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NIST GCR 05–873
Customer Satisfaction Findings from the Advanced Technology Program’s
Survey of ATP Applicants 2002
3. 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 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:
- Ease of
use
- Clarity
of content
- Comprehensiveness
of content
Respondents
were asked if receiving a CD version of the proposal kit,
rather than a paper hardcopy 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 percent of the
applicants report being satisfied with the Kit in terms of its ease
of use. (See Figure 3–1.)5
- 79 percent of applicants
also say they were satisfied with the Kit’s clarity of content.
(See Figure 3–1.)
- 81% of applicants
indicate being satisfied with the Kit’s comprehensiveness of
content. (See Figure 3–1.)
Figure
3–1. 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 3–1.)
- Still, most nonawardees
express satisfaction with the Kit.
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 hardcopy 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).
Figure 3–2.
ATP Proposal Submission through the ESS
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 3–2.)
- 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 3–3).
- While most applicants
submitting proposals through the ESS find it easy to use, about onethird
report that it is difficult. (See Figure 3–4).
Table 3–1.
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% |
Figure 3–3.
ATP Proposal Submission through ESS, by Technology Area
Figure 3 –4.
Ease or Difficulty of Using the ESS
____________________
5. We have combined the response categories “very satisfied” and “somewhat
satisfied” for ease of reporting.
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of Contents or go to next section.
Date created:
July 29, 205
Last updated:
August 4, 2005
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