NIST GCR 05–873
Customer Satisfaction Findings from the Advanced Technology Program’s
Survey of ATP Applicants 2002

Executive Summary

From January through July, 2004, ATP conducted a Survey of ATP Applicants to its 2002 competition. One section of the survey focused on customer satisfaction issues. ATP’s direct customers are the organizations that ATP interacts with on a daily basis during the course of project selection and program management. This group of customers includes all applicants to ATP competitions, including both applicants who receive funding (awardees) from ATP and those who do not (nonawardees). Virtually all companies applying for funding in the year 2002 award competition were included in the survey.

The customer satisfaction questions addressed applicant perceptions and experience during the proposal preparation and review process. Topics covered include: applicant perceptions of the proposal process, views of the proposal preparation kit and electronic submission system, views of the usefulness of information sources, satisfaction with ATP staff, nonawardee views of the proposal debriefing and time and cost for proposal preparation.

Applicant Perceptions of the ATP Proposal Process

• Three-quarters of all applicants report that the proposal process is useful.
• Three-quarters of all applicants view the review and decision process as fair.

Applicant Views of the Proposal Preparation Kit and Electronic Submission System

• About 80% of applicants were satisfied with the ease of use, clarity and comprehensiveness of content of the ATP Proposal Kit.
• About two-thirds of applicants submitting proposals using the Electronic Submission System found it easy to use.

Applicant Views of the Usefulness of ATP Information Sources

• Three-fourths of applicants attending proposers’ conferences found them useful.
• 85% of applicants found the ATP website useful.

Applicant Satisfaction with ATP Staff

• About 90% of applicants who contacted ATP staff were satisfied with the courtesy and promptness of staff.

ATP Proposal Debriefing: Nonawardee Views

• Over half of nonawardees were satisfied with the timeliness, clarity and comprehensiveness of the debriefing provided by ATP staff.

Time and Cost for ATP Proposal Preparation

• The median applicant devoted 200 staff hours and $12,500 to preparing the proposal.

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Date created: July 29, 205
Last updated: August 4, 2005

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