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Indiana company receives $270,000 in small business contracts for environmental technology projects

Release Date: 06/13/2006
Contact Information: Karen Thompson (312) 353-8547 Thompson.Karen@epa.gov

For Immediate Release
No. 06-OPA96

CHICAGO (June 13, 2006)— U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 recently announced that Scientific Methods Inc. of Granger, Ind., has been awarded $270,000 in contracts for two 2006 EPA Small Business Innovation Research program projects. Ten companies in Region 5 states received more than $1 million in total funding.

Scientific Methods will develop:
a simple, rapid, highly automated water sample collection system to detect waterborne pathogens, including those resulting from biological weapon attacks. The device would be capable of handling a variety of water types ranging from drinking water to wastewater.
a synthesized, low-cost silica bead that can detect viruses and determine their concentrations. The innovative device could be incorporated into personal water purification systems.

The 22 million small businesses in the United States employ some 51 percent of the private work force and develop most of the country’s new technologies. Years ago Congress recognized the need to strengthen the role of small business in federally funded research and development and passed a law creating the Small Business Innovation Research program for businesses with no more than 500 employees.

EPA’s highly competitive SBIR program offers critical financial support to small businesses to develop technologies in areas of environmental protection including clean air and water, hazardous and solid wastes, pollution prevention, remediation and monitoring. Recent issues also include homeland security.

To learn more about these research projects and EPA’s SBIR program, visit www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir.

EPA relies on quality science as the basis for sound policy and decision-making. EPA’s laboratories, research centers and grantees are building the scientific foundation needed to support the Agency’s mission to safeguard human health and the environment.