THE INTERDRUG STUDY WAS CONDUCTED FOR THE SPECIAL ACTION OFFICE FOR DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION (SAODAP), A SMALL AGENCY CREATED IN 1971 WITHIN THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT. IN A CRITIQUE OF THAT STUDY (NCJ-47347), CONFLICTS THAT AROSE BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY CONTRACTOR AND THE GOVERNMENT ARE CITED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT, DESPITE ADMITTED MANAGEMENT DEFICIENCIES ON THE PART OF THE GOVERNMENT AND DESPITE THE GRANDIOSITY OF THE RESEARCH TASK UNDERTAKEN IN THE INTERDRUG STUDY, IT SHOULD NOT BE CONCLUDED THAT ALL SUCH PROJECTS WERE DOOMED. SAODAP HELPED CREATE A NATIONAL DRUG ABUSE DATA SYSTEM, A NATIONAL SYSTEM FOR MONITORING DRUG-RELATED DEATHS AND EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, AND THE BASIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USED IN NEARLY 2,000 FEDERALLY FUNDED DRUG ABUSE CLINICS. THE INTERDRUG STUDY ITSELF, THOUGH IT DID NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS, HAS BEEN PUT TO USE. SUGGESTIONS FOR A TWO-STAGE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IN MAJOR EVALUATION STUDIES AND FOR AN OUTSIDE ADVISORY GROUP TO MEDIATE BETWEEN RESEARCHERS AND PROJECT MANAGERS IN SUCH STUDIES ARE FOUND TO HAVE MERIT, AS IS A PROPOSAL FOR A GOVERNMENT RESEARCH TEAM. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, ALTHOUGH THE GOVERNMENT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT IN THE AREA OF EVALUATION, UNIVERSITY AND OTHER EVALUATORS NEED TO BE BETTER TRAINED AND MORE TOUGH-MINDED. (LKM)