Terms & Conditions of Participation
The Water is Life Pitch is being implemented by the USAID. Please read these terms and conditions carefully before submitting an entry. By submitting an entry, you accept these terms and conditions and agree to comply with them.
10.1.1 Participating in the Pitch
Entries received by the relevant deadline that are compliant with this pitch call will be assessed against the entry criteria for the Pitch set out in Water is Life Pitch Rules. USAID is not responsible for lost, late, stolen, misdirected, illegible, erroneous, or incomplete Entries or other documentation due to computer, network or telecommunications failure.
Employees of USAID, USAID contractors, and their immediate families, are not eligible to enter. Unless otherwise stated, you may make up to three distinct entries for different business model innovations to the Pitch Call and must bear all your costs of entering and participating in the pitch, including travel costs, unless otherwise stated in the supported materials.
Eligible entries will be assessed against the publicized evaluation criteria. Entries may be shortlisted and asked to complete further activities as described in the promotional materials, and performance will then be assessed against the relevant judging criteria. Participation in interviews and other events are a condition of participation in the pitch competition.
We will use the contact details you provide to contact you about the pitch. If you do not respond within seven days, you may be removed from consideration for the pitch. If you are removed, or if you otherwise withdraw from the pitch for any reason, we may select another entry in your place, but we are not obliged to do so.
The judges’ decision about shortlisting and selection, including the methodology used to assess entries, validity of any claims and data submitted, is final. By choosing to participate in the pitch, participants waive the right to challenge the outcome and agree to be bound by the determinations of the Pitch judges and USAID. We have no obligation to provide further information or to engage in conversation/correspondence about such decision.
While we encourage that the pitch award be used in ways that continue to be of public benefit and in the primary health care sector, you are under no obligation to do so. The pitch will be paid in U.S. dollars and the winner is responsible for payment of local taxes and other charges in relation to the award of the pitch.
We reserve the right at our sole discretion to refuse to accept any entry; to suspend or withdraw the pitch at any time; to vary the form and substance of the pitch including dates for deadlines, activities and events; to reduce or increase the number of entries selected for any phase, including the final pitch; not to award the pitch; and/or to reject or withdraw a place on the pitch competition for any reason whatsoever, including if in our reasonable opinion, you are in breach of these terms and conditions, fail to participate fully, or do anything to damage the reputation of USAID or our partners.
We reserve the right to vary these terms and conditions at any time. Variations will take effect from the date they are posted on our Entry platform, so please check regularly to see the current version.
10.1.2 Your Promises to Us
By submitting an entry to the pitch, you confirm that: Your concept satisfies the relevant criteria and all information submitted by you is true, accurate and complete. We reserve the right to ask for additional evidence of claims made by you, to validate claims by any means we see fit, and/or to reject claims at our sole discretion.
Your entry is your own original idea, is not copied from anyone else, and to the best of your knowledge, does not infringe any intellectual property or other third-party rights. We may withdraw your entry if we receive notice that it infringes any third-party rights.
You have, or will obtain, all consents and permissions necessary to submit your entry, participate in the pitch and comply with these terms and conditions.
You will act lawfully, ethically and in good faith and comply with the rules of the pitch and any relevant laws, regulations, guidelines and codes of practice. You will comply with our reasonable instructions while participating in the pitch, including in relation to health & safety and security.
Your organization and entry adhere to existing protocols for environmental protection and sustainability.
Your organization and approach do not exacerbate or cause direct or indirect harm to marginalized groups including, but not limited to, women/girls, low income, ethnic minorities, and landless groups.
Your organization identifies and mitigates potential unintended consequences that may cause direct or indirect harm to marginalized groups.
We reserve the right to remove you from the pitch competition if you do not comply with these rules, if you cheat or behave in a way which is disruptive, inappropriate or potentially dangerous.
If you are entering as part of a group or team, the person completing the entry form is responsible for compliance with these terms & conditions by other team members.
10.1.3 Use of Your Personal Information
We are committed to protecting your privacy and have established processes and policies to adequately safeguard the personal information you give to us.
If you submit an entry, we will ask you for personal information such as your name, email address, and other contact details such as a contact phone number. The personal information we collect will be used as outlined in detail below; generally, to process and consider your entry for funding, to contact you about the Pitch, and to award the Pitch.
Please make sure that all details you provide are accurate and up to date and let us know about any changes. If during the entry process, you provide us with aggregate information regarding any other individuals, please provide information concerning the informed consent all individuals signed.
Please do not include any personally identifiable information concerning other individuals in your submissions.
Your information will be shared within USAID and with the Judging Panel as is necessary to process and fully assess your entry, award the Pitch, and celebrate competitors. USAID will follow applicable law, regulation, and policy concerning the collection, maintenance, and use of your data. For more information about the USAID privacy policy, including safeguards and controls around PII, please see
https://www.usaid.gov/privacy-policy.
We will share your information with judges that help us assess the Entries.We may keep your information for up to six years for the agency to conduct statistical analysis of the data, so we can review, develop, and improve our business activities, consistent with applicable law, rule, and regulation.
If have any questions about this privacy notice, please email us at
mission-esc-resilience@usaid.gov.
10.1.4 Publicity
We won’t publicly publish full details of your entry. However, by submitting an entry, you give us permission to use and publicly publish your name, a summary of your entry and photographs/ recordings of your participation in the pitch, which may include events, in any media and online. If you have any concerns about the publication of information about your entry, please contact us before submitting an entry.
Any public statements which you make in relation to the pitch must acknowledge USAID and be approved by us in advance.
USAID intends to celebrate the shortlisted and winning approaches online, in online forums, and as case studies about new ways to engage the private sector to address development challenges. Prior to the communications being published, USAID will contact any featured teams to affirm their consent to the communications.
While competitors and winners of the pitch are under no obligation to engage in further correspondence with USAID after the award of funds, USAID hopes they will continue to respond to requests for updates on the approach’s evolution, success, or learning.
10.1.5 Limitation of Liability
We are not liable for any direct or indirect loss or liability, costs, claims, taxes, charges or expenses resulting from your participation in the pitch or your reliance on statements made or advice given by us, our partners or contractors.
10.2 Communication (Annex II)
INQUIRIES
Inquiries about the pitch may be submitted via email to
mission-esc-resilience@usaid.gov. We will publish all questions and answers about the pitch on the Entry platform to ensure transparent communication.
