Open Innovator’s ToolkitOn June 8, 2011, I wrote to you describing the Administration’s approach to “open innovation” -- tapping citizen expertise to make government smarter and more responsive to private sector demands. This note builds upon those ideas and introduces a new online resource -- the “Open Innovator’s Toolkit” that catalogs the portfolio of additional policy tools deployed by agency leaders seeking to spur innovation in government within existing authorities.Office of Science & Technology PolicyOSTP_4b0345a0-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2aAneesh ChopraUS Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director for Technology (Retired)_4b034a28-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2aCatalog the portfolio of policy tools deployed by agency leaders seeking to spur innovation in government._4b034b36-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2aOpen DataOpening Data for Innovators and Entrepreneurs_4b034bf4-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2aInnovatorsEntrepreneursData.gov CommunitiesCatalyze a grassroots movement through the promotion of high-value data, challenges and prize opportunities, and relevant policy._4b034c9e-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a1Data.gov Communities: a web-based catalog of existing government datasets that – when released in computer-friendly formats, could help to measure outcomes in a given sector; the goal is to catalyze a grassroots movement through the promotion of high-value data, challenges and prize opportunities, and relevant policy. * Case: Health Data Initiative; Health Indicators Warehouse * Related policy: U.S. National Action Plan for Open Government; Availability of Medicare Data for Performance MeasurementSmart DisclosureEmphasize the “re-use” of information disclosure to fuel “apps” or other new products and services._4b034d52-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a2Smart Disclosure: a regulatory approach that directs industry disclosure to be in computer-friendly formats simplifying re-use by the private sector; the goal is to emphasize the “re-use” of information disclosure to fuel “apps” or other new products and services. * Case: College Scorecard; Healthcare.gov * Related policy: Memorandum on Informing Consumers on Smart Disclosure“MyData” Download ServiceScale a simple, cost-effective method to liberate personal data to seed new products or services._4b034e06-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a3“MyData” Download Service: a technical method for data holders to make it easier for individuals to have secure, timely, and computer-friendly access to their own information in human and computer-friendly form; the goal is to scale a simple, cost-effective method to liberate personal data that could seed new products or services powered by an “upload” feature. * Case: Blue Button, Green Button * Related policy: Consumer Data Access, Unlocking Education DataInfrastructure Permitting Dashboard[Document and share] turnaround times at critical milestones, results data, and the designation of an accountable senior official._4b034ece-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a421st Century Infrastructure Permitting Dashboard: a website that shines light on decisions affecting 21st century infrastructure projects, including goals for turnaround times at critical milestones, results data, and the designation of an accountable senior official, especially in circumstances when private sector capital is driving the project. * Case: NextGen Infrastructure Initiative; NextGen Procedures Dashboard * Related policy: Optimization of the Airspace and Procedures in Metroplex“What Works” ClearinghouseAccelerate what works and minimize the need for duplicative analysis._4b034f96-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a5“What Works” Clearinghouse: a web-based catalog of projects, including data, cost-benefit analyses, evaluation studies, and related content to assist regulators at all levels of government when evaluating capital projects, with emphasis on accelerating what works and minimizing the need for duplicative analysis. * Case: SmartGrid.gov * Related policy: A Policy Framework for a 21st Century GridConvenerActing as “Impatient Convener”_4b035072-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2aStandards Engagement PrinciplesEngage the private sector early when identifying technology, regulatory, and/or procurement objectives in priority areas._4b035216-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a6Standards Engagement Principles: the adoption of a set of guiding principles to engage in a convening role together with private sector standardization organizations to address a national priority; the goal is to engage the private sector early when identifying technology, regulatory, and/or procurement objectives in priority areas. * Case: Direct Project; Health IT S&I Framework * Related policy: Memorandum for Principles Federal Engagement in Standards Activities to Address National PrioritiesPolicy Principles[Provide] a set of guiding principles or “rules of the road” that government can apply when undertaking specific regulatory actions or when confronting emerging technologies for which the regulatory framework is less specified._4b035306-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a7Policy Principles: the adoption of a set of guiding principles or “rules of the road” that government can apply when undertaking specific regulatory actions or when confronting emerging technologies for which the regulatory framework is less specified. * Case: “The Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights” * Related Policy: Internet Policymaking Principles; 21st Century StatecraftOpen Innovation ShowcaseMotivate participation by a date certain._4b0353f6-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a8Private SectorPrivate Sector Open Innovation Showcase: a venue to shine light on innovative new or improved products and services fueled, in part, by open government data; goal to motivate participation -- demonstrating apps or committing to take action -- by a date certain. * Case: “Apps for Heroes” * Related policy: Health Data Initiative (HDI) ForumInfrastructure DesignAttract leading industry CTOs, academics, policy makers, and other stakeholders to define desired features of modern infrastructure, and assess policy tools to achieve them._4b0354fa-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a9Industry CTOsAcademicsPolicy Makers21st Century Infrastructure Design: a blueprint for modern infrastructure balancing the potential of frontier technologies with what is achievable with active public sector leadership; goal to attract leading industry CTOs, academics, policy makers, and other stakeholders to define desired features of modern infrastructure, and assess policy tools to achieve them. * Case: VCAT Report on “Desirable Properties of a National Public Safety Network” * Related policy: PCAST Report on “Realizing the Full Potential of Health Information Technology to Improve Healthcare for Americans: The Path Forward"Prizes, Challenges and CompetitionsInitiating Prizes, Challenges and Competitions_4b0355fe-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a“Race to the Top” CompetitionUnlock policy barriers to innovation._4b035720-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a10“Race to the Top” Competition: an incentive program that compels the adoption of “best practice” policies as a condition to compete for funding; the goal is to unlock policy barriers to innovation absent explicit legislative mandate. * Case: Race to the Rooftop * Related policy: SunShot Initiative; Race to the TopStaged Innovation FundsMaximize taxpayer investment by “failing fast” if necessary and scaling only with evidence._4b035842-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a11USAID Staged Innovation Funds: an open solicitation for partners from the private sector, entrepreneurs, NGOs and academia to propose solutions that have the potential to scale in solving global development challenges with funding contingent upon achieving key milestones at each stage (proof of concept, testing/validation, replication and scaling); the goal is to maximize taxpayer investment by “failing fast” if necessary and scaling only with evidence. * Case: USAID Development Innovation Ventures * Related policy: The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review; The Presidential Policy Directive on Global DevelopmentInducement PrizesReap the benefit of disruptive innovation by increasing the number and diversity of minds tackling the problem, articulating a goal without selecting the team or approach most likely to succeed, and paying only for results._4b03596e-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a12Air Force Research LaboratoryInducement Prizes: an approach that invites many, or a crowd, to serve as a source of novel solutions to mission-critical problems from innovators, entrepreneurs, and citizen solvers by offering cash prizes and targeted non-monetary incentives; the goal is to reap the benefit of disruptive innovation by increasing the number and diversity of minds tackling the problem, articulating a goal without selecting the team or approach most likely to succeed, and paying only for results. * Case: Air Force Research Laboratory Vehicle Stopper Challenge; Mapping Dark Matter Competition; Blue Button for All Americans Challenge * Related policy: Strategy for American Innovation; Prize Authority in the America COMPETES Act; Center of Excellence for Collaborative InnovationOpen Innovation ChallengeInspire greater participation among leading private sector firms and to increase the success rate of such challenges._4b035a9a-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a13Leading Private Sector FirmsPrivate SectorPrivate Sector Open Innovation Challenge: a venue to increase engagement in private sector-sponsored challenges linked to open government data; the goal is to inspire greater participation among leading private sector firms and to increase the success rate of such challenges. * Case: Data Diabetes Design Challenge * Related policy: Challenge2Innovate“All Hands on Deck” ChallengeLeverage senior leader “announcements” to spur voluntary commitments._4b035bda-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a14VolunteersVeterans“All Hands on Deck” Challenge: a “21st Century” application of the bully-pulpit to call for public or private sector action in furtherance of a policy priority; the goal is to leverage senior leader “announcements” to spur voluntary commitments. * Case: Veterans Job Bank, Summer Jobs+ * Related policy: Social Innovation PartnershipsGovernment Application PlatformDramatically simplify procurement, expand participation, and save taxpayer funds by paying for results._4b035d24-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a15VISTAGovernment Application Platform: an acquisition model that leverages open programming interfaces to shift payment from the best written RFP responses to the most effective prototypes that actually work; the goal is to dramatically simplify procurement, expand participation, and save taxpayer funds by paying for results. * Case: VISTA and OSEHRA * Related policy: Electronic Health Record VHA-Wide Medical Scheduling RFITalentAttracting Top Talent at the Intersection of Technology and Policy_4b035e82-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2aFlexible RecruitmentAuthorize hiring outside of the traditional recruitment channels._4b03604e-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a16Department of Energy“Top Talent” Flexible Recruitment: explicit authority to hire world-class specialists to initiate mission-driven innovation activity by defining frontier problems and stretch goals for innovators and entrepreneurs; agencies; the goal is to authorize hiring outside of the traditional recruitment channels and empower them to convene expert workshops to pressure-test assumptions. * Case: ARPA-e Program Directors * Related Policy: Department of Energy (DOE) “SunShot” FellowsEntrepreneurs-in-ResidenceDeliver transformational change by combining the best internal and external talent in testing, validating and scaling what works._4b0361ca-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a17EntrepreneursEntrepreneurs-in-Residence: a time-limited recruitment of world-class entrepreneurs and innovators to join highly-qualified internal employees in the development of new operational procedures in areas that impact innovation; the goal is to deliver transformational change by combining the best internal and external talent in testing, validating and scaling what works. * Case: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Entrepreneur-in-Residence program * Related Policy: United States Citizenship and Immigration Service’s (USCIS) Entrepreneur-in-Residence programs“Lean Government Startup” Teams“Fail fast,” when prototyping solutions that meet user needs and capture data from user experience, leading to the scale-up of only the strongest ideas._4b036346-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a18Food and Drug AdministrationUnited States Citizenship and Immigration Service“Lean Government Startup” Teams: A team empowered to use hypothesis-driven, incremental steps with “build, measure, learn” feedback loops; the goal is to “fail fast,” when prototyping solutions that meet user needs and capture data from user experience, leading to the scale-up of only the strongest ideas. * Case: “Know Before You Owe”; Business.USA.gov * Related policy: “Lean Government Startup” CultureReview RebuttalAllow for symmetrical information sharing between applicants and decision-makers to improve understanding of technology risk, increase transparency, and promote better decision-making on part of the government._4b0364cc-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a19“Second Shot” Review Rebuttal: A mechanism to increase peer review quality and program manager effectiveness by enabling proposers to respond to specific review comments before final award selection; the goal is to allow for symmetrical information sharing between applicants and decision-makers to improve understanding of technology risk, increase transparency, and promote better decision-making on part of the government. * Case: ARPA-e Proposal Rebuttal Phase * Related policy: Invest in Innovation Fund “Highest Rated” DatabaseInnovator Recognition AwardsMotivate career civil servants that often see more “downside” and less “upside” to collaborate with the private or non-profit sectors on a new idea not explicitly directed in statute or executive action._4b036670-534a-11e1-b4be-de117a64ea2a20InnovatorsCareer Civil ServantsPrivate SectorNon-Profit SectorInnovator Recognition Awards: an approach by senior leadership to promote and encourage a culture of innovation; the goal is to motivate career civil servants that often see more “downside” and less “upside” to collaborate with the private or non-profit sectors on a new idea not explicitly directed in statute or executive action. * Case: HHS Innovates * Related policy: SAVE Award2012-02-082012-02-09http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/openinnovatortoolkit_nstcmemo.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net