We are excited to announce the 2012 Build a Better Mousetrap National Competition!
We want to know about all of the truly inventive work that every Center’s clients create, perform, and provide
on a daily basis. We are currently accepting entries for the 2012 National Competition; this includes any
existing “tips from the field” or other items your Center may have collected from your clients.
What Is It?
The Build a Better Mousetrap National Competition’s purpose is to collect and disseminate real world
examples of Best Practices, Tips from the Field, and assist in the Transfer of Technology for local and county
transportation workers and other LTAP/TTAP clients. We are looking for projects that your clients designed
and built; it can be anything from the development of tools, equipment modifications, and/or processes that
increase safety, reduce cost, improve efficiency, and improve the quality of transportation.
How Does It Work?
The normal, Center-wide Build a Better Mousetrap Competition has officially been taken to the next level! In
the first tier of the contest each Center that chooses to participate, holds a Build a Better Mousetrap
Competition within their state or TTAP region (If a Center already holds a competition similar to this then they
may use that structure to participate in the national contest).
Once each Center has chosen a state/region winner, they will submit their winner to the second tier of the
competition: The National Competition. The final winners will be announced at the LTAP/TTAP National
Conference in Grapevine, TX.
Judging Criteria
The National Competition is judged on the criteria listed below within the framework of a five point rating scale:
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Cost
Savings/Benefits to the Community
Ingenuity
Ease of Transference to Others
Effectiveness
An entry may only be submitted by a Center that has held a state/region-wide competition; at this time we are
not able to accept entries from independent entities not associated with a Center competition. Winners will be
selected by an independent panel of judges. All entries will be posted on the LTAP/TTAP website and
compiled into an electronic booklet for you and your clients.
How to Enter*
Please fill out the online entry form that is located in the Centers Only Area under Center Tools (please note
that this will require you to log-in with your Centers Only username and password). Entries must be submitted
no later than Friday, June 29, 2012. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Susan Monahan at
202.289.4434 or [email protected].
We received fantastic entries in the 2009, 2010, & 2011 competitions; you can find them on the program
website at http://www.ltap.org/resources/mousetrap.php along with a comprehensive manual for putting
together your own Build a Better Mousetrap competition. Additionally, I have attached the 2011 National Entry
Booklet. We look forward to seeing what is submitted this year and the 2012 National Competition in
Grapevine!
*Please Note: Please feel free to send us the booklet you put together with all of your entries; we will include
those as addendums to the National Entry Booklet – however, we will only be considering the winning entry for
the national competition. We also understand that some of your 2012 competitions have not yet been held or
chosen a winner; that is completely fine– if you would like to submit your 2011 participants instead, that would
be great!