diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/verifier_reliability_bounty.md b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/verifier_reliability_bounty.md
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+---
+name: Verifier Reliability Bounty
+about: Template for creating verifier reliability bounties
+title: '[PENDING ACTIVATION] Earn 1 USDC margin by posting a verifier reliability bounty'
+labels: 'draft'
+assignees: ''
+---
+
+## Activation state
+
+This is a replacement inventory draft. **Do not claim, sign, bond, fund a child, or start work yet.**
+
+It becomes an earning bounty only after this issue publishes all of the following from canonical Base-mainnet evidence:
+
+- one exact routed-V3 parent contract;
+- full 2.01 USDC funding;
+- BountyBecameClaimable;
+- valid immutable terms;
+- an executable routed-V3 child-preparation path;
+- the pinned sandboxed_regression_v1 verifier path.
+
+## Intended earning loop
+
+After activation, the solver posts and fully funds one concrete 1.00 USDC verifier reliability coding child bounty. A different registered participant completes that child and receives canonical settlement. The parent then pays 2.00 USDC, leaving 1.00 USDC parent gross margin before gas or other optional costs.
+
+The activation workflow adds bounty, funded-live, and claimable-live labels only after every readiness check passes. A draft issue, label, transaction plan, signature, or transaction hash is not funding, claimability, completion, or payment. Only canonical BountySettled proves payment.
+
+Discovery feedback requested after activation: explain how you found the bounty, why you attempted it, and the single change that would make the loop easier to complete.
+
+## Activation checklist
+
+- [ ] Parent contract deployed on Base mainnet
+- [ ] Contract funded with 2.01 USDC
+- [ ] BountyBecameClaimable event emitted
+- [ ] Immutable terms validated
+- [ ] Child-preparation path verified
+- [ ] Verifier path pinned
+- [ ] Labels updated (bounty, funded-live, claimable-live)
+
+## Contract details
+
+**Parent contract address:** `TBD`
+
+**Funding transaction:** `TBD`
+
+**BountyBecameClaimable transaction:** `TBD`
+
+## Terms
+
+- Parent bounty value: 2.01 USDC
+- Child bounty value: 1.00 USDC
+- Expected margin: 1.00 USDC (before gas)
+- Network: Base mainnet
+- Verifier: sandboxed_regression_v1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/activate_bounty.yml b/.github/workflows/activate_bounty.yml
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+name: Activate Bounty
+
+on:
+  issue_comment:
+    types: [created]
+
+jobs:
+  activate:
+    if: contains(github.event.comment.body, '/activate') && contains(github.event.issue.labels.*.name, 'draft')
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    permissions:
+      issues: write
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Validate activation requirements
+        id: validate
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const issue = context.payload.issue;
+            const body = issue.body;
+            
+            const requiredFields = [
+              'Parent contract address:',
+              'Funding transaction:',
+              'BountyBecameClaimable transaction:'
+            ];
+            
+            const missingFields = requiredFields.filter(field => 
+              !body.includes(field) || body.includes(`${field} \`TBD\``)
+            );
+            
+            if (missingFields.length > 0) {
+              core.setFailed(`Missing required fields: ${missingFields.join(', ')}`);
+              return false;
+            }
+            
+            return true;
+
+      - name: Add activation labels
+        if: steps.validate.outputs.result == 'true'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            await github.rest.issues.addLabels({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              issue_number: context.issue.number,
+              labels: ['bounty', 'funded-live', 'claimable-live']
+            });
+            
+            await github.rest.issues.removeLabel({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              issue_number: context.issue.number,
+              name: 'draft'
+            });
+
+      - name: Update issue title
+        if: steps.validate.outputs.result == 'true'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            const issue = context.payload.issue;
+            const newTitle = issue.title.replace('[PENDING ACTIVATION]', '[ACTIVE]');
+            
+            await github.rest.issues.update({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              issue_number: context.issue.number,
+              title: newTitle
+            });
+
+      - name: Post activation comment
+        if: steps.validate.outputs.result == 'true'
+        uses: actions/github-script@v7
+        with:
+          script: |
+            await github.rest.issues.createComment({
+              owner: context.repo.owner,
+              repo: context.repo.repo,
+              issue_number: context.issue.number,
+              body: '✅ Bounty activated! All requirements verified. This bounty is now claimable.'
+            });