LOGISTICS INNOVATION CHALLENGES
Date Signed: 6/14/2016 | MARADMINS Number: 304/16
MARADMINS : 304/16
R 141455Z JUN 16
MARADMIN 304/16
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC L LP WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/LOGISTICS INNOVATION CHALLENGES//
POC/WOOD, CHRIS/CAPT/HQMC, LX/TEL: 571-256-7240/EMAIL: CHRISTOPHER.J.WOOD(AT)USMC.MIL//
POC/SANFORD, DANA/CIV/HQMC, LPV/TEL: 571-256-7175/EMAIL: DANA.SANFORD(AT)USMC.MIL//
POC/PENRY, KAITLIN/CTR/HQMC, LPV/TEL: 571-256-7209/EMAIL: KAITLIN.PENRY.CTR(AT)USMC.MIL//
POC/SCUDDER, SALLY/CTR/HQMC, LPV/TEL: 571-256-7203/EMAIL: SALLY.SCUDDER.CTR(AT)USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  This message serves as an announcement for the first ever logistics innovation challenges.  The purpose of the logistics innovation challenges is to solicit ideas from marines, sailors and civilians from across the Marine Corps on two specific topic areas discussed in paragraph four below.  The most promising ideas will be selected for one of several possible pathways towards a fielded capability.  Challenge winners will be directly partnered with a sponsoring research & development laboratory to further develop their ideas into reality through prototyping, experimentation, and possibly Marine Corps-wide fielding.
2.  Today’s operational environment is defined by rapid and unpredictable change.  We face adversaries that are not beholden to the same laws, regulations, and compliance activities we face.  As a result, many ideas and concepts that modern militaries spent decades to research and millions to field are now available to anyone for a fraction of the time and price.  To maintain our advantage over our adversaries, we must adopt unconventional and urgent methods for moving concepts to fielded capabilities.  It is essential that we put the mechanisms in place for our Marines, Sailors and civilians to develop innovative solutions quickly.
3.  The Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics (DC I and L) is sponsoring two logistics innovation challenges to solicit ideas from across the Marine Corps.  From 15 June 2016 to 15 July 2016, Marines (active and reserve), Sailors, and government civilians from across the Marine Corps have the opportunity to participate.  Winners will be selected and partnered with a laboratory where they will have an opportunity to mature their ideas toward a fielded capability.
4.  Challenge 1:  Make Your Corps.  Building off the international maker movement, imagine you have four weeks and unlimited resources to build a product to make your unit better using 3D printing or a similar technology.  What would you make?  Solutions can range from new rifle scopes to new radios to new vehicles.  The purpose of this challenge is to expose Marines, Sailors and civilians to the tools, methods, and benefits of rapid prototyping, also known as “making.”  The making movement has been enabled by several recent technologies such as 3D printers, laser cutters, mini computer numerical control (CNC) mills, easy-to-use computer aided design (CAD) software, simple sensors, and inexpensive micro-computers.  With the right tools and instruction, what might a Marine make?  Would these solutions improve warfighting capability, either while in garrison or forward deployed?
5.  Challenge 2:  Wearing out the Enemy.  Wearable technologies range from smart watches and glasses to body sensors.  How would you use these wearable technologies to improve logistics processes and give you an advantage on the battlefield?  The purpose of this challenge is to solicit how Marines, Sailors, and civilians are thinking about using wearable technologies.  This is an enormous industry that the department of defense (DOD) has yet to fully embrace.  Yet, this technology area has potential across all warfighting functions.  Further, as consumers, most Marines have already adopted wearable technologies for personal use.  It is time to find new and creative ways to implement wearables that give us a tactical advantage over our adversaries.
6.  The logistics innovation challenges competition will be open from 15 June 2016 through 15 July 2016.  To learn more and submit responses to the challenges, please visit: Http:(slash)(slash)www.secnav.navy.mil/innovation/usmc_challenges/sitepages/home.aspx.  The challenges are intentionally designed to have very low barriers to entry.  Therefore, submissions can be as detailed or as simple as the submitter(s) desire(s).
7.  Submitters are free (and encouraged) to work as teams.  The only requirement is to provide electronic data interchange personal identifier (EDIPI), name(s) and unit(s) as part of the submission.  EDIPI number can be found on the back of the common access card (CAC) listed under DOD ID number.
8.  Evaluation criteria.  Evaluating submissions will be based on the following criteria.
8.a.  Creativity:  how original is the idea?
8.b.  Collaboration:  has the submitter worked with others to develop this idea?
8.c.  Ease to implement:  how achievable is this idea?
8.d.  Overall benefit:  what is the benefit to the Marine Corps?
9.  Incentives.  Logistics innovation challenge winners will have a combination of rewards and recognition for winning the challenge.
9.a.  Selected submissions will have the opportunity to implement their idea by working with a DOD research and development laboratory.  Several labs, such as the National Defense University’s National Security Technology Accelerator Program and the Army Research Lab (ARL) have volunteered to partner with challenge winners to mature their ideas and move them towards fielded capabilities.  I and L will fund travel to send challenge winners to the appropriate lab for a period of time to assist in prototyping and implementation.
9.b.  Challenge winners will also have an opportunity to interact with senior Marine Corps leaders to recommend how to implement their ideas.
9.c.  Challenge winners will be recognized in official Marine Corps media channels and publications, such as marines.mil, Marine Corps FaceBook page, etc.
9.d.  Challenge winners may be selected for participation in a prototype, five day, Innovation Boot Camp that will teach participants critical skills for creative problem solving, critical thinking, and entrepreneurial-style tools.
10.  Timeline.  Challenges will be released on 15 June 2016 and submissions will be accepted through 15 July 2016.  I and L will work with sponsoring labs to review submissions and select winners from 16-30 July 2016.  Challenge winners will be notified beginning 1 August 2016.  I and L will then work with challenge winners and their parent commands to determine appropriate timing for working with sponsoring labs.
11.  Media.  The 2016 Logistics Innovation Challenges will be advertised over a variety of mediums.  In particular, DC I and L has provided an overview challenge video on youtube located at:  https:(slash)(slash) https://youtube/vECZ1lUsny4
11.a.  Other media sources include:
Facebook:  https:(slash)(slash)www.facebook.com/usmcexlog
Twitter:  https:(slash)(slash)twitter.com/usmc
Youtube:  https:(slash)(slash) youtube/vECZ1lUsny4
I and L website:  http:(slash)(slash)www.iandl.marines.mil/
SecNav:  http:(slash)(slash)www.secnav.navy.mil/innovation/usmc_challenges/sitepages/home.aspx
12.  Funding.  DC I and L will support all travel costs and funding for the logistics innovation challenge winners.
13.  Release authorized by MajGen V.A. Coglianese, Assistant Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics (LP).//