Could you provide detailed insights on the objectives and expected outcomes of the HHS Innovation Challenge?
Our goal for this challenge is to identify pre-existing, innovative programs that are preventing human trafficking and improving health outcomes related to human trafficking among women and girls. The hope is to amplify the effective solutions identified through the challenge so they can be adopted into standard practice to enhance how we approach human trafficking prevention across the United States. See the Overview page for more details.
Is this a competition for a new idea or for a finished product?
As the criteria for the challenge states, we are looking for pre-existing and innovative solutions to human trafficking, that means a combination of both new ideas and finished products. However, that does not mean that your program must be completely finished to be eligible. If you meet the judging criteria, which states that you can demonstrate the effectiveness of your program through statistically significant results or data, then you will be eligible for consideration.
Are you looking for preventative solutions? Meaning - how can we provide more support for vulnerable women and girls.
Prevention is at the heart of this competition, and there are multiple levels of prevention that programs can use to fit the judging criteria, including approaches that utilize primary, secondary, and/or tertiary prevention. We are open to submissions that have approaches that use any or all of the three levels of prevention.
- Primary prevention involves intervention before health effects occur
- Secondary prevention involves screening methods to identify an issue at the earliest possible stage
- Tertiary prevention involves managing an issue once it has already been identified
How comprehensive does the program have to be; could be a segment or a component?
You do not need to cover every aspect of your program within your submissions. Submissions should be able to meet the judging criteria which states that your program can demonstrate that it is effective in preventing human trafficking or improving health outcomes related to human trafficking among women and girls through statistically significant results and or data.
Questions about eligibility
Who or what organization qualifies for this opportunity and what minimum requirements should be met?
All individuals, groups, nonprofits, and organizations (including startups, recently established organizations, and technology developers), and even outreach events or campaigns, can submit for the challenge as long as they meet the eligibility requirements listed on the Rules page.
Do you have to be a US registered organization to submit?
Yes, per the eligibility requirements, organizations must 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.
In our application, are we allowed to include partner organizations to achieve the goals outlined in the submission?
You may include partner organizations in your submissions as long as you comply with the participation rules listed on the Rules page and they are informed of their involvement in the submission.
Can developing technologies or a software vendor that detects and prevents human trafficking apply for the challenge? Can a sexual violence program that has experience beyond and including human trafficking be eligible?
Yes as long as you can demonstrate that you are meeting the judging criteria in your submission and eligibility requirements.
Do you need a SAM.gov number in order to receive funding?
Per the eligibility requirements for the challenge, you are not required to register in SAM.gov to be selected as a winner for the challenge.
Questions about submissions
Will we be able to submit an RFP, CRP, or letter of concept?
As this is an award competition, and not a grant or contract, you will not submit either. Your submissions are all that will be considered in the judging process for the challenge. See, the submission requirements on the How to enter page.
As a marketing and advertising agency, I'm interested in knowing if the challenge can include bringing/increasing awareness?
Submissions can include this approach as long as you demonstrate you are meeting the judging criteria listed for the challenge.
Will you accept PowerPoint or video form submissions?
No, entries must consist of PDF files with a font size no smaller than 11-point Arial and be less than or equal to 5 pages and be in English. Citations and reference lists will not count toward the 5-page limit. See the How to enter page for submission requirements.
Are web links or attachments allowable in the submission materials?
Submissions are only able to consist of the 5-page PDF file. Any extra attachments or links embedded in the file will not be considered by judges. See the How to enter page for submission requirements.
Will this challenge allow the development of innovative data solutions that aim at analyzing data related to human trafficking?
Eligible programs that involve innovative data solutions to monitor human trafficking can submit. As long as they can demonstrate they're meeting the judging criteria of preventing human trafficking and/or improving health outcomes related to human trafficking among women and girls.
Could we use resources such as Veterans For Child Rescue?
You may refer to or utilize other federal resources in your programs and submissions as long as you adhere to the participation rules outlined on the Rules page.
Other questions
Can you tell us more about the data analysis components of this program?
The judging criteria states that we are looking for programs that can demonstrate their effectiveness in preventing human trafficking or improving health outcomes related to human trafficking through statistically significant results and/or data. There are many ways to demonstrate this, including qualitative and quantitative data and p-values. We encourage programs to emphasize how they are meeting their intended outcomes and not overly focus on outputs and activities of their approach in their submissions.
What is the progress on prior solutions provided to prevent human trafficking?
This is the first occurrence of the HHS Innovation Challenge to Prevent Human Trafficking Among Women and Girls, so this will be the first batch of solutions submitted to OWH focused on human trafficking prevention.
What caliber of resources will be made available to successful challenge entrants?
We do not have any resources currently highlighted to provide to awardees of the challenge. However, once we reach the end of the judging period for Phase 1, we would be happy to discuss more with the awardees.
Will funding and other resources be discussed?
At this time, we are focusing on this challenge and identifying what solutions can be amplified and applied to human trafficking prevention practice. Future funding and resources will be considered at a later date.
Will there be future HHS challenge opportunities like this one if I'm not ready to apply this year?
We do not currently have plans for another round of this challenge but would spread the word again if another opportunity comes up.
What is the depth of HHS involvement, and are they using federal resources?
This challenge was developed by OWH with consultation from the Office on Trafficking in Persons, both of which sit within HHS. Several federal resources, both within HHS and other agencies, were used in the development of the challenge.
Are there connections to law enforcement programs or other agencies that this challenge must demonstrate?
This challenge does have an emphasis on a public health approach to human trafficking which can include approaches that have connections to law enforcement.
Are there any parameters of how that prize needs to be used?
As this is an award and not a grant, there are no parameters for how the prize amount is used.
The population of focus on this challenge is women and girls. Does our program have to be explicit to just women and girls?
Your program can benefit other groups of people, but your submission should align with the judging criteria that focuses on women and girls.