The NTA was founded in 1987 to discover and advance commercial and dual-use technology innovations to meet national security and defense needs. NIMA, which serves as the executive agent for the NTA, has awarded Rosettex Technology & Ventures Group a procurement agreement to advance three technology areas of critical interest to the Intelligence Community, Military Services, and Department of Defense: (1) Imagery, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Cartography; (2) Digital Processing, Analysis, and Management; and (3) Digital Technology Infrastructure.

The procurement agreement has a term of five years and potential value of more than $200 million.

Rosettex Technology & Ventures Group, based in Rosslyn, Virginia, will translate research and developmental technology into solutions using a unique business model. Rosettex has assembled a team of 64 partners representing major technology consulting firms, established and new companies, independent research institutes, premier academic institutes and government contractors. Access to the vast array of research and technologies represented by these organizations will allow the Rosettex team to accelerate the transition of a wide range of technologies from the laboratory to the commercial marketplace to address government users' needs.

The Rosettex team will identify user needs, perform technology assessment and evaluation, and implement solutions. Solutions implementation will include technology R&D and prototyping, product development and commercialization, and technology insertion and systems integration.

The Rosettex business model includes the Rosettex Venture Fund, a venture capital fund that will invest in technologies, products, and companies that address broad national security needs. The Fund will commercialize technical advances, attract entrepreneurs, and harness a wealth of knowledge in the private sector. This approach will allow the government to gain access to emerging technology information, which is critical for acquisition planning.

An Advisory Board of leading venture capitalists will counsel the Rosettex Venture Fund.

About Sarnoff Corporation
Sarnoff Corporation (http://www.sarnoff.com) creates and commercializes electronic, biomedical and information technology for clients worldwide. Founded in 1942 as RCA Laboratories, it produces innovations in such areas as integrated circuits, lasers, and imagers; computational drug discovery and drug manufacture and delivery; digital TV and video; vision processing software and hardware; high-performance networking; and wireless communications. Its history includes the development of color TV, the liquid-crystal display, the disposable hearing aid, and a leadership role in creating the new U.S. digital and HDTV standard. Sarnoff also founds new companies to bring its technologies to market. Twenty such companies are in various stages of development.

About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International (http://www.sri.com) is one of the world's leading independent research and technology development organizations. Founded as Stanford Research Institute in 1946, SRI, a nonprofit research institute, performs contract research and development for government agencies, commercial businesses and nonprofit foundations. SRI is well known for its innovations in information technology, telecommunications, engineering, pharmaceuticals, chemistry, physics, and the public policy areas of education, health, and economic development. In addition to conducting contract R&D, SRI licenses its technologies, forms strategic partnerships and creates spin-off companies.

About the National Imagery and Mapping Agency
The National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) is a member of the National Intelligence Community and a DoD Combat Support Agency. It provides timely, relevant, and accurate Geospatial Intelligence in support of national security. Geospatial Intelligence is the analysis and visual representation of security-related activities on the Earth. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., NIMA operates major facilities in the northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and St. Louis, Mo. areas. In addition, NIMA Support Teams serve customers around the nation and the world.