Frequently Asked Questions About Challenges

What does the challenge platform GSA is providing include?

The government challenge platform developed by ChallengePost under a no-cost contract with GSA does the following:

• Allows federal agencies to create and post challenges using the platform
• Allows federal agencies to showcase challenges being run on this and other challenge platforms
• Allows the public to find and show support for all government challenges
• Allows the public to sort challenges by time left to submit a solution, prize amount, and popularity (based on number of supporters)
• Allows the public to discuss and post potential solutions to challenges agencies create on this platform
• Allows public and/or expert judging of submitted solutions to challenges posted on this platform, depending on the agency’s preference when they create the challenge
• Allows the public to share challenges with their friends via social media
• Allows the public the option of being notified by email and/or RSS for updates on challenges on this platform
• Provides at no-cost to agencies an externally-hosted platform that has passed GSA’s policy reviews for security, privacy, accessibility, and other federal requirements

How much does it cost to run a challenge?

Some challenge platforms, like Challenge.gov, are free, but some charge:

• Per month fee, sometimes based on amount of users.
• Flat fee. Sometimes this is stated up front, but some challenge platforms decide case by case, based on the type of challenge.
• Percentage of the prize. At 8%, a challenge involving a $100,000 prize will cost $8,000.
• Services to plan, design, run, and/or evaluate challenges.
• Specialized services or customizations.

The fee you pay for a challenge platform may include design assistance (rules, judging, outreach). GSA's Schedule for Advertising and Integrated Marketing Solutions provides a list of vendors available for contracting at hourly fees to assist in challenge design, which may be independent of the platform you choose.

After the challenge ends, how long do I have to keep the entries?

Since record retention requirements vary, you should consult with your agency’s records officer.