Announcement of Requirements and Registration for “System for Locating People Using Electricity Dependent Medical Equipment During Public Health Emergencies Ideation Challenge”, 57855-57857 [2013-22854]
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2013 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Announcement of Requirements and
Registration for ‘‘System for Locating
People Using Electricity Dependent
Medical Equipment During Public
Health Emergencies Ideation
Challenge’’
Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Preparedness and
Response, Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3719.
Award Approving Official: Dr. Nicole
Lurie, Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response.
SUMMARY: The ‘‘System for Locating
People Using Electricity Dependent
Medical Equipment During Public
Health Emergencies’’ Ideation Challenge
seeks ideas to establish a system for
monitoring the location and status of
life-sustaining durable medical
equipment (DME) during a prolonged
power outage or disaster situation. This
information would be used by a network
of family and friends, formal caregivers,
emergency responders and others
responding to a disaster to better assist
individuals who are dependent on DME.
The current Challenge focuses on
obtaining information about DME;
however, this is part of a larger effort to
ensure that these people get the
necessary help as quickly as possible.
Submissions can be existing
applications, or applications developed
specifically for this challenge. The
statutory authority for this challenge
competition is Section 105 of the
America COMPETES Reauthorization
Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111–358).
DATES: Submissions will be accepted for
30 calendar days from the date this
posting is published in Federal
Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Adam DeVore, (202) 401–2361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Subject of Challenge Competition:
The Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response (ASPR), in
collaboration with the Federal
Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), seeks ideas for a system for
monitoring the location and status of
life-sustaining durable medical
equipment (DME) during a prolonged
power outage or disaster situation.
Many in-home patients require the daily
use of a piece of electrically powered
DME. During a disaster or other event
that leads to a prolonged power outage,
these patients often end up at shelters
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17:24 Sep 19, 2013
Jkt 229001
or emergency rooms looking for sources
of power or alternate ways to manage
their medical needs. For example,
during recent natural disasters and
weather related emergencies, many
people who were dependent on
electricity and battery-powered DME—
such as oxygen concentrators and
ventilators—and who typically care for
themselves at home, were forced to
evacuate their homes and go to a shelter
or health care facility to power and resupply their equipment. This not only
has the potential to adversely impact the
health outcomes for individuals who
rely on DME, but it also stresses the
local health care system and reduces a
community’s resilience and capability
to rapidly recover from an emergency.
During an emergency, communities
could better meet the needs of
individuals who rely on DME if they
had access to real-time, remotely
transmittable information about the
locations and remaining battery life of
life-sustaining medical devices. In
addition, this information could be
beneficial to an individual, their
caregivers, and family members on a
routine basis during non-emergent
events.
ASPR has identified a need for a
reliable system available to identify,
locate, and assist these individuals in a
timely fashion. This information would
be used by a network of family and
friends, formal caregivers, emergency
responders, and others responding to a
disaster to better assist individuals who
are dependent on DME. Currently, there
is no reliable system to simultaneously
and rapidly identify the locations of
individuals who rely on DME, to
understand the power status of their
life-sustaining devices. Developing and
integrating a system that automatically
monitors and transmits the status and
location of a device will provide
caregivers and responders with
actionable information to support
emergency planning and response
operations, such as deploying a charged,
replacement battery or prioritizing
power restoration.
ASPR is committed to developing a
comprehensive action plan to provide
emergency aid to people in need.
Proposals should be detailed and
implementable. The current Challenge
focuses on obtaining information about
DME; however, this is part of a larger
effort to ensure that these people get the
necessary help as quickly as possible.
This is an Ideation Challenge with a
guaranteed award for at least one
submitted solution.
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57855
Eligibility Rules for Participating in the
Competition
To be eligible to win a prize under
this challenge, an individual or entity—
(1) Shall have registered to participate
in the competition under the rules
promulgated by the Office of Assistant
Secretary for Preparedness and
Response;
(2) Shall have complied with all the
requirements under this section;
(3) In the case of a private entity, shall
be incorporated in and maintain a
primary place of business in the United
States, and in the case of an individual,
whether participating singly or in a
group, shall be a citizen or permanent
resident of the United States;
(4) May not be a Federal entity or
Federal employee acting within the
scope of their employment;
(5) Shall not be an HHS employee
working on their applications or
submissions during assigned duty
hours; and
(6) Shall not be in the reporting chain
of Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary
for Preparedness and Response.
Federal grantees may not use federal
funds to develop COMPETES Act
challenge applications unless consistent
with the purpose of their grant award.
Federal contractors may not use federal
funds from a contract to develop
COMPETES Act challenge applications
or to fund efforts in support of a
COMPETES Act challenge submission.
An individual or entity shall not be
deemed ineligible because the
individual or entity used federal
facilities or consulted with federal
employees during a competition if the
facilities and employees are made
available to all individuals and entities
participating in the competition on an
equitable basis.
Registered participants shall be
required to agree to assume any and all
risks and waive 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 a competition, whether
the injury, death, damage, or loss arises
through negligence or otherwise, and to
indemnify the federal government
against third party claims for damages
arising from or related to competition
activities.
Participants shall be required to
obtain liability insurance or
demonstrate financial responsibility for
claims by—
(1) A third party for death, bodily
injury, or property damage, or loss
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
20SEN1
57856
Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2013 / Notices
resulting from an activity carried out in
connection with participation in a
competition, with the federal
government named as an additional
insured under the registered
participant’s insurance policy and
registered participants agreeing to
indemnify the federal government
against third party claims for damages
arising from or related to competition
activities; and
(2) The federal government for
damage or loss to government property
resulting from such an activity.
Registration Process for Participants
To register for this challenge
participants may do any of the
following:
(1) Access the www.challenge.gov
Web site, search for the ‘‘System for
Locating People Using Electricity
Dependent Medical Equipment During
Public Health Emergencies Ideation
Challenge,’’ and follow the link to the
registration page; or
(2) Access the InnoCentive challenge
Web site at www.innocentive.com/ar/
challenge/9933433.
All participants are required to
consent to the rules upon or before
submitting an entry.
Amount of the Prize
This is an Ideation Challenge, which
has the following features:
• There is a guaranteed award. The
awards will be paid to the best
submission(s) as solely determined by
the judge. The total payout will be
$10,000, with at least one award being
no smaller than $5,000 and no award
being smaller than $1,000.
• Additional Award: In addition to
the direct monetary awards, some of the
winner(s) of this Challenge may be
invited (at the ASPR’s sole discretion) to
a unique opportunity to present their
idea to high-profile thought leaders at
an upcoming event in Atlanta, GA, USA
on April 1–4, 2014. This opportunity
includes a $1,000 stipend to defray the
cost of travel and accommodations.
• Awards may be subject to federal
income taxes and HHS will comply with
IRS withholding and reporting
requirements, where applicable.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Basis Upon Which Winner Will Be
Selected
Winning solution proposals to this
Challenge will at a minimum meet the
following Requirements:
(1) System is capable of capturing
essential data from durable medical
equipment (DME), including, but not
limited to:
• Loss of external power;
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17:24 Sep 19, 2013
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• Power level and status of internal
battery, including remaining battery life
time, if appropriate;
• Unique identifier of the DME or at
minimum, brand and model;
• GPS location;
• Current time/date;
• Device diagnostic information to
determine operational status of DME;
and
• User identifying information.
(2) System is capable of securely
sending all captured data over various
spectrums:
• Send information over medical
body area network (MBAN);
• Robustly transmit over at least two
communication methods/technologies;
e.g. Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Mobile (CDMA,
GSM, LTE), Amateur Radio, ZigBee;
• Ability to switch between/rollover
spectrum/technologies depending on
resource availability;
• Ability to send data automatically
or upon manual command (e.g. at
specified intervals of time, on-demand,
or when triggered by external events);
• No interference with the operation
of the DME;
• Securely transmit ‘‘read only’’ data
collected from DME; and
• Data need to be distributed to a
predetermined list of responders in a
format defined by ASPR.
(3) System is accessible to all in-home
patients with DME:
• Easy to install and set up user
defined characteristics;
• Simple registration process; and
• Simple to use, particularly for
elderly or frail individuals.
A solution may include the use of a
device(s). If this is the case, these
additional specifications must be met:
(1) Low-power consumption
transmitter:
• Ideally be constructed of readily
available open source components;
• Consumes low level of standby
power;
• If integrated into DME, consumes
minimal power with no impact upon
DME performance; and
• Alternatively, has its own power
source separate from the DME.
ASPR is currently working to develop
a piece of open source hardware capable
of executing these functionalities. While
the hardware is near completion, coding
software is still needed and additional
methods (e.g., mobile and social media
apps) are required to establish the
infrastructure needed to support
information transmission using multiple
channels. Hence, ASPR is interested in
additional types of hardware, a
combination of hardware and software,
or a non-technical solution.
Include in your submission a detailed
description of the system (process and/
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or device) that will be used under
routine and emergency conditions to:
• Uniquely identify DME;
• Report the current power status of
the device, to include remaining battery
time;
• Report the location of the device;
• Determine the operational status of
DME; and
• Identify a way to contact the DME
user.
Be sure to include the rationale for the
solution and specific ideas to address
the following questions.
• How would people obtain the
system?
• How could they register?
• How will data be transferred to
recipients?
The solution most likely includes a
device, but ASPR is interested in a
versatile submission that would benefit
people from all socioeconomic
backgrounds.
Submitted proposals along with all
relevant supporting data should include
the information described in the
Detailed Description of the Challenge.
Submitted proposals should not
include any personal identifying
information the participants do not
want to make public, or any information
the participant may consider as their
intellectual property that they do not
want to share.
After the Challenge deadline, a review
panel of technical advisers will
complete the review process and make
a decision with regards to the winning
solution(s). All participants that submit
a proposal will be notified about the
status of their submissions; however, no
detailed evaluation of individual
submissions will be provided.
Additional Information
Ownership of intellectual property is
determined by the following:
• Each entrant retains title and full
ownership in and to their submission.
Entrants expressly reserve all
intellectual property rights not
expressly granted under the challenge
agreement. By participating in the
challenge, each entrant hereby
irrevocably grants to sponsor and
administrator a perpetual, nonexclusive, royalty free, worldwide
license and right to reproduce,
publically perform, publically display,
and use the submission to the extent
necessary to administer the challenge,
and to publically perform and
publically display the submission,
including, without limitation, for
advertising and promotional purposes
relating to the challenge.
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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 183 / Friday, September 20, 2013 / Notices
About ASPR
ASPR leads HHS in preparing the
nation to respond to and recover from
adverse health effects of emergencies,
supporting communities’ ability to
withstand adversity, strengthening
health and response systems, and
enhancing national health security. To
learn more about ASPR and
preparedness, response, and recovery
from the health impacts of disasters,
visit the HHS public health and medical
emergency Web site, www.phe.gov.
Dated: September 13, 2013.
Nicole Lurie,
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and
Response.
[FR Doc. 2013–22854 Filed 9–19–13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150–37–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services
[CMS–3287–PN]
Medicare and Medicaid Programs;
Application from the Compliance Team
for Initial CMS-Approval of its Rural
Health Clinic Accreditation Program
Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services, HHS.
ACTION: Proposed notice.
AGENCY:
This proposed notice
acknowledges the receipt of an
application from the Compliance Team
for initial recognition as a national
accrediting organization for rural health
clinics (RHCs) that wish to participate
in the Medicare or Medicaid programs.
DATES: To be assured consideration,
comments must be received at one of
the addresses provided below, no later
than 5 p.m. on October 21, 2013.
ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer
to file code CMS–3287–PN. Because of
staff and resource limitations, we cannot
accept comments by facsimile (FAX)
transmission.
You may submit comments in one of
four ways:
1. Electronically. You may submit
electronic comments on specific issues
in this regulation to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
‘‘submit a comment’’ instructions.
2. By regular mail. You may mail
written comments (one original and two
copies) to the following address ONLY:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health and
Human Services, Attention: CMS–3287–
PN, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, MD
21244–8010.
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SUMMARY:
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17:24 Sep 19, 2013
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Please allow sufficient time for mailed
comments to be received before the
close of the comment period.
3. By express or overnight mail. You
may send written comments to the
following address ONLY: Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid Services,
Department of Health and Human
Services, Attention: CMS–3287–PN,
Mail Stop C4–26–05, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.
4. By hand or courier. Alternatively,
you may deliver (by hand or courier)
your written comments to the following
addresses: a. For delivery in
Washington, DC—Centers for Medicare
& Medicaid Services, Department of
Health and Human Services, Room 445–
G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20201.
(Because access to the interior of the
Hubert H. Humphrey Building is not
readily available to persons without
Federal government identification,
commenters are encouraged to leave
their comments in the CMS drop slots
located in the main lobby of the
building. A stamp-in clock is available
for persons wishing to retain a proof of
filing by stamping in and retaining an
extra copy of the comments being filed.)
Comments erroneously mailed to the
addresses indicated as appropriate for
hand or courier delivery may be delayed
and received after the comment period.
b. For delivery in Baltimore, MD—
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Department of Health and
Human Services, 7500 Security
Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244–1850.
If you intend to deliver your
comments to the Baltimore address, call
telephone number (410) 786–9994 in
advance to schedule your arrival with
one of our staff members.
For information on viewing public
comments, see the beginning of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa
Sullivan, (410) 786–2841; Cindy
Melanson, (410) 786–0310; or Patricia
Chmielewski, (410) 786–6899.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Submitting Comments: We welcome
comments from the public on all issues
set forth in this proposed notice to assist
us in fully considering issues and
developing policies. Referencing the file
code CMS–3287–PN and the specific
‘‘issue identifier’’ that precedes the
section on which you choose to
comment will assist us in fully
considering issues and developing
policies.
Inspection of Public Comments: All
comments received before the close of
the comment period are available for
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57857
viewing by the public, including any
personally identifiable or confidential
business information that is included in
a comment. We post all comments
received before the close of the
comment period on the following Web
site as soon as possible after they have
been received: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the search
instructions on that Web site to view
public comments.
Comments received timely will also
be available for public inspection as
they are received, generally beginning
approximately 3 weeks after publication
of a document, at the headquarters of
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, 7500 Security Boulevard,
Baltimore, Maryland 21244, Monday
through Friday of each week from 8:30
a.m. to 4 p.m. To schedule an
appointment to view public comments,
phone 1–800–743–3951.
I. Background
Under the Medicare program, eligible
beneficiaries may receive covered
services from a Rural Health Clinic
(RHC) provided certain requirements are
met. Section 1861(aa), and 1905(l)(1) of
the Social Security Act (the Act),
establishes distinct criteria for facilities
seeking designation as an RHC.
Regulations concerning provider
agreements are at 42 CFR part 489 and
those pertaining to activities relating to
the survey and certification of facilities
are at 42 CFR part 488, subpart A. The
regulations at 42 CFR part 491, subpart
A specify the minimum conditions that
a RHC must meet to participate in the
Medicare program. The conditions for
Medicare payment for RHCs are set forth
at 42 CFR 405, subpart X.
Generally, to enter into an agreement,
a RHC must first be certified by a state
survey agency as complying with the
conditions or requirements set forth in
part 491 of our regulations. Thereafter,
the RHC is subject to regular surveys by
a state survey agency to determine
whether it continues to meet these
requirements. However, there is an
alternative to surveys by state agencies.
Section 1865(a)(1) of the Act provides
that, if a provider entity demonstrates
through accreditation by an approved
national accrediting organization that all
applicable Medicare conditions are met
or exceeded, we will deem those
provider entities as having met the
requirements. Accreditation by an
accrediting organization is voluntary
and is not required for Medicare
participation.
If an accrediting organization is
recognized by the Secretary as having
standards for accreditation that meet or
exceed Medicare requirements, any
E:\FR\FM\20SEN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 183 (Friday, September 20, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57855-57857]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-22854]
[[Page 57855]]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Announcement of Requirements and Registration for ``System for
Locating People Using Electricity Dependent Medical Equipment During
Public Health Emergencies Ideation Challenge''
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and
Response, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3719.
Award Approving Official: Dr. Nicole Lurie, Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response.
SUMMARY: The ``System for Locating People Using Electricity Dependent
Medical Equipment During Public Health Emergencies'' Ideation Challenge
seeks ideas to establish a system for monitoring the location and
status of life-sustaining durable medical equipment (DME) during a
prolonged power outage or disaster situation. This information would be
used by a network of family and friends, formal caregivers, emergency
responders and others responding to a disaster to better assist
individuals who are dependent on DME. The current Challenge focuses on
obtaining information about DME; however, this is part of a larger
effort to ensure that these people get the necessary help as quickly as
possible. Submissions can be existing applications, or applications
developed specifically for this challenge. The statutory authority for
this challenge competition is Section 105 of the America COMPETES
Reauthorization Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-358).
DATES: Submissions will be accepted for 30 calendar days from the date
this posting is published in Federal Register.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adam DeVore, (202) 401-2361.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Subject of Challenge Competition: The Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR), in collaboration with
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), seeks ideas for a
system for monitoring the location and status of life-sustaining
durable medical equipment (DME) during a prolonged power outage or
disaster situation. Many in-home patients require the daily use of a
piece of electrically powered DME. During a disaster or other event
that leads to a prolonged power outage, these patients often end up at
shelters or emergency rooms looking for sources of power or alternate
ways to manage their medical needs. For example, during recent natural
disasters and weather related emergencies, many people who were
dependent on electricity and battery-powered DME--such as oxygen
concentrators and ventilators--and who typically care for themselves at
home, were forced to evacuate their homes and go to a shelter or health
care facility to power and re-supply their equipment. This not only has
the potential to adversely impact the health outcomes for individuals
who rely on DME, but it also stresses the local health care system and
reduces a community's resilience and capability to rapidly recover from
an emergency. During an emergency, communities could better meet the
needs of individuals who rely on DME if they had access to real-time,
remotely transmittable information about the locations and remaining
battery life of life-sustaining medical devices. In addition, this
information could be beneficial to an individual, their caregivers, and
family members on a routine basis during non-emergent events.
ASPR has identified a need for a reliable system available to
identify, locate, and assist these individuals in a timely fashion.
This information would be used by a network of family and friends,
formal caregivers, emergency responders, and others responding to a
disaster to better assist individuals who are dependent on DME.
Currently, there is no reliable system to simultaneously and rapidly
identify the locations of individuals who rely on DME, to understand
the power status of their life-sustaining devices. Developing and
integrating a system that automatically monitors and transmits the
status and location of a device will provide caregivers and responders
with actionable information to support emergency planning and response
operations, such as deploying a charged, replacement battery or
prioritizing power restoration.
ASPR is committed to developing a comprehensive action plan to
provide emergency aid to people in need. Proposals should be detailed
and implementable. The current Challenge focuses on obtaining
information about DME; however, this is part of a larger effort to
ensure that these people get the necessary help as quickly as possible.
This is an Ideation Challenge with a guaranteed award for at least one
submitted solution.
Eligibility Rules for Participating in the Competition
To be eligible to win a prize under this challenge, an individual
or entity--
(1) Shall have registered to participate in the competition under
the rules promulgated by the Office of Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response;
(2) Shall have complied with all the requirements under this
section;
(3) In the case of a private entity, shall be incorporated in and
maintain a primary place of business in the United States, and in the
case of an individual, whether participating singly or in a group,
shall be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;
(4) May not be a Federal entity or Federal employee acting within
the scope of their employment;
(5) Shall not be an HHS employee working on their applications or
submissions during assigned duty hours; and
(6) Shall not be in the reporting chain of Dr. Nicole Lurie,
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
Federal grantees may not use federal funds to develop COMPETES Act
challenge applications unless consistent with the purpose of their
grant award. Federal contractors may not use federal funds from a
contract to develop COMPETES Act challenge applications or to fund
efforts in support of a COMPETES Act challenge submission.
An individual or entity shall not be deemed ineligible because the
individual or entity used federal facilities or consulted with federal
employees during a competition if the facilities and employees are made
available to all individuals and entities participating in the
competition on an equitable basis.
Registered participants shall be required to agree to assume any
and all risks and waive 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 a competition, whether the injury, death, damage, or
loss arises through negligence or otherwise, and to indemnify the
federal government against third party claims for damages arising from
or related to competition activities.
Participants shall be required to obtain liability insurance or
demonstrate financial responsibility for claims by--
(1) A third party for death, bodily injury, or property damage, or
loss
[[Page 57856]]
resulting from an activity carried out in connection with participation
in a competition, with the federal government named as an additional
insured under the registered participant's insurance policy and
registered participants agreeing to indemnify the federal government
against third party claims for damages arising from or related to
competition activities; and
(2) The federal government for damage or loss to government
property resulting from such an activity.
Registration Process for Participants
To register for this challenge participants may do any of the
following:
(1) Access the www.challenge.gov Web site, search for the ``System
for Locating People Using Electricity Dependent Medical Equipment
During Public Health Emergencies Ideation Challenge,'' and follow the
link to the registration page; or
(2) Access the InnoCentive challenge Web site at
www.innocentive.com/ar/challenge/9933433.
All participants are required to consent to the rules upon or
before submitting an entry.
Amount of the Prize
This is an Ideation Challenge, which has the following features:
There is a guaranteed award. The awards will be paid to
the best submission(s) as solely determined by the judge. The total
payout will be $10,000, with at least one award being no smaller than
$5,000 and no award being smaller than $1,000.
Additional Award: In addition to the direct monetary
awards, some of the winner(s) of this Challenge may be invited (at the
ASPR's sole discretion) to a unique opportunity to present their idea
to high-profile thought leaders at an upcoming event in Atlanta, GA,
USA on April 1-4, 2014. This opportunity includes a $1,000 stipend to
defray the cost of travel and accommodations.
Awards may be subject to federal income taxes and HHS will
comply with IRS withholding and reporting requirements, where
applicable.
Basis Upon Which Winner Will Be Selected
Winning solution proposals to this Challenge will at a minimum meet
the following Requirements:
(1) System is capable of capturing essential data from durable
medical equipment (DME), including, but not limited to:
Loss of external power;
Power level and status of internal battery, including
remaining battery life time, if appropriate;
Unique identifier of the DME or at minimum, brand and
model;
GPS location;
Current time/date;
Device diagnostic information to determine operational
status of DME; and
User identifying information.
(2) System is capable of securely sending all captured data over
various spectrums:
Send information over medical body area network (MBAN);
Robustly transmit over at least two communication methods/
technologies; e.g. Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Mobile (CDMA, GSM, LTE), Amateur
Radio, ZigBee;
Ability to switch between/rollover spectrum/technologies
depending on resource availability;
Ability to send data automatically or upon manual command
(e.g. at specified intervals of time, on-demand, or when triggered by
external events);
No interference with the operation of the DME;
Securely transmit ``read only'' data collected from DME;
and
Data need to be distributed to a predetermined list of
responders in a format defined by ASPR.
(3) System is accessible to all in-home patients with DME:
Easy to install and set up user defined characteristics;
Simple registration process; and
Simple to use, particularly for elderly or frail
individuals.
A solution may include the use of a device(s). If this is the case,
these additional specifications must be met:
(1) Low-power consumption transmitter:
Ideally be constructed of readily available open source
components;
Consumes low level of standby power;
If integrated into DME, consumes minimal power with no
impact upon DME performance; and
Alternatively, has its own power source separate from the
DME.
ASPR is currently working to develop a piece of open source
hardware capable of executing these functionalities. While the hardware
is near completion, coding software is still needed and additional
methods (e.g., mobile and social media apps) are required to establish
the infrastructure needed to support information transmission using
multiple channels. Hence, ASPR is interested in additional types of
hardware, a combination of hardware and software, or a non-technical
solution.
Include in your submission a detailed description of the system
(process and/or device) that will be used under routine and emergency
conditions to:
Uniquely identify DME;
Report the current power status of the device, to include
remaining battery time;
Report the location of the device;
Determine the operational status of DME; and
Identify a way to contact the DME user.
Be sure to include the rationale for the solution and specific
ideas to address the following questions.
How would people obtain the system?
How could they register?
How will data be transferred to recipients?
The solution most likely includes a device, but ASPR is interested
in a versatile submission that would benefit people from all
socioeconomic backgrounds.
Submitted proposals along with all relevant supporting data should
include the information described in the Detailed Description of the
Challenge.
Submitted proposals should not include any personal identifying
information the participants do not want to make public, or any
information the participant may consider as their intellectual property
that they do not want to share.
After the Challenge deadline, a review panel of technical advisers
will complete the review process and make a decision with regards to
the winning solution(s). All participants that submit a proposal will
be notified about the status of their submissions; however, no detailed
evaluation of individual submissions will be provided.
Additional Information
Ownership of intellectual property is determined by the following:
Each entrant retains title and full ownership in and to
their submission. Entrants expressly reserve all intellectual property
rights not expressly granted under the challenge agreement. By
participating in the challenge, each entrant hereby irrevocably grants
to sponsor and administrator a perpetual, non-exclusive, royalty free,
worldwide license and right to reproduce, publically perform,
publically display, and use the submission to the extent necessary to
administer the challenge, and to publically perform and publically
display the submission, including, without limitation, for advertising
and promotional purposes relating to the challenge.
[[Page 57857]]
About ASPR
ASPR leads HHS in preparing the nation to respond to and recover
from adverse health effects of emergencies, supporting communities'
ability to withstand adversity, strengthening health and response
systems, and enhancing national health security. To learn more about
ASPR and preparedness, response, and recovery from the health impacts
of disasters, visit the HHS public health and medical emergency Web
site, www.phe.gov.
Dated: September 13, 2013.
Nicole Lurie,
Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.
[FR Doc. 2013-22854 Filed 9-19-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-37-P