R 271732Z AUG 26
MARADMIN 401/26
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC INFORMATION//
SUBJ/ANNOUCEMENT OF THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST USMC INNOVATION
CHALLENGE AND GUIDANCE FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF THE USMC INNOVATION
CHALLENGE//
REF /A/MSGID: DOC/SECNAVINST 5305.6/23JAN17//
REF /B/MSGID: DOC/MCO 1650.17F/11DEC86//
REF /C/MSGID: DOC/DON CIO MEMORANDUM/24MAY24//
NARR/REF A IS THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY INNOVATION INCENTIVES
PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES AUTHORITY AND GUIDANCE FOR ACTIVITY HEADS AND
COMMANDING OFFICERS TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES AND MILITARY
AWARDS FOR INNOVATION. REF B IS THE MARINE CORPS MILITARY INCENTIVE
AWARDS PROGRAM. REF C IS THE STRUCTURED CHALLENGES APPROACH FOR
INNOVATING AND OPTIMIZING MEMORANDUM PUBLISHED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
THE NAVY’S CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER.//
POC/T. GILMORE/GS-14/SDO, DC I/
(703) 571-3914/ EMAIL: TOM.W.GILMORE.CIV@USMC.MIL//
POC/R. BLAIR/CAPT/IC4, DC I/
(703) 693-9940/EMAIL: RAYCE.BLAIR@USMC.MIL//
POC/B. RIPKA/MSGT/IC4, DC I/
(571) 256-9536/EMAIL: BENJAMIN.RIPKA@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/
1. Situation.  This MARADMIN serves to announce the results from the
first round of the Deputy Commandant for Information’s (DC I) USMC
Innovation Challenge.
2. Background.  The first iteration of the Innovation Challenge has
concluded and proved the concept of leveraging the innovative spirit
of our Marines and DON civilians. The challenge provided a venue for
innovators across the Force to develop low-code, user-defined
solutions that transition from analog, manual-intensive processes to
user-defined, data-centric, automated approaches. Round one focused
on the M365 Power Platform and produced several impactful solutions
that will improve day-to-day operations across the force.
3. Round One Results and Virtual Roadshow.
3.a. The USMC Innovation Council has reviewed and assessed
submissions from the inaugural Innovation Challenge Campaign to
improve day-to-day business operations. The following lists are the
challenges along with the selected winners based on technical
accomplishment, reach, and alignment with the Innovation Campaign:
3.a.1. Challenge: Commander’s Readiness Dash
3.a.1.a. Winner. Captain Robert Werner, II MEF for creating
OverSight.
3.a.1.b. Description. OverSight is a daily-refreshed analytic tool
for Global Combat Support System – Marine Corps (GCSS-MC) data, with
an emphasis on proper government equipment stewardship. The tool is
primarily focused on Calibrations, Modifications, Preventative
Maintenance, Property Management, and Maintenance Progression with
the goal of positively affecting equipment availability. OverSight
delivers information in the form of advisories and issues,
addressing various discrepancies within the corresponding area.
Extreme efficiency is gained through eliminating all the items that
appear to be in good standing, allowing small unit leaders to focus
on the items that have been flagged. The tool is also useful from a
command perspective of determining resource allocations or
requesting additional resources.
3.a.1.c. Award. Winner to receive $1,000 in prize money and
achievement endorsement letter provided to Marines’ Chain of Command
for military award consideration.
3.a.2. Challenge: Automate Training Statistics.
3.a.2.a. Winner. Sergeant Jalen L. Taite, II MEF for creating Marine
Education and Training Statistics.
3.a.2.b. Description. Marine Education & Training Statistics (METS)
is an automated Power BI dash that intakes standard MCTIMS reports
and fuses with basic alpha roster data from MOL to give commanders
and staffs immediate insight into where their section, platoon or
company are meeting training requirements.
3.a.2.c. Award. Winner to receive $450 in prize money and
achievement endorsement letter provided to Marine’s Chain of Command
for military award consideration.
3.a.3. Challenge: Automating Duty Rosters.
3.a.3.a. Winner. Sergeant Blake Owen for creating DutyNext.
3.a.3.b. Description. DutyNext is a Power App that establishes a
streamlined system for the creation and maintenance of a duty roster
that ensures a fair distribution while accounting for leave,
approved non-availability, exercise sourcing, and rank requirements
for a unit to customize and automate their duty requirements.
3.a.3.c. Award. Achievement endorsement letter provided to Marine’s
Chain of Command for military award consideration.
3.a.4. Challenge: Automate Personnel and Equipment Resourcing
3.a.4.a. Winner. Team iMPACT, II MEF for creating SourceIt.
3.a.4.b. Description. SourceIt is a SharePoint List based PowerApp
that uses authoritative data from MOL, GCSS-MC and MCTIMS to
converge TEEP requirements with personnel and equipment
availability. SourceIt replaces ad-hoc tracking spreadsheets by
delivering real-time decision support, allowing leaders at all
levels to optimize operational efficiency and refocus time on
primary mission execution.
3.a.4.c. Award. Achievement endorsement letter provided to Marines’
Chain of Command for military award consideration
3.a.5. Challenge: Commander’s Readiness Dash
3.a.5.a. Notable Achievement. CWO3 Brandon Russell, II MEF for
creating an automated Material Readiness brief in PowerBI.
3.a.5.b. Description. Inspired by the 2d MARDIV AI Task Force, a
team from 2d LAR developed a solution using Microsoft Power BI to
automate report consolidation. They built a desktop report and a
mobile report for government phones utilizing the MM Toolbox reports
ground maintenance Marines already pull for maximum adaptability
and sustainability.
3.a.5.c. Award. Achievement endorsement letter provided to Marine’s
Chain of Command for military award consideration.
3.b. All participants in Round One are commended for their
outstanding efforts and contributions to improving the Marine Corps.
3.c. A virtual roadshow will be held via Microsoft Teams to display
the winning products to the rest of the USMC. The event will allow
participants to demonstrate their solutions and discuss their
development process. The schedule and link for the virtual roadshow
will be promulgated via the USMC Innovation Challenge Portal:
https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/DCI/USMC_Innovation_Challenge.
4. Admin and Logistics.
4.a. Award Coordination. DC I Innovation Cadre representatives will
contact individual award recipients and their respective chains of
command to coordinate formal recognition and presentation of awards.
4.b. Financial Prize Disbursement. Monetary cash awards will be
facilitated by the Innovation Cadre along with DC I and the awardees
immediate chain of command.
4.c. Military Awards and Personal Records. Endorsement letters
provided by DC I shall be routed through parent commands for
military award consideration (e.g., Navy and Marine Corps
Commendation/Achievement Medal, Certificate of Commendation) and
formal administrative recording in the Marine's Official Military
Personnel File (OMPF) in accordance with Ref B.
4.d. Funding and Travel. No official travel or TAD funding is
authorized solely for award presentation under this message.
Participation in the virtual roadshow outlined in paragraph 3.c will
be conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams.
5. Command and Control
5.a. Operational Governance. DC I (IC4) serves as the primary
advocate for solutions developed under the USMC Innovation
Challenge. Winning solutions are published on the USMC Innovation
Challenge Portal to facilitate enterprise awareness, sharing, and
functional evaluation for potential platform scaling.
5.b. Deployment and Cyber Compliance. Unit commanders seeking to
adopt or re-use applications announced in this message shall ensure
local implementation complies with DON M365 governance, DoD cyber
hygiene protocols, and applicable data protection guidance.
5.c. Inquiries. Direct technical inquiries, requests for application
source code, or submission inquiries for future challenge iterations
to the USMC Innovation Challenge Portal:
https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/DCI/USMC_Innovation_Challenge
or message the POCs.
6. Release authorized by Lieutenant General Joseph A. Matos III
Headquarters Marine Corps, Deputy Commandant for Information.//