DOT Calls for Innovative Research Proposals from Small Businesses.  The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) seeks innovative proposals from small businesses interested in conducting research needed by the Department’s agencies.  On October 19, 2016 DOT’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center released the Fiscal Year 2017 solicitation for the DOT Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.  The solicitation contains a total of nine (9) research topic descriptions from five (5) DOT agencies: Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Transit Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology for research topics across several areas, including broken rail detection, THC detection devices, and lithium-ion battery recycling.  A complete list of research topics can be found on the DOT’s SBIR website athttp://www.volpe.dot.gov/sbir. The solicitation includes topic descriptions and funding levels and invites small businesses to submit research proposals on these topics no later than December 21, 2016. Contact Nancy Wilochka:  (202) 366-5128.