Bureau of Reclamation & Freelancer.com launch a new $300,000 global innovation challenge

The Counting Every Drop Challenge seeks innovative designs for improved precipitation measurement devices

SYDNEY, Australia – 16 August 2022 – Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN, OTCQX: FLNCF), the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by number of users and jobs posted, today announced a new innovation challenge with the Bureau of Reclamation (“Reclamation”) and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Hosted by Reclamation, USDA NRCS and in partnership with GEONOR, the Counting Every Drop Challenge is seeking new and improved ground-based precipitation measurement devices. The devices should meet specific requirements with respect to reliability, accuracy, operation and maintenance requirements, and be able to operate in remote locations under extreme environmental conditions.  The ideal solution will not require fluids, such as antifreeze, to operate.

The goal of the challenge is to obtain more accurate and reliable precipitation measurements to inform water management decisions, including forecasting water supplies, monitoring water-year precipitation, controlling floods, and planning for irrigation needs. 

Precipitation measurement is important to water management and improved measurements contribute to improved forecasting of water supply, stream flows, and floods. The challenge will focus on increasing the accuracy, resolution, and reliability of precipitation measurements, while addressing operations and maintenance concerns associated with devices located in remote locations.

The challenge has a prize pool of US$300,000 that will be awarded to successful contestants over two phases. One contestant whose final prototype meets all the requirements and doesn’t require fluids to operate will be eligible for a $100,000 prize, while additional prizes will be awarded to innovative designs and features.

“The Counting Every Drop Challenge is the perfect opportunity for anyone with skills in engineering, design, water measurement, or anything related to water management,” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer.com. “We’re looking forward to seeing new, novel approaches that will improve precipitation measurement devices used in remote locations.”

To register and learn more about the Counting Every Drop Challenge, visit:
https://www.freelancer.com/reclamation/counting-every-drop 

Counting Every Drop Challenge Information

The goal of the Counting Every Drop Challenge is to develop precipitation measurement devices that decrease maintenance requirements while increasing accuracy and reliability. The ideal solution would not rely on fluids (antifreeze or oils) and would be able to operate in remote locations that have limited power supply and experience extreme environmental conditions, including extreme high and low temperatures and strong winds. 

Competitors may submit novel ideas or updates to existing devices. If a Competitor is submitting an updated device, they must show how their updates improve on the existing device to achieve the goals of this challenge. 

The challenge is split into two phases:

For Phase 1

Competitors are asked to submit a white paper describing their proposed precipitation measuring device and how they will address all the requirements of the challenge. Submissions will be judged on their novel approach to the challenge requirements including eliminating or decreasing use of fluids, improving accuracy and reliability, and on their ability to complete a prototype that will be ready to be installed in the field in Phase 2.

In Phase 2

Completed prototypes will be shipped to the NRCS to be installed in the field for at least 8 months. Prior to field testing there will be two reviews: a preliminary review for Competitors to share their progress on their prototypes and a pre-shipping review to demonstrate the assembly, installation, and operation of the devices. Devices that are deployed to the field will be co-located with an existing device for comparison. 

All prototypes that are deployed to the field must meet the solution requirements of measuring all precipitation, not discharging fluids into the environment, using a 12 V DC power source, and outputting data compatible with dataloggers.

About Freelancer.com

Twelve-time Webby award-winning Freelancer.com is the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by total number of users and projects posted. More than 60 million registered users have posted over 21 million projects and contests to date in over 2,000 areas as diverse as website development, logo design, marketing, copywriting, astrophysics, aerospace engineering and manufacturing. Freelancer Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN and is quoted on OTCQX Best Market under the ticker FLNCF.

About the Bureau of Reclamation

Established in 1902, the Bureau of Reclamation is best known for the dams, powerplants, and canals it constructed in the 17 western states. These water projects led to homesteading and promoted the economic development of the West. Reclamation has constructed more than 600 dams and reservoirs including Hoover Dam on the Colorado River and Grand Coulee on the Columbia River. The Bureau of Reclamation is the largest wholesaler of water in the USA. Brings water to more than 31 million people, and provides one out of five Western farmers (140,000) with irrigation water for 10 million acres of farmland that produce 60% of the nation’s vegetables and 25% of its fruits and nuts.