[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 15 (Tuesday, January 24, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4291-4293]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01324]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[DOT-OST-2023-0010]


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) seeks to raise awareness among transportation 
stakeholders about human trafficking and increase training and 
prevention to combat it. The award is a component of the Department of 
Transportation (DOT) 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 creatively develop impactful and innovative counter-
trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and technologies that can 
help stop these heinous crimes. 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. DOT 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 24, 2023 through midnight EST on 
March 27, 2023.

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 Maha Alkhateeb in 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: The 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 27.6 million men, women, and children are held against 
their will and trafficked into forced labor and commercial sex. 
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 
unique human trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and 
technologies that can help stop these heinous crimes 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

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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, in the Department's sole discretion, are 
determined to be 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 January 24, 2023. Submissions 
must be sent by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on March 27, 2023. 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 
February 23, 2023 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.
    Please ensure your submission package includes EACH of the 
following ten elements:

1. Entity

    The (1) name of the individual(s) or organization being nominated, 
(2) their title, (3) phone, (4) email, (5) website URL, and (6) mailing 
address. If the point of contact for the project is different, also 
specify their name, title, phone, and email.

2. Background

    Brief background regarding the submitting individual(s) or 
organization(s) that includes relevant counter-trafficking expertise.

3. 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.

4. Mode(s)

    Specify which transportation mode(s) the project will focus on.

5. Title

    The project title.

6. Project Summary (1 Paragraph)

    A detailed synopsis of the proposed project, including how efficacy 
will be measured and its anticipated impact.

7. Project Overview and Impact/Measurability (1-2 Pages)

    A description of the project that presents a logical approach and 
workable solution to addressing the issue of human trafficking in the

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transportation industry. Include responses to the following questions: 
Is the concept unique? Are the anticipated beneficiaries clearly 
identified? Were human trafficking survivors consulted in the 
development of the project and/or how will survivor input be included 
in project implementation? Are the anticipated resources and costs 
outlined in detail? Can the project be implemented in a way requiring a 
finite amount of resources (e.g., the submission has fixed costs, low 
or no marginal costs, and a clear path to implementation and scale 
beyond an initial investment)? For impact and measurability, include a 
description of how the project will be evaluated, and its potential 
impact on human trafficking in the transportation industry. Include 
responses to the following questions: How will the project's impact be 
measured? How will the project contribute to counter-trafficking 
efforts in the transportation sector? If not a national project, can 
the project be scaled nationally?

8. Partners

    If applicable, list the partners who will be engaged in project 
development and/or implementation, including a brief background for 
each.

9. Letters of Support

    You may submit supporting letters, which may be from subject matter 
experts or industry, and may address the technical merit of the 
concept, originality, impact, practicality, measurability and/or 
applicability.

10. 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. 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 equally 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 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 and utilizes a trauma-
informed, victim-centered approach.
     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 concept and survivor input is outlined in 
the description of project implementation.

Originality

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

Impact/Measurability

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

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).

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 Department's 
discretion, 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).

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 19, 2023.
Carol Annette Petsonk,
Assistant Secretary, Aviation and International Affairs, U.S. 
Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2023-01324 Filed 1-23-23; 8:45 am]
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