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AHRQ Step Up App Challenge

Phase 1: Proposal

Summary
Phase 1 Submission Requirements
     The Business Case
     The Deck
Phase 1 Evaluation Criteria

Summary

The proposal phase allows participants to present plans and frameworks that demonstrate how they plan to carry out the app development. Participants will submit a business case (5 pages maximum) and a brief deck (10 slides maximum) by the submission deadline of September 24, 2018. In this phase, participants should describe the technical, operational, and financial aspects of their proposed approaches. The main goal of Phase 1 is for participants to show the originality, feasibility, and executability of their app development approaches.

Phase 1 Submission Requirements

The application must be in English and all documents uploaded in PDF format. Participants must submit by the deadline of September 24, 2018, via www.challenge.gov/challenge/ahrq-step-up-app-challenge. The submission should be made up of, minimally, a title and two uploaded .pdf files. The two files are described in more detail below.  You may also optionally include a picture/logo (for instance a logo), and a company’s URL.

Business case (5-page maximum)

  • Include an executive summary stating the value proposition:
    • Describe the specific problem being solved.
    • Provide analysis of the existing market and market opportunity.
    • Describe how the proposed application will solve the problem.
    • Describe the customers/users.
  • Describe the methods and technologies proposed to develop the application.
  • Describe the business model:
    • Describe the specific problem being solved.
    • Provide analysis of the existing market and market opportunity.
    • Describe how the proposed application will solve the problem.
    • Describe the customers/users.
  • Development plan and timeline:
    • Describe key activities and resources required to build the application.
    • Plan to make the application readily available to patients. For example, to be used on existing mobile platforms or deployed on a public-facing Web site.
  • Define metrics for success (e.g., number of users of the application, money saved by using the application, time saved, increases in patient-reported outcome data exchanges between patients and providers).
  • Show potential risks and mitigation strategies, including security constraints.
  • Describe participant roles, responsibilities, and capabilities. A multi-disciplinary team is encouraged.

Deck Presentation (10-slide maximum)

Include brief deck presentation PDF of the app and use case(s) to visually present the project.

  • Briefly describe the proposed approach and how the participants will develop an application using the FHIR technical specifications and PROMIS® physical functioning measures provided by AHRQ.
  • Explain the competitive advantage of the approach:
    • Innovative and does not infringe on in-market solutions.
    • Includes an advanced application technology that has the potential to improve the collection and use of PRO data.
    • Designed for patient engagement.
  • Give an example use case.
  • Show proposed development workflow and deliverables.
  • Include an architecture diagram or framework.

The above documents should discuss how you will comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) if applicable.

Phase 1: Evaluation Criteria

Phase 1 Submissions will be evaluated using the following criteria:

  • Team/Participant Capabilities (20%)
    • There is appropriate expertise and capability to bring the idea to the development stage.
    • The team and/or participant has the resources available to carry out the proposed work.
  • Impact (30%)
    • The proposed Solution has the potential to improve the state of PRO collection, aggregation, and reporting.
    • The proposed Solution describes the value proposition to users.
    • There is a clear plan to make the proposed Solution readily available to patients and providers on existing mobile platforms, or customer-facing Web sites.
  • Feasibility (30%)
    • The proposed solution demonstrates a reasonable and credible approach to accomplish the proposed objectives, tasks, outcomes, and deliverables.
    • The proposed solution addresses a reasonable pathway or timeline to application development.
    • The proposed solution clearly defines potential risks and mitigation strategies, including security constraints.
    • The proposed solution includes a thorough description for the use of funds.
    • The proposed solution includes an architectural diagram (i.e., wireframes, frameworks) that is feasible and executable for deployment.
  • Originality (20%)
    • The proposed Solution is innovative and does not infringe on in-market solutions.
    • The proposed Solution includes an advanced application technology that has the potential to improve the collection and use of PRO data.
    • The proposed Solution is designed for patient engagement.
Page last reviewed August 2018
Page originally created August 2018

Internet Citation: Phase 1: Proposal. Content last reviewed August 2018. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://www.ahrq.gov/stepupappchallenge/overview/phase-1.html

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