Modeling selection criteria of R&D projects for awarding direct subsidies to the private sector

This paper aims to model selection criteria of R&D projects for awarding direct subsidies to the private sector, in order to assist government agencies in improving the way in which they allocate the subsidies. The modeling involved three steps. The first step was a literature review of the criteria used to make the decisions. The second step involved structuring the revised criteria into a hierarchical matrix. The third step involved evaluating the proposed matrix by weighting the criteria using the analytic hierarchy process. The results obtained allowed the elucidation of these criteria, the proposal of a valid and detailed hierarchical matrix and the integration of the personal perceptions of the decision-makers with the specific objectives of a public organization. Thus, this model was demonstrated to be an appropriate tool for structuring these criteria.