Rules, terms, and conditions

To be eligible to win a prize under this Challenge, a Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) —

• Shall have registered to participate in the Challenge as an individual, team, or entity under the rules and instructions promulgated by HHS as published in the announcement for this prize on Challenge.gov, including but not limited to, the “Prize Payment Rules” and the “How to Enter” sections of the announcement.
• Shall have completed and submitted the “HHS Challenge Participant Registration Form” as part of the Challenge.
• Shall have complied with all the requirements set forth in the announcement on Challenge.gov;
• 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 (team), shall be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. However, non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents can participate as a member of a team if the Team Leader is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States and the team otherwise satisfies the Eligibility Rules. Non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents are not eligible to win a monetary prize (in whole or in part). Their participation as part of a winning team, if applicable, may be recognized when the results are announced;
• Shall not be a Federal entity or Federal employee acting within the scope of their employment;
• Shall not be an employee of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, or any other component of HHS) acting in their personal capacity;
• Who is employed by a Federal agency or entity other than HHS (or any component of HHS), shall consult with an agency Ethics Official to determine whether the Federal ethics rules will limit or prohibit the acceptance of a prize under this Challenge;
• Shall 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 (i.e., spouse, parent, step-parent, child, or step-child).
• Shall be 18 years of age or older at the time of submission.

1. Participants (whether individuals, teams, or entities) may not use Federal funds from a grant award or cooperative agreement to develop their Challenge submissions or to fund efforts in support of their Challenge submissions.
2. Federal contractors may not use Federal funds from a contract to develop Challenge submissions or to fund efforts in support of Challenge submissions. Costs associated with such activities are unallowable and are not allocable to Government contracts.
3. By participating in this Challenge, each Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) agrees to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the Federal government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from participation in this Challenge, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise.
4. Based on the subject matter of the Challenge, the type of work that it will possibly require, as well as an analysis of the likelihood of any claims for death, bodily injury, property damage, or loss potentially resulting from Challenge participation, no Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) participating in the Challenge is required to obtain liability insurance, or demonstrate financial responsibility, or agree to indemnify the Federal government against third party claims for damages arising from or related to Challenge activities in order to participate in this Challenge.
5. A Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) shall not be deemed ineligible because the Participant used Federal facilities or consulted with Federal employees during the Challenge if the facilities and employees are made available to all Participants participating in the Challenge on an equitable basis.
6. By participating in this Challenge, each Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) warrants that they are the sole author or owner of, or have the right to use, any copyrightable works that the submission comprises, that the works are wholly original with the Participant (or are an improved version of an existing work that the Participant has sufficient rights to use and improve), and that the submission does not infringe any copyright or any other rights of any third party of which the Participant is aware.
7. By participating in this Challenge, each Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) grants to HHS an irrevocable, paid-up, royalty-free nonexclusive worldwide license to reproduce, publish, post, link to, share, and display publicly the submission on the web or elsewhere, and a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to practice, or have practiced for or on its behalf, the solution throughout the world. Each Participant will retain all other intellectual property rights in their submissions, as applicable. To participate in the Challenge, each Participant must warrant that there are no legal obstacles to providing the above-referenced nonexclusive licenses of the Participant’s rights to the Federal government. To receive an award, Participants will not be required to transfer their intellectual property rights to HHS, but Participants must grant to the Federal government the nonexclusive licenses recited herein.
8. Each Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) agrees to follow all applicable Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies.
9. Each Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) participating in this Challenge must comply with all rules and requirements included in this announcement, and participation in this Challenge constitutes each Participant’s full and unconditional agreement to abide by the rules and requirements. Winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements herein.
10. As a condition for receiving a cash prize in this Challenge, each Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) that has been selected as a winner must complete and submit all requested winner verification and payment documents to HHS. Failure to return all required verification and payment documents by the date specified in the formal winner notification may be a basis for disqualification of a cash prize winning submission.
11. By participating in this Challenge, each Participant (whether an individual, team, or entity) agrees that HHS may disqualify its submission if, in HHS’ judgment, the submission is inconsistent with HHS’ public health mission, may be ineffective or harmful, or any other reason deemed necessary.

1. For each eligible Participant under the “Eligibility Rules,” HHS will use that Participant’s registration as an individual, team, or entity on the “HHS Challenge Participant Registration Form” to determine who receives payment of any prize money.
   1. For an eligible winning Participant registered as an individual, the prize award will be paid to the individual.
   2. For a winning Participant registered as a team with an eligible Team Leader, the entire prize award will be paid to the Team Leader. Division of the prize money is at the discretion of the Team Leader.
   3. For an eligible winning Participant registered as an entity, the prize award will be paid to the entity.
2. Prizes awarded under this Challenge will be paid by electronic funds transfer or cash check and may be subject to Federal income taxes. HHS will comply with the Internal Revenue Service withholding and reporting requirements, where applicable.
3. Entities participating in this Challenge are encouraged, but not required, to request and obtain a free Unique Entity ID (UEI), if they have not already done so, via SAM.gov as this may expedite prize payment. Additional information can be found at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.

HHS reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to (a) cancel, suspend, or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, for any reason, and/or (b) not award any prizes if no submissions are deemed worthy.