EVALUATION CRITERIA
A judging panel consisting of federal employees will be established to evaluate the white papers submitted to Round One based on the following criteria:
Significance and Unmet Needs (0-10 Points):
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Are there significant needs across the government or private sector for the proposed product or service?
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If the aims of the project are achieved, how will scientific knowledge, technical capabilities, or related services be improved?
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How will those improvements will be measured or established?
Innovation (0-10 Points):
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Does the proposed idea utilize the novel theoretical concepts, approaches, methodologies, instrumentation, or services?
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Is the proposed product novel in a broad sense?
Approach (0-10 Points):
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Are the overall strategy, methodology, and analyses well-reasoned and appropriate to test the proposed idea?
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Does the approach consider the end-users or end-user needs?
Team/Founder Aptitudes (0-10 Points):
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Does the individual or team demonstrate high level of ability and dedication?
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Were the passion, drive, discipline, ability to work collaboratively and willingness to push forward under conditions of extreme business uncertainty successfully demonstrated?
Commercialization (0-10 Points):
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Is there a clear path for the product/service to reach the market?
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Are the product users and purchasers clearly identified?
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Is there an evidence of market research or analysis of competitors?