The U.S. Army's Benét Laboratories is managing a $250,000 Department of Defense challenge to harness private sector innovation in advanced manufacturing and intelligence. The goal is to make defense manufacturing, such as at the Watervliet Arsenal, more efficient and competitive. The challenge will award $5,000 each to five winners in the first phase of concept development. A second phase will have winners develop their concepts into software applications, with a $100,000 grand prize. The challenge aims to develop tools using the MTConnect standard to enhance defense manufacturing capabilities and efficiency.