StatVentures is an initiative of Census Open Innovation Labs that scouts technology through collaborations with innovators outside of government to ensure the U.S. Census Bureau provides the highest quality data efficiently, creatively, and effectively. Through multi-phase competitions, they invite participants to propose new concepts that could ultimately become the next methods and data sources for the U.S. Census Bureau.
Donor Name: U.S. Census Bureau
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: American Samoa, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Challenge
Deadline: 12/03/2022
Size of the Grant: $100,000
Details:
Competition Phases
This competition will have three phases, in which they iteratively test and fund cutting-edge technologies and ideas. They provide direct partnership and feedback from the U.S. Census Bureau to make government adoption of new approaches faster and easier and offer opportunities for participants to engage with the government market.
The StatVentures Supply Chain Challenge Phases include:
- Phase 1: Concept. Propose an idea to improve U.S. Census Bureau data. The most innovative and promising ideas will be selected to participate in the StatVentures Phase 2 cohort and receive a monetary award. Ideas will be evaluated on clarity and overall quality, innovation, expertise, and potential impact. This phase does not require the ideas to be demonstrated in a real Census Bureau implementation context. They encourage submitters to propose radically innovative and creative approaches they believe have the potential to work. However, incremental improvements with a high likelihood of success will also be considered. Up to 10 winners in Phase 1 will receive a $10,000 prize and an invitation to join an elite cohort of fellow innovators in Phase 2.
- Phase 2: Roadmap. Iterate on the idea from Phase 1 with feedback from experts at the U.S. Census Bureau as you build an implementation and feasibility plan. In this Phase, ideas are refined with the addition of realistic U.S. Census Bureau requirements. Teams who did not compete in Phase 1 will also have an opportunity to join. Phase 2 winners will receive monetary awards and an invitation to continue in Phase 3, where they’ll move a roadmap to prototype and demonstration.
- Phase 3: Test. Prototype your idea and test-drive it. In Phase 3, roadmaps are translated into real-world demonstrations of prototypes. These test executions are evaluated on criteria such as their potential to serve the U.S. Census Bureau’s mission and goals. Winners from Phase 2 will be invited to participate, with potential for a small number of new teams to join. Winners of Phase 3 will be awarded financial prizes and ultimately have an opportunity to pursue adoption by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Funding Information
- Financial prizes totaling up to $100,000 will be awarded through this Phase 1 challenge, divided into up to 10 prizes of at least $10,000 each. Phase 1 winners will also receive an invitation to the Supply Chain Phase 2 Cohort, in which they will be invited to build a product roadmap to further pursue product market fit.
- Phase 2 Roadmap: Prizes TBA once Phase 2 challenge is announced.
- Phase 3 Test: Prizes TBA once Phase 3 challenge is announced.
Eligibility Criteria
- This supply chain challenge is open to eligible individuals or teams that can create a concept note meeting all requirements of this challenge. Collaboration between cohort members (i.e., participating teams and individuals) in each phase, including this Phase 1 Challenge, is optional but encouraged in cases where it would add mutual value.
- To be eligible to win a prize under the challenge, those entering: (1) Must agree to participate in the competition under the rules and abide by the terms and conditions in this notice by submission of their contact information and concept note and (2) must comply with all submission, content, and format requirements.
- Additionally, to be eligible to apply for and win a prize in this challenge, an individual or entity:
- In the case of a private entity, shall be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States, and in the case of an individual, whether participating singly or in a group, shall be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or U.S. territories and 18 years of age or older. Teams must comprise eligible individuals or organizations and be led by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States who is 18 years of age or older.
- Must have registered to participate in the Challenge under the rules promulgated by the U.S. Census Bureau.
- Must have complied with all the stated requirements of The StatVentures Supply Chain Challenge, as set forth in this and any subsequent notices.
- Must not be a federal entity or federal employee acting within the scope of their employment and may not have relied on any facilities, access, personnel, knowledge, or other resources available to them because of their employment, except for those resources available to all participants on an equal basis.
- Federal employees participating as individuals, or who make a submission as part of or on behalf of an otherwise eligible entity, are responsible for ensuring that their participation in the Competition is permitted by the rules and regulations relevant to their position and that they have obtained any authorization that may be required by virtue of their government position. Failure to do so may result in disqualification of them individually or of the entity which they represent or in which they are involved.
- Must not be an employee of the Census Bureau.
- Must not be a judge of the challenge, or any other party involved with the design, production, execution, or distribution of the Challenge or the immediate family of such a party (e.g. spouse, parent, stepparent, child, or stepchild).
- Federal grantees may not use federal funds to develop COMPETES Act Challenge applications unless consistent with the purpose of their grant award.
- Federal contractors may not use federal funds from a contract to develop COMPETES Act Challenge applications or to fund efforts in support of a COMPETES Act Challenge Submission.
- A submission may be disqualified if it is found to provide false information about the function of the technology or idea as expressed in the description provided by the participant, or if it provides inaccurate or incomplete information.
- If applicable, the proposed application must be HIPAA compliant to be eligible for entry into the challenge.
- Applicants must not be currently under contract with the U.S. Census Bureau or other federal agency to perform work related to the concept submitted for this competition or the implementation of this competition.
- An individual or entity shall not be deemed ineligible because the individual or entity used federal facilities or consulted with federal employees during a challenge, if the facilities and employees are made available to all individuals and entities participating in the challenge on an equitable basis.
For more information, visit U.S. Census Bureau.
