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Athens company receives small business contract for new environmental technology

Release Date: 03/1/2007
Contact Information: Dawn Harris-Young, (404) 562-8421, [email protected]

(Atlanta, Ga. – March 1, 2007) Today, the Planteco Environmental Consultants, LLC, of Athens, Georgia was awarded a $70,000 contract from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Planteco Environmental Consultants, LLC is one of 36 award recipients across the country to receive a Phase I contract. The company’s goal is to evaluate whether two types of materials, modified clay and zeolite, can economically remove perchlorate from drinking and waste waters.

EPA issues annual solicitations for Phase I and Phase II research proposals from science and technology-based firms. Under Phase I, the scientific merit and technical feasibility of the proposed concept is investigated. EPA awards firm-fixed-price Phase I contracts up to $70,000 and the period of performance is typically 6 months. Through this phased approach to SBIR funding, EPA can determine whether the research idea, often on high-risk advanced concepts, is technically feasible, whether the firm can do high-quality research, and whether sufficient progress has been made to justify a larger Phase II effort.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is one of 11 federal agencies that participate in the SBIR Program established by the Small Business Innovation Development Act of 1982. The Act is designed to strengthen the role of small businesses in federally funded research and development and help develop a stronger national base for technical innovation. An SBIR small business is defined as a for profit organization with no more than 500 employees. In addition, the small business must be independently owned and operated, at least 51 percent owned by U.S. citizens or lawfully admitted resident aliens, not dominant in the field of operation in which it is proposing, and have its principal place of business in the United States. Joint ventures and limited partnerships are eligible for SBIR awards, provided the entity created qualifies as a small business.

To learn more about EPA's SBIR program and research projects, please visit https://www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir.