[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 17 (Thursday, January 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7454-7456]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01807]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[DOT-OST-2021-0009]


Solicitation for Annual Combating Human Trafficking in 
Transportation Impact Award

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of Transportation, U.S. Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The annual Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation 
Impact Award (the award) incentivizes an increase in human trafficking 
awareness, training, and prevention among transportation stakeholders. 
The award is a component of the Department's Transportation Leaders 
Against Human Trafficking initiative. Additional information regarding 
the Department's counter-trafficking activities can be found at 
www.transportation.gov/stophumantrafficking.
    The award serves as a platform for transportation stakeholders to 
unlock their creativity, and to empower them to develop impactful and 
innovative counter-trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and 
technologies that can help defeat this heinous crime. The award is open 
to individuals and entities, including non-governmental organizations, 
transportation industry associations, research institutions, and State 
and local government organizations. Entrants compete for a cash award 
of up to $50,000 to be awarded to the individual(s) or entity selected 
for creating the most impactful counter-trafficking initiative or 
technology. The U.S. Department of Transportation intends to 
incentivize individuals and entities to think creatively in developing 
innovative solutions to combat human trafficking in the transportation 
industry, and to share those innovations with the broader community.

DATES: Submissions accepted January 28, 2021 through midnight PST on 
March 1, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information, and to register 
your intent to compete individually or as part of a team, visit 
www.transportation.gov/stophumantrafficking, email [email protected], 
or contact the Office of International Transportation and Trade at 
(202) 366-4398.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Award Approving Official: The Secretary of Transportation 
(Secretary).
    Subject of Award Competition: Combating Human Trafficking in 
Transportation Impact Award will recognize impactful and innovative 
approaches to combating human trafficking in the transportation 
industry.

Problem

    As many as 25 million men, women, and children are held against 
their will and trafficked into forced labor and prostitution. 
Transportation figures prominently in human trafficking enterprises 
when traffickers move victims, which uniquely positions the industry to 
combat the crime.

Challenge

    The Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award is 
looking for the best innovators to develop original, impactful, and 
innovative human trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and 
technologies that can help defeat this heinous crime in the 
transportation industry.

Eligibility

    To be eligible to participate in the Combating Human Trafficking in 
Transportation Impact Award competition, private entities must be 
incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United 
States, and individuals must be citizens or permanent residents of the 
United States. There is no charge to enter the competition.

Rules, Terms, and Conditions

    The following additional rules apply:
    1. Entrants shall submit a project to the competition under the 
rules promulgated by the Department in this Notice;
    2. Entrants must indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Federal 
Government from and against all third-party claims, actions, or 
proceedings of any kind and from any and all damages, liabilities, 
costs, and expenses relating to or arising from participant's 
submission or any breach or alleged breach of any of the 
representations, warranties, and covenants of participant hereunder. 
Entrants are financially responsible for claims made by a third party;
    3. Entrants may not be a Federal entity or Federal employee acting 
within the scope of employment;
    4. Entrants may not be an employee of the U.S. Department of 
Transportation;
    5. Entrants shall not be deemed ineligible because an individual 
used Federal facilities or consulted with Federal employees during a 
competition if the facilities and employees are made available to all 
individuals participating in the competition on an equitable basis;
    6. The entries cannot have been submitted in the same or 
substantially similar form in any other previous Federally sponsored 
promotion or Federally sponsored competition;
    7. Entrants previously awarded first place are not eligible to 
reenter for the same or substantially similar project;
    8. Entries, which at the Secretary's sole discretion, are 
determined to be

[[Page 7455]]

substantially similar to another entity's entry submitted to this 
competition may be disqualified;
    9. The competition is subject to all applicable Federal laws and 
regulations. Participation constitutes the entrants' full and 
unconditional agreement to these rules and to the Secretary's 
decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to this 
competition;
    10. Entries must be original, be the work of the entrant and/or 
nominee, and must not violate the rights of other parties. All entries 
remain the property of the entrant. Each entrant represents and 
warrants that:
     Entrant is the sole author and owner of the submission;
     The entry is not the subject of any actual or threatened 
litigation or claim;
     The entry does not and will not violate or infringe upon 
the intellectual property rights, privacy rights, publicity rights, or 
other legal rights of any third party; and
     The entry does not and will not contain any harmful 
computer code (sometimes referred to as ``malware,'' ``viruses,'' or, 
``worms'').
    11. By submitting an entry in this competition, entrants agree to 
assume any and all risks and waive any 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 
their participation in this competition, whether the injury, death, 
damage, or loss arises through negligence of otherwise. Provided, 
however, that by registering or submitting an entry, entrants and/or 
nominees do not waive claims against the Department arising out of the 
unauthorized use or disclosure by the agency of the intellectual 
property, trade secrets, or confidential information of the entrant;
    12. The Secretary or the Secretary's designees have the right to 
request additional supporting documentation regarding the application 
from the entrants and/or nominees;
    13. Each entrant grants to the Department, as well as other Federal 
agencies with which it partners, the right to use names, likeness, 
application materials, photographs, voices, opinions, and hometown and 
state for the Department's promotional purposes in any media, in 
perpetuity, worldwide, without further payment or consideration;
    14. If selected, the entrant and/or nominee must provide written 
consent granting the Department and any parties acting on their behalf, 
a royalty-free, non-exclusive, irrevocable, worldwide license to 
display publicly and use for promotional purposes the entry 
(``demonstration license''). This demonstration license includes 
posting or linking to the entry on Department websites, including the 
Competition website, and partner websites, and inclusion of the entry 
in any other media, worldwide;
    15. Applicants which are Federal grant recipients may not use 
Federal funds to develop submissions;
    16. Federal contractors may not use Federal funds from a contract 
to develop applications or to fund efforts in support of a submission; 
and
    17. The submission period begins on [the date of FRN publication]. 
Submissions must be sent by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on [30 
days after the FRN publication]. The timeliness of submissions will be 
determined by the postmark (if sent in hard copy) or time stamp of the 
recipient (if emailed). Competition administrators assume no 
responsibility for lost or untimely submissions for any reason.

Submission Requirements

    Applicants must submit entries via email or by mail. Electronic 
packages may be transmitted by email to [email protected]. Hard 
copies should be forwarded with a cover letter to the attention of: 
Combating Human Trafficking in Transportation Impact Award (Room W88-
121), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
    Expression of Interest: While not required, entrants are strongly 
encouraged to send brief expressions of interest to the DOT prior to 
submitting entries. The expressions of interest should be sent by [10 
days after the FRN publication] to [email protected], and include the 
following elements: (1) Name of entrant/s; (2) Telephone and email 
address; and (3) A synopsis of the concept, limited to no more than two 
pages.
    Complete submission packages shall consist of the following 
elements:

1. Eligibility Statement

    A statement of eligibility by private entities indicating that they 
are incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the 
United States, or a statement of eligibility by individuals indicating 
that they citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

2. Summary (1-2 pages)

    An overall summary of the project that includes
    A. Entity: The name of the submitting individual(s) or 
organization, their title, phone, and email. If the point of contact 
for the project is different, also specify their name, title, phone, 
and email.
    B. Title: The project title.
    C. Mode: Specify which transportation mode(s) the project will 
focus on.
    D. Summary: A brief one-paragraph synopsis of the proposed project.
    E. Impact: A description of how the project will be evaluated and 
its potential impact on human trafficking in the transportation 
industry.
    F. Background: Brief background regarding the submitting 
individual(s) or organization(s) that includes project-related 
expertise.
    G. Partners: If applicable, list partners who will be engaged in 
project development and/or implementation.

3. Supporting Documents (no page limit)

    The paper(s) and/or technologies, programs, video/audio files, and 
other related materials, describing the project and addressing the 
selection criteria. As applicable, this can include a description of 
success of a previous or similar project and/or documentation of 
impact. You may also submit supporting letters, which may be from 
subject matter experts or industry, which may address the technical 
merit of the concept, originality, impact, practicality, measurability 
and/or applicability. DOT may request additional information, including 
supporting documentation, more detailed contact information, releases 
of liability, and statements of authenticity to guarantee the 
originality of the work. Failure to respond in a timely manner may 
result in disqualification.

Initial Screening

    The Office of International Transportation and Trade will initially 
review applications to determine that all required submission elements 
are included, and to determine compliance with eligibility 
requirements.

Evaluation

    After the Initial Screening, the Office of International 
Transportation and Trade, with input from the relevant Operating 
Administrations, will judge entries based on the factors described 
below: Technical merit, originality, impact, practicality, 
measurability, and applicability. All factors are important and will be 
given consideration.
    The Secretary will make the final selection.
    The Department reserves the right to not award the prize if the 
selecting

[[Page 7456]]

officials believe that no submission demonstrates sufficient potential 
for sufficient transformative impact.

Technical Merit

     Presents a clear understanding of the issue of human 
trafficking in the transportation industry.
     Presents a logical and workable solution and approach to 
addressing human trafficking in the transportation industry.
     Survivors of human trafficking were consulted in the 
development of the project.

Originality

     The concept is new or a variation of an existing idea.
     The concept possesses and clearly describes its unique 
merits.

Impact

     The project can make a significant impact and/or 
contribution to the fight against human trafficking in the 
transportation industry.
     The project clearly describes the breadth of impact.

Practicality

     The project clearly identifies anticipated beneficiaries 
of the project.
     The project clearly outlines anticipated resources and all 
costs to be incurred by executing the concept.
     The project can be implemented in a way that requires a 
finite amount of resources (specifically, the submission has fixed 
costs, low or no marginal costs, and a clear path to implementation and 
scale beyond an initial investment).

Measurability

     The submission clearly outlines how the project will be 
measured.
     The project will result in measurable improvements.

Applicability

     The project is national and/or can be scaled nationally.

Award

    Up to three winning entries are expected to be announced. The 
first-place winner will receive up to a $50,000 cash prize. A plaque 
with the first-place winner(s) name and the date of the award will be 
on display at the U.S. Department of Transportation, and a display copy 
of the plaque(s) will be sent to the first-place award winner's 
headquarters. At the discretion of the Secretary, up to two additional 
plaques may be awarded to recognize two runners up. At the option of 
the Secretary of Transportation, DOT may pay for invitational travel 
expenses to Washington, DC for up to two individuals or representatives 
of the first-place winning organization and runners up organizations 
should selectees be invited to present their project/s for DOT 
officials.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3719 (America COMPETES Act).

Joel Szabat,
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Aviation and International Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2021-01807 Filed 1-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P