Bland Wins CMMC Challenge at NIWC Atlantic’s Tech Bridge

Bland and Associates participated in the Palmetto Tech Bridge (PTB)’s Prize Challenge Rodeo hosted by the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic. This “rodeo” provided NIWC Atlantic an opportunity to review, in a non-traditional format, suggestions and ideas from industry that can jumpstart innovation.

“This is our first time implementing the concept of a ‘rodeo’ at NIWC Atlantic — five prize challenges coordinated to occur simultaneously,” said Erik Gardner, PTB director. “As a Navy command, we are fostering both an ‘agile’ and learning organization. These prize challenges provide a good experience in iteratively improving our approach to technology scouting and how we engage with commercial industry and academia.” [NIWC Atlantic]

The first phase included over 250 submissions from individuals and organizations, including one from Bland and Associates in the category of CMMC Barrier Reduction Approach for Small Business and Academia.

The second phase was hosted in Charleston, SC and included an evaluation phase that involved an in-person presentation followed by a question-and-answer session from NIWC Atlantic. Scott Miller (CIO) and Justin Iske (Manager) presented our solution in Charleston, and we selected as one of four winners in the CMMC category.

NIWC Atlantic, formerly known as SPAWAR, provides systems engineering and acquisition to deliver information warfare capabilities to the naval, joint, and national warfighter through the acquisition, development, integration, production, test, deployment, and sustainment of interoperable command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, cyber and information technology capabilities.