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USMC Innovation Challenge Round 2 Is Open

MARADMIN 411/26·September 11, 2026·2 min read·Official source
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The DC I has kicked off round two of the USMC Innovation Challenge. It's an online competition where Marines and Department of the Navy (DON) civilians build software solutions to real problems using the Microsoft 365 (M365) Power Platform. Round one worked, produced usable tools, and now they're doing it again with a sharper focus.

Heads up: Reservists can participate, but you need local commander approval to use duty hours or government resources for this.

Who it affects

Any Marine (active, reserve) or DON civilian who wants to build or sponsor tech solutions. There's no rank floor for participants. Sponsors, meaning the commanders or staff leads who advocate for a problem and guide a team, must be O-4 or above, or E-8 or above.

What you need to do

If you want to participate or sponsor a challenge issue:

  1. Get your commander's approval to participate, especially if you plan to work on this during IDT or any duty time.
  2. Register through the USMC Innovation Challenge Portal at https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/DCI/USMC_Innovation_Challenge
  3. Submit or pick up an issue, form a team, and start building.
  4. Keep your solution inside the M365 tools available on the USMC tenant. No premium connectors, no third-party paid extensions, no reverse engineering Microsoft products.
  5. Check the portal regularly. Assessment timelines and updates are posted there, not in follow-on MARADMINs.

A few things worth knowing before you build anything: everything you create during this challenge belongs to the Marine Corps and gets delivered to DC I. That's the deal in exchange for being allowed to use government time and equipment. No TAD funding is authorized just for participating. It's designed to run virtually.

The focus area for round two is the Commanding General's Inspection Program (CGIP) and its functional areas. You can submit ideas outside that theme, but CGIP-aligned solutions get prioritized for assessment. Solutions also need to use only standard enterprise connectors available in the USMC M365 tenant.

Awards and financial incentives are possible, authorized under DON and Marine Corps incentive programs, but the USMC Innovation Council decides what gets awarded based on technical quality, reach of the solution, and available funds. Nothing is guaranteed.

Key dates

  • Now: Round two is active as of the release of this MARADMIN (11 Sep 2026). Registration, issue submission, and development are open.
  • Assessment dates: Not fixed. The Innovation Council schedules assessments based on the volume and quality of completed submissions. Check the portal.

The official version

See MARADMIN 411/26 for the full text. Round one was announced in MARADMIN 445/25 if you want background on how the first iteration ran. The challenge portal is the authoritative source for all timeline updates and submission guidance.

POC: Tom Gilmore (GS-14) at tom.w.gilmore.civ@usmc.mil or (703) 571-3914. Also Capt Rayce Blair at rayce.blair@usmc.mil and MSgt Benjamin Ripka at benjamin.ripka@usmc.mil.

This is written by a reservist, for reservists. It is not an official publication of HQMC or MARFORRES. Always verify guidance with your command or unit S-1 before acting on any article or summary.

Resources & references

The documents this bulletin points to, with a plain-English note on why each matters. Links marked CAC required need a government login.

  • Department of the Navy Innovation Incentives Program (SECNAVINST 5305.6)Reference

    This instruction gives Commanding Officers authority to provide financial incentives and military awards for innovation. It is the legal basis for any awards or cash incentives that may be given to Innovation Challenge winners.

  • Marine Corps Military Incentive Awards Program (MCO 1650.17F)Reference

    This order governs how military incentive awards are administered in the Marine Corps. Along with the SECNAVINST, it authorizes the awards and financial incentives that can be granted to Innovation Challenge participants.

  • Structured Challenges Approach for Innovating and Optimizing Memorandum (DON CIO Memorandum, 24 May 2024)Reference

    This memorandum from the Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer provides the broader framework behind structured innovation challenges like this one. It establishes the conceptual authority underpinning how the USMC Innovation Challenge is organized.

  • Initial Innovation Challenge Announcement (MARADMIN 445/25)MARADMIN

    This is the round one announcement of the USMC Innovation Challenge. The current MARADMIN references it for detailed information on the four core components of the challenge scheme of maneuver.

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