Awards and Certifications From February 16

Plymouth Firm Among Winners of SBA Award: Forty-Four small businesses and eight individuals have been honored for the critical role they play in research and development for the government and for their success in driving innovation and creating new jobs. The Tibbetts Awards, given by the U.S. Small Business Administration, honor outstanding small businesses and individuals who participate in the SBA's Small Business Innovation Research program. Among the winners was Variation Reduction Solutions Inc. of Plymouth, a developer of machine vision systems. The Tibbetts Awards, named after Roland Tibbetts, who was instrumental in developing the SBIR program, are presented to companies and individuals from all over the United States who are beacons of promise and models of excellence in high technology. Tibbetts award winners are selected based on the economic impact of their technological innovation, and on whether they have met federal research and development needs, encouraged diverse participation in technological innovation, and increased the commercialization of federal research. The SBA's Small Business Innovation Research program accounted for approximately $2.5 billion in FY 2010 in federal research and development funds and is coordinated by the SBA in cooperation with 11 federal agencies.For more about SBIR, visit www.sba.gov/content/small-business-innovation-research-program-sbir-0.