Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge: DoD Prize Competition for Guam's Brown Tree Snake

Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge: DoD Prize Competition for Guam's Brown Tree Snake is sponsored by Department of Defense (DoD). This prize challenge offers funding for autonomous drone, robotics, AI, and sensor technology to detect and control Guam's invasive brown tree snake.

Autonomous Eradication Tech Challenge: $550K DoD Prize — BW&CO Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge: $550K DoD Prize Competition for Guam's Brown Tree Snake The Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge is a DoD-sponsored prize competition offering up to $550,000 in cash awards for autonomous detection, tracking, and control technologies to address Guam's invasive brown tree snake population, with potential Other Transaction Authority (OTA) pathways to direct procurement.

What is the Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge? It is a recurring, rolling-cycle prize challenge sponsored by Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC), the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program / Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (SERDP/ESTCP), and DARPA.

Central Florida Tech Grove administers the challenge and hosts the Virtual Demonstration Days where finalists present to government stakeholders. The same opportunity is also listed on InnoCentive under the title "Autonomous Eradication Technologies for Guam's Invasive Brown Tree Snakes." What problem is this challenge trying to solve?

Guam's brown tree snake has caused decades of ecological and economic damage. The snake has driven the local extinction or decline of most native forest bird species on the island and causes roughly $4. 5 million a year in economic losses through power outages from snakes contacting electrical infrastructure.

It also poses a risk to military installations and personnel on Guam, a strategically critical U.S. Indo-Pacific location. Traditional control methods, including aerial delivery of acetaminophen-treated bait, have had limited success in Guam's dense forest canopy and rugged terrain. Island-wide eradication is considered nearly impossible without new technology.

What technologies are sponsors looking for? The challenge is intentionally broad.

Priority technology areas include: Drones and unmanned systems Advanced sensors and detection systems Artificial intelligence and machine learning Predictive modeling and data analytics Communications and decision-support tools Solutions must be able to operate in dense forest canopy, rugged terrain, and night conditions, detect hidden targets, and support large-area autonomous surveillance missions. How much prize money is available?

Up to $550,000 in total cash prizes. The listing does not publish a per-cycle or per-tier award breakdown. For comparison, other Central Florida Tech Grove and NavalX-funded DoD prize challenges have structured single-cycle awards at roughly $50,000 for first place, $30,000 for second, and $20,000 for third.

Separately, federal Brown Tree Snake Control Program grant funding through the Department of the Interior has run between approximately $3. 4 million and $4. 1 million annually across multiple agencies, indicating a sustained, well-funded federal program behind this challenge rather than a one-off pilot.

Is this just a cash prize, or is there a path to a contract? Both. Beyond the cash award, selected participants may qualify for Other Transaction Authority (OTA) pathways, direct procurement discussions, and field demonstration opportunities on Guam with U.S. military and federal agency stakeholders.

The challenge is structured as a recurring feeder program, not a one-time grant. Who is eligible to participate? Participation is broad.

Startups, universities, defense contractors, AI and drone teams, robotics developers, sensor engineers, and environmental technology innovators are all eligible. No prior experience with brown tree snakes, wildlife management, or Guam is required. Do I need to submit by a single deadline?

No. This runs as a recurring, rolling-cycle prize challenge with monthly submission, evaluation, and virtual presentation windows. The current listed deadline is December 1, 2026 at 21:59 CST, but organizations may submit multiple solutions and resubmit in future cycles as their technology matures. What happens after I submit?

Submissions are reviewed by a panel of government stakeholders. A limited number of organizations are selected for a Virtual Demonstration Day, where they present and demonstrate their capabilities directly to government end users. Selection can lead to prize awards and, potentially, follow-on opportunities to develop, transition, produce, and deploy the solution.

Do I keep ownership of my technology and IP? Yes. Solvers retain all IP rights to their submissions.

Submitting a solution does not transfer ownership or exclusive rights to the government or challenge sponsors. Only a non-exclusive, royalty-free license is requested, and solely for evaluation purposes. Are there any restrictions on what I can propose or submit?

Yes, two worth noting. First, submissions must not contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Second, some brown tree snake control methods, notably acetaminophen-based toxicants, are restricted by the EPA to trained government personnel; any submission proposing a regulated intervention must describe a realistic compliance pathway.

Review the solicitation here. Defensetech & Dual-Use Tech Robotics & Autonomous Systems Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning https://www. bwcoconsulting.

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