Only pilot projects can facilitate evaluations necessary for scale-up.

Building on these models, we propose the creation of an open, online networking platform for rigorous policy pilots, which could be hosted at, for example, PolicyPilots.gov or PolicyPilots.org. At the site, government agencies could publish requests for proposals on rigorous policy pilots (prospective or retrospective) in particular subject matter areas. Academics could post their own research skills and interests, and respond to agency requests that interest them the most. Likewise, agencies could reach out to relevant researchers who might be a good fit for projects they are considering.

Listings on the platform could be required to provide much of the information that potential partners need to determine fit and speed the match process. Agencies could indicate the parameters of the evaluation opportunity—for example, the question at its heart and why it matters, the authority to carry it out, the hypothesis and theory of change, testing methods that support causal inference, relevant evidence, and resources—consistent with the “MATTER” framework one of us has developed for proposing a rigorous pilot. Researchers could also post their areas of interest, current projects, willingness to travel, and resource needs. The high quality and ready availability of state and local data in many jurisdictions, as well as the skills of academic researchers, could make collaborations especially desirable.

Even if a government agency is not seeking a partner, it could still list planned pilots online to facilitate peer and third-party evaluations of methodologies and protocols before interventions are implemented, putting projects on the right track from the start. Research suggests that agency piloting is widespread but that the conditions needed for rigorous evaluation are not always present at the beginning.

A PolicyPilots.gov platform could also facilitate the sharing of enabling documents, policies, and resources for supporting rigorous evaluation in ways that are consistent with good science while also respecting privacy and addressing ethical, legal, and fairness concerns.

An obvious challenge with this sort of endeavor is getting a critical mass of participants. We propose a few strategies that could reduce this start-up problem.

First, the proposed networking platform would benefit from a credible, neutral third-party hosting organization, such as the U.S. General Services Administration or the Partnership for Public Service. This would enable both federal and state government agencies and academic researchers to feel confident engaging with the site, posting opportunities, and accepting projects from it. Ideally, the third-party intermediary would also have built-in connections with both government and academia, which could help it boost the program at the start by connecting potential collaborators in its network.