3.3.1: DOT Public Collaboration Methods
Other Information:
Acquisitions The DOT currently engages with the public to gain expertise through contracts. To procure resources we must follow
the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), and, in FAA’s case, the Acquisition Management System (AMS) Research and Development
The DOT also currently engages in many research and development initiatives both within the OAs and Department-wide. RITA
coordinates these activities across all modes. Individual modal administrations within the DOT have varying authority to award
grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to sponsor research activities in support of their missions. These vehicles
provide ways of stimulating the creation and development of good ideas. Intellectual Property Rights Federal rules or policies
describe how intellectual property rights will be shared based on the type of agreement involved. An agreement can be a procurement
contract, grant, cooperative agreement, Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), or other arrangement. DOT
representatives have some discretion within these rules and policies for negotiating rights. Authorized representatives can
come from the Contracting Office, Grants Office, or Legal Counsel. Often the goal is to tailor the intellectual property rights
to encourage additional innovation. Innovative Transportation Efforts This is closely related to challenges and competitions,
but instead of the DOT running a contest to determine a winner, the DOT learns of a significant innovation that furthers an
agency mission through some other means. The DOT may decide to recognize that achievement by issuing a press release congratulating
the manufacturer for the achievement or by some other means of publicly recognizing the accomplishment. Care must be taken
to avoid an improper endorsement of the product, and the Government's authority to use appropriated funds to give a tangible
award is restricted. However, when the accomplishment furthers the DOT’s mission, the Department may publicly recognize the
achievement. Not all challenges and competitions use money as the incentive. Other incentives that the DOT could use to encourage
innovation and collaboration include: • Awards of recognition or distinction from the Administrator or Secretary; • Recognition
from the DOT via Web sites or social media channels. In addition, the DOT could partner with other organizations that would
either be the primary or co-funders of the challenge or competition, thus minimizing the cost of involvement in the effort
for the agency. Challenges and Competitions The DOT has supported challenges and competitions in the past. Summaries of some
of those efforts are provided in a later section of this chapter. We will strive to increase employee and management awareness
of collaboration and innovation opportunities within the agency, and will develop guidance describing how employees can utilize
these opportunities. To this end, the DOT will ensure employees are: • Aware that appropriate collaboration with non-DOT entities
is encouraged and expected; • Educated about the methods that are available to encourage collaboration; and • Empowered to
recommend challenges and competitions, as appropriate, by developing guidance that describes when and how to use them.
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