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National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Technology Transfer 1998 Program Solicitation

Chapter 6. Submission of Proposals

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6.1 The Submission Process
6.2 Internet Submission
6.3 Postal Submission
6.4 Acknowledgment of Proposal Receipt
6.5 Withdrawal of Proposals

6. Submission of Proposals

6.1 The Submission Process

6.1.1 Submission Requirements

NASA utilizes an electronic process for management of the STTR and SBIR programs. This management approach requires that a proposing firm have Internet access via the World Wide Web, and an email address.

A proposal submission is comprised of two parts:

1. Internet Submission. The entire proposal including all forms must be submitted via the Internet. (http://sbir.nasa.gov)
2. Postal Submission of the original signed proposal plus three copies

Technical proposal, means the part of the submission as described in section 3.4

Word Processor. NASA converts all technical proposal files to PDF format for evaluation purposes. Therefore, NASA requests that technical proposals be submitted in PDF format, and encourages companies to do so. Other acceptable formats for PC are AmiPro, ClarisWorks for Windows, MS Works, Text, MS Word, WordPerfect, Postscript, and Adobe Acrobat. For Macintosh, other acceptable formats are ClarisWorks, MS Works, MacWrite Pro, Text, MS Word, WordPerfect, Postscript, and Adobe Acrobat. Unix and TeX users please note that due to PDF difficulties with non-standard fonts, please output technical proposal files in DVI format.

Graphics. The offeror is encouraged for reasons of space conservation and simplicity, but not required, to embed graphics within the word processed document. For graphics submitted as separate files, the acceptable file formats (and their respective extensions) are: Bit-Mapped (.bmp), Graphics Interchange Format (.gif), JPEG (.jpg), PC Paintbrush (.pcx), WordPerfect Graphic (.wpg), and Tagged-Image Format (.tif).

Limitations. While only the paper copy will be screened for administrative compliance, the various files comprising the electronic version are required to exactly reflect the paper version.

Virus Check.The offeror is responsible for performing a virus check on each submitted technical proposal. As a standard part of entering the proposal into the processing system, NASA will scan each submitted electronic technical proposal for viruses. The detection, by NASA, of a virus on any submitted electronic technical proposal, may cause rejection of the proposal.

6.2.2 Electronic Handbook Submission

An Electronic Handbook for submitting proposals via the World Wide Web is available on the NASA SBIR/STTR Homepage (http://sbir.nasa.gov). The handbook will electronically guide the submitting firm through the various steps for submitting STTR proposals, and issue secure user identification and passwords for each submission. The electronic handbook also includes: SBIR/STTR overview, schedules, previous awards history, sample proposals, other Federal SBIR/STTR Internet sites, and the 1999 STTR Solicitation. In addition, the electronic handbook supports secure electronic submission of Forms 9A, 9B and 9C, the technical proposal, award announcements, and debriefings. Communication between NASA and the firm will be via a combination of e-mail and electronic handbooks.

Important: After the offeror has submitted Forms 9A, 9B, and 9C via the Internet, the offeror may use the handbook for printing out the three forms on your own printer. These forms should be used as part of the postal submission.

Postal Submissions are comprised of:

1. One original signed paper copy of the proposal, including paper copies of the signed Cooperative Agreement and all original forms (printed from Section 6.2 above)
2. 2. Three additional paper copies of the entire proposal. Each proposal copy is to be stapled separately.

Paper Copies of Proposal. Do not use bindings or special covers. Staple the pages of each copy of the proposal in the upper left-hand corner only. Secure packaging is mandatory. NASA cannot process proposals damaged in transit. All items for any proposal must be sent in the same envelope. If more than one proposal is being submitted, each proposal must be in its own envelope, but all proposals may be sent in the same package. Do not send duplicate packages of any proposal as "insurance" that at least one will be received.

All proposals that are mailed through the U.S. Postal Service first class, registered, or certified mail; proposals sent by express mail or commercial delivery services; or hand-carried proposals must be delivered to the following address between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EDT:

NASA STTR Support Office REI Systems, Inc
4041 Powder Mill Road
Suite 311
Calverton, MD 20705-3106

The following telephone number may be used when required for reference by delivery services: 301-937-0888.

6.3.3 Deadline for Proposal Receipt

Deadline for receipt of Phase-I proposals is 5:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 14, 1999. Any proposal received after that date and time shall be considered late. Since the postmark (or other carrier’s date mark) will be the evidence on which the decision is made, offerors must assure themselves that the postmark (or other carrier’s date mark) is clear and easily legible; hand cancellation is suggested. Postage meter date stamps are not acceptable. It is not sufficient for an electronically submitted proposal to be on time, the signed original paper version must be received at NASA by the date and time stated above. Proposals may not be submitted by facsimile. Late proposals will not be eligible for award and will be rejected without review.

NASA will acknowledge receipt of proposals by e-mail to the address on the proposal cover sheet. If a proposal acknowledgment is not received within 14 days following the closing date of this Solicitation, the offeror should call 301-937-0888. NASA will not respond to such inquiries made prior to May 28, 1999.

Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice, fax, or telegram (including Mailgram) received at any time before award.

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