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Created by the Public Governance Directorate

This website was created by the OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), part of the OECD Public Governance Directorate (GOV).

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Submit a COVID-19 Response

Thank you for submitting a new innovative response to COVID-19. Please complete this form to populate the repository.

  • Getting Started
  • Information about the response
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Innovative coronavirus (COVID-19) responses by governments and public interest organisations

The COVID-19 crisis has kick-started a need for new approaches: a global flurry to find solutions for an unexpected crisis. Few governments have been fully prepared to deal with a crisis of this nature, and many are working hard to rally resources and unify experts from across the public, private and non-profit sectors toward a common goal. In this context, the sharing of ideas and best practices is critical: pandemics do not stay within boundaries, borders and silos, and neither should the global response.

In this context, the OECD Open and Innovative Government Division, the Centre for Public Impact, and GovInsider are issuing this call to all levels of government, civil society, international organisations and the private sector to gather innovative solutions and inspiration on how individuals and organisations across the globe are responding to the crisis. We invite you to include additional COVID-19 responses using this form. You need not be the person in charge of the response–it can be something you came across and think it should be included. 

For more information about this call, including examples of responses, visit our blog post at oe.cd/covidcall. 

Everyone’s responses will be immediately available for public view (except for your own contact email) as a live repository to promote shared learning across countries on innovative approaches that have been tried or proven to work. You can access the responses on the COVID-19 Innovative Response Tracker. 

Questions? Contact opsi@oecd.org 

Questions indicated by * are required for FINAL SUBMISSION. However, you may skip required questions and come back to them later.
Innovative responses will be published immediately to OPSI’s OPSI COVID-19 Innovative Response Tracker.
Should you encounter any technical problems, please contact opsi@oecd.org. If possible, please provide a screen shot of the problem.

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Title of Innovative Response:

U.S. Digital Response: matching data and tech experts with U.S. state and local governments to respond to covid 19.

Description of Innovative Response:

The U.S. Digital Response launched March 16 to match data and digital experts with U.S. state and local government teams for rapid response to COVID-19. In two short weeks, more than 2,500 highly-skilled volunteers have signed up and dozens of governments have reached out for support.

We are an all-volunteer effort, and we are working to vet volunteers and match their skills and availability with projects to help governments continue delivering critical services such as social safety net benefits, unemployment benefits, and small business loans.

Learn more about our collaborations: https://www.usdigitalresponse.org/collaborations

What specific issue is this solution intended to address?

The U.S. Digital Response exists to provide urgent tech support to U.S. state and local governments as they respond to covid 19. We match volunteer technologists with government teams to develop solutions, strategies, and tools to address their needs. We work in the open and aim for our solutions to be open source, replicable, and scalable. We are already in talks with other countries to consider how to scale the entire effort to be adapted where they are.

Our goal is to help governments keep their websites and systems up and running so they can continue provide mission-critical services to residents, especially as some of their systems come under increased demand and strain. The impact is to allow governments to continue to serve the millions of people they need to serve, uninterrupted, allowing people to get the relief and support they need during this crisis.

What possible issues are you anticipating or what might need to be tweaked/iterated later? Or, is there something you need from others?

If the COVID-19 situation becomes worse or protracted, there is a major risk that the key players in facilitating online / digital education may not be able to sustain financially and operationally given affected topline/revenues with ongoing costs to serve. More partnership support and Government financial support would help these players to tide over.