Program
Why is ChallengePost holding the Apps for Working Government challenge?
What are the key challenge dates?
What will ChallengePost do with my submission?
Do I retain intellectual property ownership of my app?
How do I follow Apps for Working Government and get updates?
Whom do I contact if I have questions about the challenge?
Eligibility
Who’s eligible to enter the challenge? Are teams or organizations eligible?
If a team wins a prize, how will it be split among the members?
Can I enter more than one app?
Submission Requirements
What app categories are included in the challenge?
How do I enter the challenge?
Do I need to use any specific API or dataset in my app?
What platform should my app run on?
Why do I have to upload a video?
Can my app include advertisements?
Should my app have store approval prior to the submission deadline?
Do we have to submit new apps or can we submit apps we built prior to the challenge?
Judging Process
What are the criteria for judging the submissions?
How do I provide ChallengePost with access to test my app?
Voting Process
How does public voting work?
Do I need a ChallengePost account to vote?
How do I vote on a submission?
Do tweets and Facebook likes count as votes?
Can I create more than one account to vote?
Can I pay people to vote for me?
Are votes checked for eligibility before the Popular Choice winners are determined?
What should I do if I think someone is cheating to get more votes?
Why is ChallengePost holding the Apps for Working Government challenge?
With the U.S. federal government going from one standoff to another over the debt ceiling, fiscal cliff, sequester and budget resolutions, it’s clear that citizens are increasingly frustrated with the government’s inability to get things done. We wanted to help clear some roadblocks by putting together the Apps for Working Government challenge. We’re looking to highlight software applications that can help reduce partisan gridlock and increase legislative productivity at the federal, state, or local level. We realize can’t solve this problem with software alone, but we can harness technology to educate and empower both citizens and lawmakers to make government more transparent and effective.
What are the key competition dates?
Early Submission Deadline: May 1, 2013 at 5 p.m. EST
If you submit your app by this date and it’s deemed eligible, you’ll receive feedback on how you can improve your app before the final submission deadline.
Final Submission Deadline: July 8, 2013 at 10 a.m. EST
Judging & Public Voting Phase: July 8, 2013 at 10 a.m. EST through July 22, 2013 at 5 p.m. EST
Prize Announcement: On or around July 26, 2013
What will ChallengePost do with my submission?
ChallengePost will have the right to publicly display parts of your submission on the challenge website. We can also publicize your name in connection with your submission and the challenge. For more information on publicity rights, please read the Official Rules.
Do I retain intellectual property ownership of my app?
Yes. By submitting an application to the Apps for Working Government challenge, you don’t transfer any intellectual property rights to ChallengePost or anyone else. However, ChallengePost will have the right to feature your solution for promotional purposes. See the Official Rules for details.
How do I follow the Apps for Working Government challenge and get updates?
When you register for the challenge, you’ll automatically receive updates. Others (your friends, family, etc.) can receive email updates about the challenge by clicking the Follow button on the main challenge page.
Whom do I contact if I have questions about the challenge?
Email us at Support@ChallengePost.com
Who’s eligible to enter the challenge? Are teams or organizations eligible?
The Apps for Working Government challenge is open to individuals, teams of individuals and legally registered corporations or organizations that have been duly organized or incorporated and validly exist at the time of entry. All individuals and team members must be the age of majority in their place of residence at the time of entry.
If you’re looking for a teammate, post a message on the Discussions page.
Please note that organizations with 50 or fewer employees are eligible for the cash prizes. Organizations with more than 50 employees are only eligible for the Large Organization Recognition Award, which doesn’t include a cash prize.
If a team wins a prize, how will it be split among the members?
If a team of individuals, a corporation or an organization is selected for an award, the full prize amount will be given to the primary submitter. It’s entirely up to the winning team or organization to allocate the prize money between the team members.
Can I enter more than one app?
Yes. There’s no limit to how many times an eligible person, team or organization may enter the challenge, as long as the apps are unique (non-duplicates). An individual may also participate on behalf of more than one team or organization. However, if any individual or team submits solutions that are identical or substantially similar, ChallengePost reserves the right to disqualify all the submissions or require the submitters to choose one submission to officially enter into the competition.
What app categories are included in the challenge?
An app entered in the challenge must be in one of the following categories:
Educational tools: Apps that visualize or analyze data to illustrate the problem of partisan gridlock, legislative productivity (or lack thereof) and/or related consequences. This category can include apps that analyze and evaluate the polarization or productivity of Congress, state legislatures, local government, or individual lawmakers.
Solutions & action tools: Apps that citizens can use to communicate with legislators or mobilize other citizens, or tools legislators can use to advance collaboration. Submitters are required to explain how the app can be used to help reduce partisan gridlock and increase legislative productivity.
For examples, check out the Suggestions page, and for data sources, visit the Data page. Keep in mind that you’re not limited to what’s on these pages. Join the Discussion to share ideas and information with other participants.
How do I enter the challenge?
- Click the Register For This Challenge button at the top of the main challenge page and confirm your registration. This step ensures that you’ll receive important challenge updates and also allows you to view the entire submission form. Before you start building your app, be sure to read the Official Rules.
- Create a working software app or submit an existing one that falls into either category (educational tools or solutions & action tools).
- Complete all of the required fields in the submission form.
Do I need to use any specific API or dataset in my app?
No, there’s no required API or dataset for this challenge. Check out the Data page for some options. If you know of relevant data that’s not featured on that page that others might find useful, feel free to share it in the “Discussion” page. Please make sure, however, that you’re authorized to use the external APIs and datasets incorporated in your app and that you comply with their terms of use.
What platform should my app run on?
Your app can run on any mobile device or platform, desktop operating system, or web browser. When submitting your solution, make sure you include which device, platform, and OS should be used to test it in the “Testing Instructions” field of your submission form. If your software solution runs on proprietary hardware or another device that isn’t widely available, you may be required to provide access to that device for accurate testing by ChallengePost and judging.
Why do I have to upload a video?
A video helps ensure that all users can view and experience your solution. The video will also be helpful to the panel of judges. You may create a screencast or use a handheld video camera to make your video, or choose any other method that captures your app’s value and user interface.
Can my app include advertisements?
The challenge rules don’t prohibit advertising in solutions. Please note, however, that if the content of the ads is deemed inappropriate for general public consumption (e.g. obscenity, nudity, etc.), your submission may be disqualified.
Should my app have store approval prior to the submission deadline?
No, your solution doesn’t have to be available to the public prior to the submission deadline. However, if your application requires approval from a third party (such as an app store) in order to be accessible to the public, it’s your responsibility to get it prior to the submission deadline. You must also make your application available, free of charge, to ChallengePost and the judges for testing and evaluation.
Do we have to submit new apps or can we submit apps we built prior to the challenge?
You’re free to submit existing apps or new apps (i.e. apps that weren’t available to the public prior to the start of the Apps for Working Government challenge). Both types of apps are eligible for the competition but will be evaluated in separate prize categories.
What are the criteria for judging the submissions?
All eligible software applications will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Quality of Idea (Includes creativity and originality)
- Implementation of Idea & UX (Includes how well the idea was executed by the developer as well as the overall design — graphics, typography, and visual aesthetic, etc.)
- Potential Impact (Includes potential impact on partisan gridlock and legislative productivity through education and/or citizen action)
For full details, review the Official Rules.
How do I provide ChallengePost with access to test my app?
If your app is available publicly for free, just include a URL where our team can download or access your app.
If your app isn’t free or available yet to the public, make sure you specify on your submission form what we need in order to access your app. Use the File Upload and Testing Instruction fields to provide the following:
Android apps: Upload or provide a private link to a .apk file.
iOS apps: Upload a .ipa file provisioned with the appropriate UDID (see below) OR share your app build via TestFlight (enter our TestFlight email address: Marny@ChallengePost.com and UDID to share a build for testing). UDIDs:
iPad (iOS 5.0.1) e21acf963c60919f6f0aa23d42cef5f06e25ee2d
iPod Touch 4th Gen (iOS 5.0.1)13d9c9e50d705446c07fc5d2c3c3144c69ffc576
iPhone 4 (iOS 9b208) d6d3f69fde72561928c0fd7c541ea1511acf7729
Windows Phone apps: Upload a .xap file OR include a private link to your app with the testing instructions.
Blackberry apps: Upload a .bar file OR include a private link to your app with the testing instructions.
Mac or Windows desktop apps: Upload appropriate installation files OR a private link(s) for downloading your app with the testing instructions.
Web or mobile web apps: Provide the URL in the field below and. If there’s a fee to access the complete app, please provide a free login or other means of access in the testing instructions.
How does public voting work?
Anyone can vote for as many submissions as they like, but no more than once per submission. At the end of the public voting period, votes will be tallied and verified to determine the Popular Choice award winners for new and existing apps. For more information, please see the Official Rules.
Do I need a ChallengePost account to vote?
Yes. If you don’t have one, please sign up. If you have an existing ChallengePost account, simply log in.
How do I vote on a submission?
Log in to your confirmed ChallengePost account, go to the submission you’d like to vote for, then click the VOTE button.
Do tweets and Facebook “likes” count as votes?
No, they don’t count as votes. But, we do encourage submitters to be active in social media channels to help gather support for their submissions.
Can I create more than one account to vote?
No, the use of multiple email addresses or any form of automated voting will likely disqualify all of your votes.
Can I pay people to vote for my submission?
This is a government transparency challenge, so in the spirit of transparency — no. Paying others or providing any other type of consideration in exchange for votes will likely disqualify your submission.
Are votes checked for eligibility before the Popular Choice winners are determined?
We take the integrity of the competition very seriously, and verify all votes using a variety of methods.
What should I do if I think someone is cheating to get more votes?
Send us an email at Support@ChallengePost.com and include a link to the submission in question.