USDOT: $1.7MM for SBIR Program
Written by Carolina Worrell, Senior Editor
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Dr. Robert C. Hampshire
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on Feb. 7 announced that it is now accepting proposals for funding ranging from $150,000 to $200,000 from its Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) to “spur research and commercialization of innovative transportation technologies in select research areas,” including the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).
According to USDOT, the SBIR program supports investments in transportation that “improve the safety, sustainability and resilience of the nation’s transportation assets, and provides opportunities for small businesses to explore innovative technologies.”
The research topics selected for this year’s SBIR solicitation address a variety of needs regarding advanced materials and structures, behavioral safety and the safe transport of materials. Awards will be funded for projects in the following research areas:
- Concrete Crosstie Inspection Technology.
- Novel Design for Passenger Railcar Glazing Securement.
- Bioremediation for Hazardous Material Spills.
- Integrated RFID Trackers and Sensors for Hazardous Material Communication in Transportation.
- Portable State-of-Charge Sensor for Lithium Batteries.
- Wearable PPE-integrated Sensors for First Responders.
“Small businesses are essential to our economy, and this program plays an important role in advancing America’s economic competitiveness by supporting domestic small businesses while stimulating technological innovation that can improve our transportation systems and lead to further economic growth,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology Dr. Robert C. Hampshire.
A full list of previous years’ awardees is available here.
