The Office of the Secretary of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program (OSD ManTech) has announced the winners of the first-of-its-kind "Point of Need Challenge Pitch Event" for solutions to support forward-deployed forces in austere environments.
Held March 8-9 at the ARM Institute in Pittsburgh, Pa., the event showcased technologies generated by member companies of the Department of Defense Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MIIs). DoD launched nine MIIs between 2012 and 2021, each focused on a particular critical technology, to help revitalize U.S. domestic manufacturing capability.
The challenge event featured 11 pitch presentations that had been selected from 63 concept papers submitted by the MIIs and reviewed by 72 DoD reviewers. The pitches, presented over a day and a half, were reviewed by a panel of 13 judges from the Military Services, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Defense Innovation Unit, OSD ManTech, and Joint Staff.
The panel recommended six projects from five MIIs for approval by the director of ManTech. The projects cover three challenges: the Warfighter Medical, Health, and Nutrition Challenge; the Staying in the Fight Challenge; and the Cyber Challenge. OSD ManTech will invest nearly $2.5 million, while industry partners will contribute nearly $700,000 in cost share.