OMB Prize Authority in the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act
Summary
A joint OMB/OSTP guidance memorandum from General Counsel Boris Bershteyn and Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel to agency General Counsels and CIOs on the prize authority added by the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act (Pub. L. 111-358), which enacted section 24 (Prize Competitions) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act (15 U.S.C. 3719). Through a Fact Sheet and FAQ, it explains the authority to conduct prize competitions to spur innovation, covering prize types, funding sources (including private-sector funds), cross-agency collaboration, multi-sector partnerships, use of outside judges (with a FACA exemption), the $1,000,000 and $50,000,000 approval/notification thresholds, and requirements on advertising, eligibility, intellectual property, and reporting. It is a foundational reference for federal prize-competition acquisition.