MARADMIN 401/26
ANNOUCEMENT OF THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST USMC INNOVATION CHALLENGE AND GUIDANCE FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF THE USMC INNOVATION CHALLENGE
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: [email protected]// POC/R. BLAIR/CAPT/IC4, DC I/ (703) 693-9940/EMAIL: [email protected]// POC/B. RIPKA/MSGT/IC4, DC I/ (571) 256-9536/EMAIL: [email protected]// 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.//