Census Bureau to give cash prizes for ideas on improving data collection including supply chain info

The first phase will award 10 people with $10,000 each.
US Census workers in New York City
By Madeleine Hubbard

The Census Bureau is started a competition – with cash prizes – to solicit ideas on how the agency can improve data collection including that for the national supply chain, which has been under duress since shortly after the start of the pandemic. 

The multiple competitions have been named collectively as "StatVentures," the agency announced Monday.

"Through multiphase competitions, StatVentures will invite participants to propose new ways the Census Bureau can collect and improve the nation’s supply chain data," the agency also said. 

In the first phase, 10 winners will each receive $10,000. The winners will then be invited to join teams to work with the bureau to "develop their concepts into working models with the potential for adoption, according to the agency.

The public can register for the competition at Challenge.gov.