Description: The abuse of opioids such as fentanyl has created an unprecedented public health crisis across the United States. International mail — through both USPS and express consignment — has been identified as a route for illicit opioids entering the United States, commonly transported in nearly pure, powdered form. Consequently, large-scale drug trafficking can occur via very small packages sent in the mail. As part of the comprehensive government effort to address the opioid crisis, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Office of National Drug Control Policy, are seeking new tools and technologies to detect opioids in parcels moving through international service centers and express consignment facilities. The challenge calls on innovators in a wide range of fields, from forensic science to industrial quality assurance to artificial intelligence, to help disrupt the flow of opioids into the United States.
Partner Organizations: Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Awards: Stage 1 – $800,000; Stage 2 – $750,000
Open Date: February 26, 2019
Close Date: Fall 2019
Frequency: Once
For more information, visit: https://www.opioiddetectionchallenge.com/