Prize Contests
There are times when VA needs a solution to a problem but believes we ought to consider the good ideas from innovative minds in the private sector before we move forward.
There are times when someone either inside or outside government has a great idea, but it needs further development before it can really be used to help Veterans.
And there are times when what we can do as an agency doesn't get us as far as we'd like in serving our nation's heroes, but a lot of good can happen if we engage innovators across the country.
We have several tools to help us do these things. VAi2 uses industry and employee competitions and special projects when they fit the need. And in any of these situations, VA can run a prize contest to help make innovation happen.
The America Competes Act gives VA authority to run contests to drive innovation that advances our agency's mission of helping Veterans. The law is pretty simple and gives VA flexibility to design a contest to meet varying – and sometimes unusual – needs. In a contest, we define:
- The problem we're trying to solve and how it has the potential to help Veterans
- The outlines of the innovative solution we're trying to achieve – so entrants know what we're looking for and we know what a winning entry looks like
- Eligibility to participate in the contest, which by law is limited to US citizens and domestic corporations
- The prize amount
- Any other rules that make the contest work
We look to a variety of sources for ideas on the kinds of contests that can help us find solutions to help Veterans. We publicize contests widely through trade and social media. And when we have a winner, we celebrate not just the solution but also the work of the winner which brought the solution to us.
VAi2 ran its first prize contest – the Blue Button for All Americans Contest – from July to October 2011. Through the Badges for Vets Contest, we are currently looking for innovative ways to develop a system of digital badges that connects Veterans with civilian jobs based on their skills and experience earned in military service.
Read more about the Blue Button for All Americans Contest and Badges for Vets Contest.
