L-5 Applicant
Views of the ATP Proposal Preparation Kit and Electronic Submission System
(ESS)
The Advanced Technology
Program (ATP) aims to make the proposal process a smooth one for applicants.
For example, applicants are provided with the ATP Proposal Preparation
Kit. Applicants are encouraged to submit their proposals securely over
the internet using ATP’s Electronic Submission System (ESS). The
Survey of ATP Applicants 2002 collected information about applicants’ satisfaction
with the proposal kit and use of the ESS.
Respondents
were asked to indicate how satisfied they were with the following
aspects of the April 2001 ATP Proposal Preparation Kit:
a)
Ease of use
b) Clarity of content
c) Comprehensiveness of content
Respondents
were asked if receiving a CD version of the proposal
kit, rather than a paper hard-copy version, would be
a problem for them. They were also asked if they had
submitted their proposal through the ESS and to indicate
how easy or difficult it was to use the system. |
Most
applicants were satisfied with the ATP Proposal Preparation
Kit
- 78%
of the applicants report being satisfied with the
Kit in terms of its ease of use (see Figure 1). 1
- 79%
of applicants also say they were satisfied with the
Kit’s clarity of content (see Figure 1).
- 81%
of applicants indicate being satisfied with the Kit’s
comprehensiveness of content (see Figure 1).
|
Figure 1. Satisfaction
with ATP Proposal Preparation Kit
Both Awardees and Nonawardees
express positive views of the ATP Proposal Preparation Kit
- Awardees view the
Kit more favorably than Nonawardees. In fact, nine out of ten Awardees
indicate being satisfied with the Kit on all three measures (see
Table 1).
- Still, most Nonawardees
express satisfaction with the Kit.
TABLE 1. Awardee
and Nonawardee Satisfaction with ATP Proposal Preparation Kit
| ATP
Proposal Preparation Kit's ... |
AWARDEES |
NONAWARDEES |
| Ease
of use |
| Very satisfied |
53% |
29% |
| Somewhat satisfied |
35% |
47% |
| Clarity
of content |
| Very satisfied |
55% |
31% |
| Somewhat satisfied |
35% |
45% |
| Comprehensiveness
of content |
| Very satisfied |
55% |
34% |
| Somewhat satisfied |
33% |
44% |
The vast majority
of applicants say that a CD version of the ATP Proposal Preparation
Kit would not be a problem
- 91% report that receiving
a CD version of the kit, rather than a paper hard-copy version, would
not be a problem for them.
- Nonawardees were more
likely than Awardees to say that a CD version would be a problem
(11% versus 5%, respectively).
Applicants have
mixed views about the Electronic Submission System (ESS)
- 2002 was the first
year that ATP utilized the ESS. 41% of the 2002 applicants submitted
their proposals through the ESS. Another 13% tried to use the system,
yet did not submit their proposals this way. 46% did not try using
the ESS (see Figure 2).
- Applicants in the
Electronics and Information Technology areas were more likely than
those in Biotechnology and Materials and Chemistry to submit through
the ESS (see Figure 3).
- While most applicants
submitting proposals through the ESS find it easy to use, about one-third
report that it is difficult (see Figure 4).
Figure 2. ATP Proposal
Submission through the ESS
Figure 3. ATP Proposal
Submission through ESS, by Technology Area
Figure 4. Ease
or Difficulty of Using the ESS
Companies seeking to partner
with the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) submit proposals to the ATP.
Proposals must be for the development of innovative technologies that
could not obtain private funding due to the high technical risk and that
have the potential to produce widespread benefits to the economy and
society. Proposals are evaluated for technical and economic merit in
a rigorous competitive review process.
Return to Table
of Contents or go to next factsheet in
Portfolio.
____________________
1. We have combined the response categories “very satisfied” and “somewhat
satisfied” for ease of reporting.
Date created: July 22,
2005
Last updated:
August 11, 2005
|
