Brenda Marie Rivers
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate has launched an Opioid Detection Challenge that seeks to terminate the flow of opioid into the U.S. without affecting the transport of mail.
The program was launched in partnership with Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, DHS said Wednesday.
DHS S&T seeks domestic and international participants that can provide concepts for automated and user-friendly technologies that can rapidly detect opioids before they enter U.S. soil.
The judges will select up to eight finalists, who will each get a share of the $800K prize money for Stage 1, after which the finalists will undergo a 14-week prototyping phase for an additional prize of $750K.
The event will conclude with a live and on-site testing of the prototypes for a grand prize of $500K and a consolation prize of $250K.
“The technologies that emerge from this innovation challenge will be important elements of our multi-layered approach to combat the flow of opioids and other dangerous illicit drugs,† said CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan.
Interested parties may submit their concepts through April 24.
