VA looking for mobile apps in innovation contest

The Veterans Affairs Department is looking for a few good apps—specifically, mobile applications that will help veterans understand and receive their benefits—in a new industry innovation competition announced on March 29.

The new competition is the third targeted at industry participants in the $50 million VA Innovation Initiative (Vai2) program to spark new ideas and technologies for the department.

The first two industry contests generated nearly 600 proposals, of which 35 projects are currently underway. In the new competition, the VA expects to make multiple two-year awards for the winning projects.

“VAi2 launches this year’s competition to solve very real challenges facing Veterans every day,” Jonah Czerwinski, director of the Vai2 program, said in a news release.

The new competition asks public and private developers, vendors and other offerers to create mobile applications for veteran benefits information and services.

The three other areas in which projects are being sought are solutions for enhancing maternity continuity of care, redesigning the post-traumatic stress disorder treatment experience and treating and preventing pressure ulcers.

The VA said it would schedule a webinar with interested participants.