The Technology Innovation Challenge is coordinated by the Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative, as part of its mission to combat and prevent homelessness throughout LA County. In partnership with the County of Los Angeles Office of the CIO, this competition will award $1.375 million to bold, human-centered and scalable solutions that will enhance service delivery to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in LA County. 

Eligible organizations include nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, universities and colleges (including those that may have been organized under State or federal charter), and government agencies. Please refer to the Rules for a complete set of eligibility requirements. Please contact [email protected] with any questions regarding eligibility.

Eligible organizations may submit a proposal for more than one solution area, and will need to create an account and register using a different username/email for each submission in order to submit up to four (4) applications. Only one application for each solution area from the same entity is allowed - submitting more than one application for a solution area may deem your application ineligible. You may not submit for more than one solution area in one application. The four solution areas are:

1. Centralized Customer Portal
   
2. Customer-Driven Mobile Digital Services
   
3. Geo Mapping Hub & Resources
   
4. Operational Reporting of Performance Outcomes
   

We are seeking bold technology solutions that reimagine service delivery for those experiencing homelessness in LA County, and that exemplify human-centered design, impact, scalability, and integration into the existing LA County homeless service delivery system. The solution areas below will require their own, distinct proposal.

• Centralized Customer Portal: Improve access to services through direct communication between clients and case workers, electronic form submission, and real-time tracking of available housing, and other areas of need for homeless.
• Customer-Driven Mobile Digital Services: Create customer-driven digital services based on user needs and improving access to services and management of program outcomes.
• Geo Mapping Hub & Resources: Influence near real-time and accurate decision-making and alignment with forecasting and strategic plan using geo mapping for priorities including, but not limited to: identifying trends; tracking housing inventory/demand; and allocating staff, funding and other resources.
• Operational Reporting of Performance Outcomes: Improve outcomes reporting for the Homeless Initiative (tied to strategies) and track near real-time Measure H contracts, expenditures, and requirements.

You must first create an account and register no later than Thursday, January 30, 2020, at 3:00 PM Pacific. Registration is required and is a simple two-step process. First, create a username and password, and then check your inbox to confirm your registration. Next, complete the online registration form. Once you are registered, log in and submit your application online no later than Tuesday, February 25, 2020, at 3:00 PM Pacific.

Winning solutions will incorporate human-centered design and our standard information security requirements, as well as the technical requirements outlined for each of our solution areas: (1) Centralized Customer Portal; (2) Customer-Driven Mobile Digital Services; (3) Geo Mapping Hub & Resources; and (4) Operational Reporting of Performance Outcomes.

During Administrative Review, the Technology Innovation Challenge team will confirm each submission meets the rules and application requirements before advancing to the Evaluation Panel.

Each valid application will receive scores and comments from at least five Evaluation Panel judges specializing in their respective solution areas using four scoring criteria (all scores are normalized). The County of Los Angeles will review the top-scoring submissions to select finalists based on considerations that may include, but are not limited to, Evaluation Panel resulting rank order, capacity, and feasibility.

Once selected, Finalists will present more information on their proposed solutions to the Selection Committee at a live pitch event in Los Angeles. The Selection Committee is comprised of key leaders from the County of Los Angeles and other subject matter experts, and will make a final determination as to the Winners of the Technology Innovation Challenge.

Human‐centered design focuses on the empathetic aspect of outcomes. By taking this approach, creators of a product or service have the opportunity to distill a problem and a solution down to the essential “why,” and ultimately generate the best outcome and a smooth and seamless experience for the customer. This progressive, holistic design process should be applied to all proposals.