The role of the Project Manager is to:

• Justify technology pursuits to S&T Management.
• Initiate Technology Projects in the Enterprise Business System.
• Negotiate technical content and formally represent the government in contracts with Performers.
• Manage technology development and contract execution.
• Report Project status to S&T Management.
• Initiate and conduct Technology Program Gate Reviews and present their findings.
• For smaller Projects and organizations, all the roles included here may be fulfilled by the PM.

• Standardize the development progress by using a Stage Gate Process to clearly define developmental phases.
• Create and define a clear Project Plan using Decision Point metrics tool set.
• Develop Deliverables for a project by following these standardized, easy to follow, outline.
• Develop financial strategies for the project when the Project Plan is created.
• Establish a well defined set of goals and deliverables for a project by Planning a TRL Roadmap.
• Determine a project's readiness to advance to the next TRL and receive a clear Go/No-Go recommendation by Conducting a Gate Review.
• Use Decision Point to Plan Transition and facilitate effective communications between the Acquisition center and the technology base.
• Establish a Baseline for the current project.
• Ease Program Justification by having a straightforward TRL progression tracker.
• Prepare for project justification by establishing a Budget Defense.