipes
Since ancient times, people have used pipes to transport water from source to point of use. The pipes have been
made of many materials, including stone, concrete, wood, metal (lead, iron, copper) and, most recently, plastic.Plastic pipes made of rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are now widely used to carry drinking water and waste water
in homes and other buildings, and sometimes outside of buildings, because they have many practical advantages.
For example, they are derived from abundant petrochemicals and sodium chloride salt; their characteristics can be
modified by the addition of various chemicals; they are light weight, non-corroding, chemically-resistant, non12
conducting, easy to cut and join, and cost-less to transport and handle than other types of pipes; and they seem to
be long-lasting compared with pipes made with other commonly-used materials.Considering the whole life cycle of PVC plastic pipes, however, there are many disadvantages in using them. For
example, they require large amounts of energy to make; the source materials and intermediate products, including
chlorine gas, are toxic; some chemical additives used in the manufacturing process are harmful and have the
potential to leach into drinking water; the additives make recycling nearly impossible, with the result that nearly all
discarded PVC goes to landfills; incineration creates dioxin; and high temperature and exposure to sunlight can
result in degradation.Recently, various forms of flexible polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and cross-linked
polyethylene (PEX) pipe have been used to carry water in buildings because they can be used in confined areas and
can be curved to change direction rather than cut and joined. It has been found, however, that they cause odor
problems and can release regulated and unregulated contaminants into the water.For these reasons, EPA is seeking innovative materials that can be used to make drinking water and waste water
pipes for buildings and perhaps outside that have the advantages of PVC and PE, HDPE, and PEX pipes without
their disadvantages across their entire lifecycle.Topic Code 1C: Replacements for PVC and PE Water Pipes. Innovative pipes for drinking water and waste
water in buildings and perhaps outside of buildings that are made from materials that have the
advantages and not the disadvantages of currently-used plastic pipes. -
AIR QUALITY
Reducing Vehicle Emissions
There are more than 250 million vehicles in the United States that transport people and goods. Primarily powered
by internal combustion engines, they emit 1.8 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. A typical passenger
vehicle emits 4.7 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. The many older vehicles still in use are the major emitters,
although newer, more fuel efficient vehicles still produce some emissions.While technologies are being used to reduce emissions of other pollutants from vehicles, this is not the case for
carbon dioxide emissions.The main technological approaches for reducing carbon dioxide emissions are capture and conversion. Capture
involves long-term sequestration or use of the captured carbon dioxide in a manner that will not later result in the
release of carbon. Conversion can be accomplished using catalysis, non-catalytic synthesis, or other means. Both
capture and use and conversion can result in the creation of various compounds and products that have economic
value—e.g., urea, salicylic acid, cyclic carbonate, polyols, and ethanol.Capture and conversion technologies are being used to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from stationary sources.
Because capture and conversion technologies for carbon dioxide emissions from gasoline or diesel-powered motor
vehicles are not commercially available, there is potentially a market opportunity both domestically and world-wide
for cost-effective retrofit technologies that can capture or convert carbon dioxide emissions from such vehicles.EPA is interested in innovative technologies that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles. The vehicle
could use either gasoline or diesel fuel. The technologies would likely be drop-in components that are installed on
a vehicle after the combustion emissions pass through other on-board catalytic and filter systems. EPA is most
interested in the applicability to highway vehicles such as diesel-powered long-haul trucks.Topic Code 2A: Capturing Carbon Dioxide from Vehicles. Innovative technology that captures or otherwise
sequesters carbon dioxide emissions from mobile sources that use internal combustion engines.
Important parameters include: types of vehicles being addressed the technologys interactions with
other on-board emission treatment devices and exhaust gases, the target percentage of carbon
dioxide captured or converted, the substances and products to be produced, the technologys
durability and longevity, operation and maintenance requirements, cost, effect on vehicle mileage
and fuel usage, and treatment and disposal of the technology and any wastes produced.Topic Code 2B: Converting Carbon Dioxide from Vehicles. Innovative technology that converts carbon dioxide
emissions from mobile sources that use internal combustion engines into harmless substances
and/or materials and products that have economic value. The conversion can be achieved using
catalysis, non-catalytic synthesis, or other means. Important parameters include: the types of
vehicles being addressed, the technologys interactions with other on-board emission treatment
devices and exhaust gases, the target percentage of carbon dioxide captured or converted, the
substances and products to be produced, the technologys durability and longevity, O&M
requirements, cost, effect on vehicle mileage and fuel usage, and treatment and disposal of the
technology and any wastes produced.Product Loss Prevention and/or Mitigation in the Oil and Natural Gas Sector
The oil and natural gas industry includes a wide range of operations and equipment, from wells to natural gas
gathering lines and processing facilities, to storage tanks, and transmission and distribution pipelines. During these
operations and uses of equipment, the industry loses—through leaks, temporal events, and other means—a
significant amount of beneficial product that could otherwise go to market.Associated with these product losses are releases of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). VOCs contribute to the
formation of ground-level ozone (smog). Exposure to ozone is linked to a wide range of health effects, including
aggravated asthma, increased emergency room visits and hospital admissions, and premature deaths. Other product
losses release “air toxics, such as benzene, ethylbenzene, and n-hexane. Air toxics are chemicals that are known
or suspected of causing cancer and other serious health effects.Topic Code 2C: Product Loss Prevention and/or Mitigation in the Oil and Natural Gas Sector. EPA is seeking
innovative technologies that can prevent and/or mitigate the loss of valuable product and the
associated releases of VOCs and air toxics. More specifically, EPA is seeking prevention and/or
mitigation technologies that can be used at well sites, natural gas gathering and processing
facilities, storage tanks and sites, or transmission facilities. The prevention and/or mitigation
technology implementation should cost less than $2,700 per ton of reduced product loss. The
technology may be targeted at but not limited to specific equipment such as natural gas driven
equipment; maintenance activities such as the maintenance of compressors; design improvements
to storage tank emission points such as thief hatches; and temporal emission events such as liquids
unloading, blowdowns, and pigging.Developing More Stable Metal Alloy Tubes for Use in High Temperature Processes
Recently it has been found that metal alloy tubes used in industrial processes that operate at high temperatures can
degrade and emit toxic metals.As a case in point, ethylene (C2H4) is widely used in the chemical industry as a feedstock in the production of
industrial chemicals and consumer goods—e.g., plastics, antifreeze, solvents, and detergents. Ethylene is produced
in furnaces by “cracking—i.e., breaking apart—simpler hydrocarbons.The hydrocarbons to be cracked are mixed with steam and quickly run through tubes that are inside the furnace,
which operates at about 850 degrees Centigrade. The combination of high temperature and steam “steam cracks
the hydrocarbons inside the tubes. The tubes are made of an alloy consisting of the toxic metals Nickel (Ni) and
Chromium (Cr) mixed with Iron (Fe).Recent stack testing on cracking furnaces has revealed higher than expected emissions of Ni and Cr. This is probably
due to the severe conditions in the furnaces degrading the Fe-Ni-Cr alloy tubes used in the furnaces.The recent stack testing also found high Ni and Cr emissions during de-coking operations. De-coking is necessary
because over time coke will build up inside the tubes, causing facilities to operate less and less efficiently until they
reach a point of needing to remove the coke (via burning it off through the injection of steam and air into the tubes)
before returning to normal cracking operations.There are 400-500 ethylene cracking furnaces in the US. Due to the availability of cheap feedstocks from fracking
and shale gas, the industry is undergoing rapid growth with new facilities being built.There may be other industrial processes that use metal alloy tubes in a high temperature environment. Those tubes
could also be degrading and emitting toxic metals. With this in mind, EPA is interested in the following topic:Topic Code 2D: Developing More Stable Metal Alloy Tubes for Use in High Temperature Processes.
Innovative degradation-resistant tubes for use in ethylene cracking furnaces and other high
temperature processes to replace tubes that are made with toxic metals. The tubes could be made
of alternative metals, different percentages of the currently-used metals and/or other compounds,
or non-metals. Compared with the currently-used tubes, the new tubes should produce lower or
no Ni, Cr, and/or other toxic emissions during operation, last longer before needing to be replaced,
reduce the down time necessary for de-coking and other intra-tube treatments, and cost less. -
LAND REVITALIZATION
EPA administers Superfund, the federal government's program to clean up the nation's uncontrolled hazardous
waste sites.Remediation of PFAS-Contaminated Soil and Sediment
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of man-made chemicals not found naturally in the
environment. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)have been the most extensively
produced and studied of these chemicals. Both chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human
body. To provide Americans, including the most sensitive populations, with a margin of protection from a lifetime
of exposure to PFOA and PFOS from drinking water, EPA has established the health advisory levels at 0.07ppb.PFAS have been used to provide water, oil, and stain repellency to textiles, carpets and leather; to create greaseproof
and water-proof coatings for paper plates and food packaging; and to aid processing in fluoropolymer manufacturing
among many other commercial and consumer applications. They also have been used in chrome plating, firefighting
foams, liquid carpet and textile care treatments, and floor waxes and sealants.The PFAS emitted or disposed into various media from these manufacturing processes resulted in PFAS
contamination of soil and sediment. To date, soil contamination has been removed via excavation. EPA would like
to improve and advance processes, technologies, and treatment systems for the sampling, analysis, and cleanup of
PFAS in soil and sediment. As a result, EPA is interested in the following topic:Topic Code 3A: Remediation of PFAS-Contaminated Soil and Sediment. Innovative technologies that can
sample, detect, analyze, remove, or destroy PFAS in and from soil and sediment. The technologies
should be widely applicable—i.e., able to address various combinations of PFAS present; various
soil types and other matrices to be remediated; and other types of contaminants present. The
technologies should be effective, easy to use and maintain, and affordable.Proposed projects can be either ex situ (analyzing or treating excavated or extracted media or
waste above ground) or in situ (analyzing or treating in place). For sampling and analysis,
technologies can either detect contamination for the purpose of identifying the presence of and
delineating the extent of PFAS, or produce data to support various decisions at sites where PFAS
is present. For cleanup, the technologies can address contamination by reducing its toxicity,
mobility, or volume by removing, destroying, or immobilizing PFASs and co-occurring
contaminants from the target media. Evaluating remediation performance using accepted criteria
and procedures is a critical element. The overall life cycle should be addressed—e.g., showing
that remediating contaminated soil at one site will not result in transferring the risk to other media
or locations. -
HOMELAND SECURITY
The emergence of stateside Ebola cases highlighted the need for environmental cleanup methods for Category A
pathogens in settings outside of the hospital as well as means to perform on-site waste management activities while
minimizing worker exposure risk.As a result, a National Security Council-led interagency group consisting of the U.S. Department of Transportation,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Labor, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response drafted in January 2017 an “Interim - Planning Guidance for the
Handling of Solid Waste Contaminated with a Category A Infectious Substance.The following two topics address these needs.
Products for Category A Virus Inactivation that are Effective for Porous Surfaces and Suitable for Sensitive
Equipment
There are decontamination products for Ebola and other Category A viruses that are registered under the Federal
Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). They can kill viruses and other Category A pathogens
including Ebola. They are approved, however, for use on hard, non-porous surfaces, while not approved (with
unknown levels of effectiveness) for use on porous surfaces. They are also typically corrosive, which makes them
not suitable for use on many likely materials and on sensitive equipment. The destructiveness, and inability to
effectively decontaminate porous materials and sensitive equipment results in large volumes of waste being
generated, which may be contaminated.FIFRA: All pesticides distributed or sold in the United States must be registered (licensed) by EPA. Additional
information on FIFRA can be found in Section VIII. Scientific and Technical Information Sources.Topic Code 4A. Decontamination of Category A Viruses on Porous Surfaces and Sensitive Equipment.
Develop a virus inactivation product that is capable of a 4-log inactivation of Category A viruses
on a range of porous materials (e.g., upholstery, bedding, fabric, carpet, unpainted wood) and is
non-corrosive to a range of potentially reusable household materials.Waste Packaging Materials to Facilitate On-Site Fumigation and Transport of Items that Have Been Contaminated
by Ebola Virus and Other Category A Infectious Agents
Currently available packaging for non-hospital Ebola and other Category A wastes is impermeable to fumigants,
and not amenable to large and bulky items, which limits the ability to use on-site waste treatment. There needs to
be a way to package large and small contaminated items in a building (either with bagging or wrapping) and take
them to where they can be treated without workers having to re-open the bags.On-site treatment would dramatically reduce the need for special transportation permits to access off-site treatment
facilities. This would reduce the number and size of packing containers; the effort to pack, load, and unload them;
the number, size, and fuel usage of transport vehicles; landfill usage; incineration operation; risk associated with
transporting the waste; and costs.There are three components of an on-site treatment system:
- The first is having a semi-permeable packaging material that will enable the entry and exit of fumigants, be
non-bulky, be flexible, be able to withstand the fumigation conditions, and not permit contaminants (viral
and/or bacterial) to escape. An analogous material could be the bags used for ethylene oxide sterilization
chambers. - The second is having effective fumigants that can pass through the packaging material and disinfect the
contaminated thing in the package. (Examples of Class A fumigants include: chlorine dioxide, hydrogen
peroxide, methyl bromide, and formaldehyde.) - The third is having a fumigant delivery and removal system that includes both effective fumigants and the
equipment and other materials required to deliver, treat, recover, and dispose of used fumigants. The design
of the delivery system would depend on the fumigant that is used.
Demonstration of this technology is an important step towards commercialization. Demonstration of the desired performance of the materials, using the criteria described above, using wastes contaminated with Category A infectious agents or appropriate surrogates thereof, appropriate fumigants, and one or more delivery systems. To validate performance, EPA testing procedures can be used.
Demonstrations should use bags made of the developed material that have been filled with contaminated items that
are larger (and preferably a lot larger) than a bread box or a doll house.Topic Code 4B: Packaging for On-Site Fumigation and Transport of Category A Virus Contaminated
Materials. Develop non-bulky waste packaging materials for on-site waste treatment that enable
penetration of gaseous decontaminants and high temperature steam into the waste packages while
preventing escape of the contaminants (viral and/or bacterial) (without requiring workers to open
the waste packages).The membrane/packaging material must not allow minor amounts of liquids or solids to escape.
It should be rugged enough for normal handling procedures by workers in personal protective
equipment (PPE). It should survive external decontamination with a dilute (10%) bleach solution.
It should maintain its integrity after fumigation. It should be cost effective—i.e., marketable. The
on-site treatment should dramatically reduce transportation requirements for waste requiring off17
site treatment and disposal. It should reduce the size of the waste containers and special permits
required for off-site transportation. - The first is having a semi-permeable packaging material that will enable the entry and exit of fumigants, be
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MANUFACTURING/h4>
Executive Order 13329 directs the EPA to properly and effectively assist the private sector in its manufacturing
innovation in order to sustain a strong manufacturing sector in the U.S. economy. These innovations often involve
engineering and technical solutions that make the manufacturing operation and/or the manufactured product both
more environmentally and economically sound.The EPA is seeking innovative technologies that, when compared with currently available technologies, have
dramatically better performance, decreased cost of production, and reduced health and environmental impacts.Greener Plastics
“Plastics is a broad category of polymeric substances that have varied applications and widespread use. Typically
derived from petroleum, natural gas, and coal, they generally contain carbon and hydrogen along with added
nitrogen, oxygen, chlorine, and sulfur. Plastics can be made to have different characteristics by modifying the
structure of the polymer and adding other substances. Examples of plastics include: polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene,
acrylics, polypropylene, polyethylene, and composites such as fiber-reinforced plastic.Plastics are used in the building construction, electronics, medical, packaging, consumer, transportation, and
aerospace sectors. They constitute one of the largest US industrial sectors, which has been faring well economically
in recent years—e.g., shipping more than $500 billion worth of materials per year. Plastic products are so widely
used because they have many advantageous properties—they can be durable, long-lasting, lightweight, corrosion
resistant, easy to cut and join, easy to install and remove, different colors, and nonconductive.Plastics can, however, have negative health and environmental effects throughout their life cycle. They are generally
made with toxic materials in very energy-intensive processes, toxic fumes are often emitted during their
manufacture and use, they can be hazardous when they come in contact with food and potable liquids that people
ingest, they can degrade during use, they can trap and be ingested by wildlife on land and in the ocean, they can be
difficult to recycle and reuse, they are a significant component of landfilled material, and they do not easily
biodegrade.Because of their economic importance, widespread utility, and possible negative health and environmental impacts,
EPA is seeking greener plastics, as follows:Topic Code 5A: Greener Plastics Manufacturing. For a specific type of plastic develop a greener manufacturing
process that (a) eliminates the use of one or more toxic source materials, (b) eliminates toxic
chemicals used in the manufacturing process, (c) greatly reduces the amount of energy used to
carry out the process, and/or (d) eliminates one or more toxic pollutants that result from the
process. Examples include: using non-petrochemical source materials and using biological rather
than chemical transformation processes. Comparison with the currently used sources and
manufacturing processes and assessing the overall life cycle of the plastic(s) are integral to this
topic.Topic Code 5B: Greener Plastic Products. For a specific type of product that is made with plastic, develop a
greener version of the product that (a) is not made with toxic materials, (b) does not emit toxic
fumes, (c) is not toxic if ingested, (d) is easily recycled and reused, and/or (e) rapidly biodegrades
in soil and water. Examples include: alternatives to products made with polyvinyl chloride or
polystyrene. Comparison with the performance and cost of the currently-used plastic product and
assessing its overall life cycle are integral to this topic. -
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Greener Interior Construction Materials
There is a need to use greener materials in constructing the interior floors, walls, and ceilings of buildings. “Greener
considers the whole life cycle of the materials that are used. The following are examples of this need:
- Many indoor construction materials emit toxic gases such as formaldehyde and produce airborne fine
particles. It would be more protective of human health if greener materials were used that did not emit
toxic fumes or fine particles. - Flexible and laminate vinyl materials and rigid polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are made with toxic materials
and processes, are difficult to recycle, and do not biodegrade. It would be more protective of the
environment if greener materials were used.
With this in mind, EPA is interested in innovative technologies that address the following topic:
Topic Code 6A: Greener Interior Construction Materials: Greener materials for construction of floors, walls,
and/or ceilings in buildings. Compared with currently-used materials, these materials should be
less toxic, stronger, more durable, longer lasting, lower weigh, lower in volume, easier to re-cycle
and re-use, more biodegradable, and more affordable. The use of a life cycle perspective that
embodies these and other related aspects is integral to this topic.Greener Exterior Construction Materials
Materials used in constructing the exterior of buildings wind up creating a large portion of the waste materials in
the United States. These materials include concrete, wood, metal, glass, and plastic. Much of this material goes to
landfills because they cannot be easily or cost-effectively re-cycled or reused. For example, nearly all polyvinyl
chloride construction materials go to landfills. There is a need for greener materials that can be used in constructing
the exterior of buildings. “Greener considers the whole life cycle of the materials that are used.With this in mind, EPA is interested in innovative technologies that address the following topic:
Topic Code 6B: Greener Exterior Construction Materials: Greener materials for use in constructing the
exteriors of buildings. Compared with currently-used materials, these materials should be less
toxic, stronger, more durable, longer lasting, lower weigh, lower in volume, easier to re-cycle and
re-use, more biodegradable, and more affordable. The use of a life cycle perspective that embodies
these and other related aspects is integral to this topic. -
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Phase II
(THIS SOLICITATION IS FOR PHASE I PROPOSALS ONLY)
Process
Upon completion of their Phase I project, Phase I awardees are eligible to submit for follow-on Phase II funding.
Phase II offerors should have made significant progress in their commercialization planning and implementation
during their Phase I project.Phase II is the principal R&D effort. It should be completed in 24 months. It has two objectives. The first is to
continue the R&D initiated under Phase I, and take it at least through full-scale testing of the technology. The second
is to work with partners, investors, and customers to fully commercialize the technology and obtain widespread
utilization.The EPA recognizes that a full demonstration of a technologys capability and full-scale commercialization may
require, in effect, a Phase III that utilizes non-EPA Federal and/or private sector funds; therefore, Phase II projects
should work to establish strategic partners necessary to commercialize their technology.The EPA anticipates making approximately six (6) Phase II awards, each in the amount of $300,000 with a 24-
month term of performance. In Phase II, the EPA is also offering a commercialization option of $100,000 to
companies that can secure third-party investment of $100,000 or more for the commercialization of their
technology. To implement this, the Agency requires a “Commercialization Option under which Phase II offerors
shall submit a proposal for up to $100,000 of additional EPA funding.The small business concern shall document the receipt of these latter funds from one or more third-party investors,
such as a venture capital firm, an individual “angel investor1, a state or local funding source, another company
under a partnership, licensing, or joint venture arrangement, or any combination of third parties. The EPA funds
must be designated solely for support of the R&D-related elements of the project. The entire Phase II proposal,
including the commercialization option, will be evaluated together.The EPA anticipates issuing the follow-on Phase II Solicitation on or about March 2019, with proposals due
on/about May 2019.Evaluation
For Phase II, the EPA will use a two-stage evaluation process similar to that used for Phase I. There will be an
external peer review, plus an internal review that considers programmatic balance, Agency priorities, and available
funding. The following criteria will be used in the external peer review of the Phase II proposals.Stage one is the peer review process. The following three (3) technology criteria and three (3) commercialization
criteria will be used to evaluate Phase I proposals during peer review. All six (6) criteria are of equal importance.
These criteria directly align with the requirements in the solicitation.Phase II Technical Criteria
- The Innovation Degree to which proposal addresses the innovation including such factors as: why
technology is innovative and how it could benefit target customers; what must be done to reach the next
stage of development; identification of key technical challenges for bringing the technology to market and
how they will be overcome; and the intellectual property associated with this project and how it will be
protected. - Technical Approach Degree to which proposal addresses the technical approach including factors such
as: what questions must be answered to determine the technical feasibility of the proposed concept and how
these will be addressed; and adequacy of Quality Assurance Statement. - Technical Challenges Degree to which proposal addresses the technical challenges including factors
such as: key performance characteristics including costs, necessary to meet customer needs; description of
competing technologies; a lifecycle approach to solving the problem addressing environmental benefits and
costs associated with the inputs, manufacture, use, and reuse/recycle/treatment/disposal of the technology.
- Market Opportunity Degree to which the proposal addresses the market opportunity including factors
such as: target market for the innovation and how market was validated; the drivers for and barriers to
selling to target market; description of customers and basic business model; and description of competition
and how the competitive landscape is expected to change by the time product enters the market. - Company/Team Degree to which proposal addresses the company/team (including Principal Investigator
(PI)) and factors such as: how qualified company/team is to carry out the proposed work and is balanced
between technical and business skills; has adequate resources available to carry out the proposed activities;
and has a track record taking similar technologies (including SBIR-funded projects) to market. - Commercialization Approach Degree to which proposal presents a commercialization approach that
can successfully take technology from its current stage of development to market.
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The potential of the technology to meet Agency program priorities.
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The potential of the technology to advance sustainability, including environmental, economic, and societal
benefits. - The potential of the technology to be widely used, have broad application, and/or to impact large segments
of the population.F. Phase III
- The Innovation Degree to which proposal addresses the innovation including such factors as: why
(THIS SOLICITATION IS FOR PHASE I PROPOSALS ONLY)
The EPA strongly encourages Phase II awardees who do not think they will be able to achieve full-scale commercialization by the end of Phase II to diligently plan for and pursue during Phase II non-EPA SBIR sources
of funding to achieve full-scale commercialization and utilization of their technology. That third phase could be funded by:-
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Non-Federal sources of capital—including investors, commercial partners, licensing, etc.
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Federal non-SBIR sources that support any necessary continued R&D and product development.
- Federal non-SBIR funds for purchasing and/or domestic and international marketing of the technology.
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The objective of Phase III, where appropriate, is for the small business to pursue commercialization objectives resulting from the Phase I/II R/R&D activities. The SBIR program does not fund Phase III.
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Guidelines
Each offeror submitting a Phase I proposal must qualify as a small business for research or R&D purposes at the time of award of the Phase I and Phase II funding agreements. In addition, the primary employment of the principal
investigator must be with the small business firm, both at the time of contract award and during the conduct of the proposed research. Principal investigators who appear to be employed by a university must submit a letter from the
university stating that the principal investigator, if awarded a SBIR contract, will become a less-than-half-time employee of the university.Also, a principal investigator who appears to be a staff member of both the offeror and a second employer must submit a letter from the second employer stating that, if awarded a SBIR contract, s/he will become a less than halftime employee of the second employer. Letters demonstrating that these requirements have been fulfilled shall be submitted prior to contract award to the Contract Specialist via the FedConnect web portal (www.fedconnect.net). Failure to do so may jeopardize award. Also, for Phase I, the research or R&D work must be performed in the United States. (For the definition of the “United States, see Section II. J.)
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Inquiries
All inquiries concerning this solicitation shall be referred to the EPA Contracting Officer:
All inquiries concerning this solicitation shall be submitted to the EPA Contract Specialist Adrianne Wells, via the FedConnect web portal (www.fedconnect.net).
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Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
To report fraud, waste, or abuse in EPA programs, contact the OIG Hotline by:
E-mail: OIG_Hotline@epa.gov
Postal Mail:
EPA Inspector General Hotline
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Mail code 2431T
Phone: 1-888-546-8740
Fax: 1-202-566-2599 -
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DEFINITIONS/h3>
For purposes of this solicitation, the following definitions apply:
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Research or Research and Development (R/R&D)
Any Activity that is:
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A systematic, intensive study directed toward greater knowledge or understanding of the subject studied;
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A systematic study directed specifically toward applying new knowledge to meet a recognized need; or
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A systematic application of knowledge toward the production of useful materials, devices, and systems or methods, including design, development, and improvement of prototypes and new processes to meet specific requirements.
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Funding Agreement
Any contract, grant, or cooperative agreement entered into between any Federal Agency and any small business concern for the performance of experimental, developmental, or research work, including products or services, funded in whole or in part by the Federal Government.
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Subcontract
Any agreement, other than one involving an employer-employee relationship, entered into by an awardee of a funding agreement for purpose of obtaining supplies or services for the performance of the original funding agreement.
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Small Business Concern
A small business concern is one that, at the time of award of Phase I and Phase II contracts, meets all of the following criteria:
- Is registered in System for Award (SAM) under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
541715. - Is organized for prof
- Is registered in System for Award (SAM) under North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code
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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.