The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) today announced the first of two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program solicitations for 2009.  Through this competitive program, the Department encourages the nation’s small, high-tech, innovative businesses to be a significant part of the federal government’s research and development efforts. Small businesses are invited to submit innovative research proposals that address high priority national transportation goals during the solicitation period, which runs from Feb. 13 through April 15.  The SBIR program is administered by RITA’s Volpe National Transportation Systems Center on behalf of the U.S. DOT’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.  The solicitation is available at http://www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir.  Contact: Kim Riddle (202) 366-5128.