; and (5) promptly notify State and local election officials and election service providers about relevant election cybersecurity vulnerabilities discovered through the competition, and provide technical assistance in remedying the vulnerabilities. (d) Use of service providers The Secretary may award competitive contracts as necessary to manage the Hack the Election Program under this section. (e) Consultation with Secretary of Defense In developing the Hack the Election Program under this section, the Secretary shall consult with the relevant offices at the Department of Defense that were responsible for launching the 2016 Hack the Pentagon pilot program and subsequent Department of Defense bug bounty programs. 3. Safe harbor for participants in Program (a) In general Notwithstanding section 1030 of title 18, United States Code, and except as provided in subsection (b), it shall not be unlawful for a person acting in compliance with the Hack the Election Program under section 2 to take actions necessary to discover and report an election cybersecurity vulnerability if the person reports the cybersecurity vulnerability to the Secretary. (b) Limitation Subsection (a) shall not apply to any person that— (1) acts outside the scope of the Hack the Election Program; (2) exploits an election cybersecurity vulnerability