for a limited subset of project managers—1,757 for DoD, 555 for DoE, and 272 for NASA. Finally, the actual responses we received for the survey amounted to a total of 513 (19.8 percent rate) including—347 (19.7 percent rate) for DoD, 84 (15.1 percent rate) for DoE, and 82 (30.1 percent rate) for NASA. The NASA sample was based on projects since 1997 only (the only project managers for which they had email information). The higher response rate is probably due in part to the fact that the sample is based on more recent projects. We were thus more likely to have respondents who were still available and who were more likely to have recalled the SBIR project about which they were being asked.

Question 2 asked if the Project Manager was involved in generating the topic that led to this particular SBIR project.

In Question 2 of the questionnaire, the respondent was asked if he or she was involved in generating the topic that led to this particular Phase II award. Table App-D-1 provides the response to this question for the total sample of project managers and results broken down by agency. Nearly 70 percent of the total respondents were involved in generating the SBIR project. This was apparently the case for DoD and DoE. However, NASA COTR respondents were less likely to have been involved in generating the topic that led to the SBIR project (only 57 percent).

Question 3 asked the Project Manager when he or she became involved in the particular SBIR project.

Another dimension of the role of project manager in the SBIR process relates to when he or she became involved in the project. As seen in Table App-D-2, for the total sample of project managers, 23 percent became involved after Phase I but before Phase II. Another 10 percent became involved after Phase II started but before Phase II was completed. Nearly two percent became involved after Phase II was completed. Over 65 percent were involved before Phase I started