Point of Contact:
Colin Babb
Office of Naval Research
Corporate Communications Office
Phone: 703-696-4036
Fax: 703-696-5940
E-mail: Colin_Babb@onr.navy.mil

Arlington, Va.— Chief of Naval Research (CNR) Rear Admiral William E. Landay III, USN, has announced the $1 million "CNR Challenge" for innovative science and technology ideas brought to the Office of Naval Research during the 2006 Naval Science and Technology Partnership Conference.

"There are always a number of good ideas coming to ONR through the Open Innovation Marketplace," said Admiral Landay, "so I have allocated one million of our precious research dollars to more rapidly develop those ideas. One of the drawbacks in the Open Innovation Marketplace in the past was that we could not move out quickly on good ideas. Our budget process often causes a year or more delay before funds become available.

"If there are any good ideas that meet Navy or Marine Corps needs, we want to move very quickly to develop them. This should allow us to jumpstart ideas we receive through the Marketplace."

Presented by the National Defense Industrial Association with technical support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), the 2006 Naval Science and Technology Partnership Conference takes place July 31 through August 3 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. The conference will provide key insights into the Navy and Marine Corps drive to enable revolutionary naval operational concepts that meet the challenges of the 21st century through strategic investment in science and technology. Attendees from industry, academia, and government will be informed of the direction, emphasis, and scope of the Department of the Navy's investment in science and technology and how to conduct business activities with the Naval Research Enterprise.

The CNR Challenge is targeting $1 million for innovative ideas or technologies brought to ONR's attention through the Open Innovation Marketplace, which gives registered conference attendees the opportunity to schedule face-to-face meetings with personnel from ONR, other parts of the Naval Research Enterprise, industry, or academic institutions, to ask specific questions about naval science and technology, or to present new and innovative concepts and technologies. Marketplace participants must submit an abstract in advance. More information on the Marketplace and conference registration is available on the 2006 Naval Science and Technology Partnership Conference web site at http://www.ndia.org/meetings/6200.

"The CNR Challenge isn't a contest," said Admiral Landay. "It is a commitment by me, the Chief of Naval Research, to encourage any ideas that will provide the Navy and Marine Corps with the operational capabilities we´ll need in the Navy and Marine Corps after next".

The ideas selected under the CNR Challenge will be funded through the existing assistance or acquisition processes, the details of which will be provided to those presenting ideas through the Open Innovation Marketplace at the conference. The $1 million may be spent on one or more of the ideas selected for funding.