Thank you for your interest in the Technology Innovation Challenge (the “Competition”). The Competition is sponsored by the County of Los Angeles, with support provided by RAMPIT. Please know that by participating in this Competition and in accordance with these Rules you are eligible to receive various forms of recognition and a possible Award of up to $1.375 million. The Rules governing this Competition ("RULES") are stated here as an extension of the Terms & Conditions  ("TERMS") for use of this website. The full TERMS are available for your review by accessing them on this website. The RULES constitute "Competition Terms & Conditions" under Clause 2.2 of the TERMS. Capitalized words used but not defined in the RULES have meanings given to them in the TERMS.

Please read these RULES and the TERMS carefully, as they describe the conditions under which you are allowed to participate. As you participate, you may periodically be asked to recognize your acceptance of these RULES and the TERMS by clicking "accept" at various pages on this website, but by continuing any use of this website you expressly consent to all of these RULES and the TERMS.

SUBMISSION OF AN ENTRY IN THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY CHALLENGE CONSTITUTES FULL AND UNCONDITIONAL AGREEMENT TO AND ACCEPTANCE OF THESE RULES.

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN.

Eligibility

We welcome applications from Entities that have a recognized legal structure under applicable law and in good standing in the jurisdiction in which they are organized. Eligible organizations may include either nonprofit, government, or for-profit Entities. Universities and colleges, including those that may have been organized under State or federal charter, are eligible to apply.

Organizations may join together in a single application subject to these RULES. However, any Award must be distributed to a single legal entity that will maintain the responsibility and authority for the use of (and reporting on) any funds and that will exercise in fact direction, control and supervision of the proposed project (“Principal Organization”).

Should You be interested in submitting a proposal for one or more of the {solution areas}, You may register more than once (for example, by using a different username/email) 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.

Ineligible persons or entities

Individuals are not eligible to submit applications. Individuals who submit applications on behalf of an eligible organization and are also government officials or employees will be responsible for ensuring that their participation in the Competition is permitted by the rules and regulations relevant to their position and that they have obtained any authorization that may be required by virtue of their government position. Entities are also ineligible to submit applications if they are suspended, debarred, ineligible, or excluded or whose principals are suspended, debarred, ineligible, or excluded from securing federally funded contracts. RAMPIT and/or the Competition Sponsor may terminate your participation at any time based on their discretion alone.

Separate Agreement

Any Winner shall enter into a separate agreement with the Competition Sponsor, containing key terms and conditions which are separate from these RULES and TERMS posted on this website for this Competition.

Supporting Documentation

Any applicant organizations may be required to submit additional documents or materials before final consideration of any Award, in addition to the {application requirements} published on this website; those documents or materials may include but are not limited to:

• Articles of Incorporation, Charter, or similar documentation
• A more detailed work plan, timeline, and/or evaluation plan.
• Evidence of additional funding and resources secured to implement the proposed technology.
• Existing policies, if any, addressing conflicts of interest, whistleblower, internal controls, anti-money laundering, intellectual property, code of conduct, ethics, gifts, and any similar policies governing the principal organization and/or partners.
• If you are not a public charity, a statement that any Technology Innovation Challenge funds will not be used for lobbying purposes.

Financial and Organizational Capacity

All applicants must demonstrate their financial and organizational capacity to carry out the proposed project and to appropriately manage any Award, should they be designated as a Winner.

The Competition Sponsor reserves the right to perform any background checks on key individuals associated with any proposed project, and the refusal by the key individuals to provide necessary authorizations may be a reason to reject any application for further consideration. The Competition Sponsor also may request official or audited financial statements from any organization scheduled to receive any funds.

Treatment and Use of Content Submitted by Any Competitor

Competitors permit RAMPIT, the Competition Sponsor, and/or any entity designated by the Competition Sponsor, to publish any Entry, Entry Content, or Content to other Competitors, Judges, the public, or other designees, as necessary, to promote greater transparency, collaboration, and follow-on investment for Competitors during and after the Competition. RAMPIT, the Competition Sponsor, and/or any entity designated by the Competition Sponsor may use content submitted by any Competitor in any way in order to promote the Technology Innovation Challenge, including publishing any such content to the public (including but not limited to posting such content on this website or other websites), to increase interest in any Application (and related content) to other potential funders, and to more broadly expose such content to the press and the general public for any purpose.

Reporting

Any Winner who enters into a separate agreement to receive funding will be required to report progress towards milestone and other goals. Those reporting requirements will vary, based on the proposed project.

Other Rules

1. As a representative of an applicant, You must complete registration to participate in the Competition. Individuals must be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry to participate by representing an applicant organization. You cannot reside in nor be governed by countries that are prohibited by law, regulation (including United States or other applicable export laws and regulations), treaty or administrative act from entering into trade relations (including export of technology) with the United States of America or its citizens.
2. Your Entry should meet the application requirements stipulated on this website. You are required to register in advance of any deadlines for the submission of an Entry, and You must comply with all other deadlines posted on this website. Your Entry may not, in the sole and unfettered discretion of RAMPIT, the Competition Sponsor, or any designated representative of RAMPIT and/or the Competition Sponsor contain obscene, provocative, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate content.  Your application and all related parts or copy must be submitted in English. RAMPIT and/or the Competition Sponsor reserve the right to cancel, modify or suspend the Competition in whole or in part without liability to You. RAMPIT and/or the Competition Sponsor also reserves the right to disqualify You from participating.
3. The Content created or provided by You must be your own. You represent and warrant that your Entry is an original work created solely by You, that You own all Intellectual Property in and to the Entry, and that no other party has any right, title, claim or interest in the Entry, except as expressly identified by You to us in writing.  You retain all right, title and interest in any inventions or work of authorship You invent or create but grant RAMPIT and/or the Competition Sponsor the right to distribute and display Your Entry.
4. You may participate by registering. Should You be interested in submitting a proposal for more than one solution area, an individual or represented Entity may register more than once (for example, by using a different username/email) 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. RAMPIT and/or the Competition Sponsor reserve the right to disqualify any Entry made by a participant violating this limitation, regardless of whether all of the respective parties had knowledge of such violation.
5. The application requirements for your Entry are clearly described on this website. Your Entry will be assessed initially by five (5) reviewers within your selected Solution Area, who will be assigned to score your Entry either randomly or after considering any potential conflicts of interest, using the scoring rubric and any other judging criteria that are also described on this website. In cases where a Judge indicates any potential conflict of interest, the Entry will be assigned to another Judge. Those Judges, some of whom are named on this website, will be responsible for scoring your Entry. Judges are permitted to communicate with Participants solely for the purposes of carrying out due diligence for evaluating Your Entry and assigning scores during the review process, but those Judges are not required to contact directly any individual.
6. Once a rank order of Entries has been calculated, the top Competitors will be presented before designees of the Competition Sponsor for final consideration. Those designees  will meet to review and discuss the top Entries and will determine any Finalists and/or Winners, using criteria that may not incorporate the same scoring rubric employed by any previous assessment(s). Final determination of Winners rest with the Competition Sponsor.
7. While RAMPIT is providing an online platform for your participation, RAMPIT is not responsible for the payment of any Award(s). Payment of any Award(s) is the sole responsibility of the Competition Sponsor, and under the TERMS each participant has agreed to look solely to the Competition Sponsor, for the payment of any Award through a separate agreement.
8. By submitting your Entry, you agree to release, discharge and hold harmless RAMPIT, the Competition Sponsor, and their partners, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers, directors and representatives from any Loss arising out of your participation in the Competition and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any Award(s). Neither the Competition Sponsors nor RAMPIT assume responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, or delay in operation or transmission; communications line failure; theft or destruction of or unauthorized access to Competition entries or entry forms; or alteration of entries or entry forms. Neither RAMPIT nor the Competition Sponsor is responsible for any problems with or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or any website, human errors of any kind, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrants’ or any other persons’ computers related to or resulting from participation, uploading or downloading of any materials related to this Competition.
9. THIS COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Entrants agree that this Competition shall be subject to and governed by the laws of the state of California and the forum of any dispute shall be in the courts of Los Angeles County, California, United States of America, subject to any limitations contained in any documents, instruments or agreements entered into in connection with the Competition which require that disputed be resolved in any forum or proceeding other than the courts in the relevant jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by law, the right to litigate, to seek injunctive relief or to make any other recourse to judicial or any other procedure in case of disputes or claims resulting from or in connection with this Competition are hereby excluded and any entrant expressly waives any and all such rights. Certain restrictions may apply.
10. If for any reason the Competition is not capable of running, as planned, due to infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, Trojan horses, denial of service, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other causes beyond the control of RAMPIT that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Competition, RAMPIT reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual(s) who tamper with the process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Competition. If the Competition Sponsors and/or RAMPIT terminate the Competition, it will not retain any rights in the submitted Entries.
11. The Competition Sponsor and/or RAMPIT reserve the right to disqualify any participant who violates these RULES, the TERMS and any standards of behavior expressed or implied in them.

We look forward to receiving your most thoughtful and creative Entry.

Contact Information:

You may contact us with any questions or comments about these RULES. Please enter Technology Innovation Challenge in the subject line of your email. You may reach us at [email protected].

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