NAIS Acquisition Strategy
The Nationwide Automatic Identification System will be implemented in three increments, as follows:
- Increment 1 - Receive Only in Critical Ports and Coastal Areas
- Increment 2 - Coastal Transmit and Receive Nationwide
- Increment 3 - Long Range Receive Nationwide
Implementing NAIS in these three increments will help to address technical, logistical and budgetary risks that would be more difficult to manage in a single step approach. The Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will therefore demonstrate progress in complying with the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 more quickly than would otherwise be possible. In particular, the strategy for implementing Increment 1 will provide port security stakeholders with vessel tracking and maritime awareness capability for improved resource allocation decision making and enhanced port security two to four years sooner than would be possible if acquired under one contract action. The capability increments have been structured in consideration of DHS mission priorities, maturity of AIS technology, and engineering and support feasibility.
Increment 1 Acquisition
Increment 1 will provide the shore-based capability to receive AIS messages within the Nation’s most critical ports (~50) and coastal areas (~5) within the constraints of using available Government infrastructure, meeting cost and performance requirements, In addition, the data received from the Increment 1 AIS sites will be archived and displayed in the Coast Guard National Maritime Common Operating Picture (COP). Increment 1 Achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in December 2006. Learn more about IOC.
The U.S. Coast Guard NAIS Project Office has partnered with the Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Sea Logistics Center (NAVSEALOGCEN) and a number of Coast Guard Centers of Excellence, including the Operations Systems Center, Research and Development Center, Navigation Center, Command and Control Engineering Center, and Telecommunications and Information System Command to develop and implement the first increment of NAIS. This Government Team is using existing Coast Guard Research and Development Center prototype AIS projects to establish the Increment 1 system design and configuration and is overall responsible for the development, implementation, integration and testing of the Increment 1 system. The NAIS Project Office is leveraging existing contracts through the partnered commands to install and support the system capability. A contract was awarded by the NAIS Project Office to Shine Micro, Inc. of Port Ludlow, WA on 22 Sep 2006 for the supply of AIS receivers to be installed under NAIS Increment 1.
Increment 2 Solicitation
Increment 2 will expand both the shore-based capability and coverage of AIS deployed in the first increment and will use the results of Increment 1 to the extent practicable. Increment 2 includes the ability of the system to receive AIS messages out to 50 nm from the baseline and to transmit AIS messages to vessels out to 24 nm from the baseline, nationwide. Increment 2 will fully support the data requirements of all identified users of the system, including secure data handling, correlation, and distribution to multiple systems and entities. Access to all AIS functionality will be provided where required and the system will be capable of accommodating advances in AIS technology and changes to AIS standards. Channel management capability will be established. AIS data and functionality will be incorporated into other command and control systems.
Increment 2 is currently envisioned to be implemented by a System Integration Contractor to be selected through a competitive contract award based upon a determination of best value to the Government. Increment 2 may or may not make use of the equipment installed under Increment 1. However, the U.S. Coast Guard currently plans to make this equipment and information associated with the development and implementation of Increment 1 available to the Increment 2 Contractor.
To view, download and submit comments to the NAIS Project Office on the draft Increment 2 Solicitation Documents, please head to the NAIS I-2 RFP Development Website.
Increment 3 Planning
Increment 3 will extend the receive coverage beyond Increment 2, providing the ability to receive AIS messages from 50 nm to 2,000 nm from the baseline.
Increment 3 capability is envisioned to be provided by a combination of satellite communication services and Very High Frequency (VHF) services using offshore platforms and data buoys. Satellite communication services would provide coverage over the farthest reaches of the long range coverage area. Increment 3 is currently envisioned to be a separate procurement action(s) from Increments 1 and 2.
Market Research
The Nationwide Automatic Identification System (NAIS) Project Office has issued three (3) Requests for Information (RFI) to date. These RFIs are available for viewing by the dates they were published, as follows:
If you would like to provide any information associated with these RFIs or would like to be added to our mailing list to receive notification of future NAIS Solicitations, please send your company's point of contact information to the NAIS Project Office by either of the following methods:
- Telephone: 202-475-3149
- E-mail: NAIS@uscg.mil