continue to have difficulty with communications in the Arctic region.

Transcription

1 How do you see the role & importance of satellite communications in the fulfillment of the CG mission? SATCOM has been critical to timely and reliable communications in the maritime environment. Its role is likely to continue to grow. Are there specific communication requirements that are currently not being met? We continue to have difficulty with communications in the Arctic region. Who, within the CG should industry talk to about satellite communications & new capabilities & technologies? CG-761 is the Coast Guard s Command, Control and Communications sponsor. What is holding up the decision process of determining acts of war response to cyberattacks? This is not a question the USCG can answer. National Policy or Defense Related issues should be addressed to other parts of the government. Working in an environment of limited resources, what are the CG s top programs regarding funding? Within the CG Intelligence enterprise Information Technology is our top (by dollars assigned) program, with 37.6% of our O&M dollars; Technical Intelligence is second with 22.4% of our O&M funds. What programs, if any, are being impacted due to funding constraints? Within the CG Intelligence enterprise, our overall management and support staffing has been cut significantly over the past few fiscal years. Can you please provide more information on what you mean by counterintelligence within the acquisition process? CI support to RDA programs focuses on protecting critical technologies, and critical components; those technologies and functions deemed critical to the operational viability of the RDA program. CI support is from cradle to grave; it educates RDA personnel about the threats and collection methodologies directed against RDA programs and the supply chain, as well as how to detect and respond to foreign collection activity. Private industry often has broad capabilities and the ability to quickly adapt to the needs of most customers. Can you provide 2-3 specific ways that private industry partners can expect to support the efforts of CG intelligence either through people with specific skills or IT platforms? Contractors with skill sets in emerging intelligence capabilities would be in the best position to benefit (Cyber, IT, others) How do you see the role & importance of satellite communications in the fulfillment of the CG mission? SATCOM has been critical to timely and reliable communications in the maritime environment. Its role is likely to continue to grow. Are there specific communication requirements that are currently not being met? We continue to have difficulty with communications in the Arctic region.

2 Who, within the CG should industry talk to about satellite communications & new capabilities & technologies? CG-761 is the Coast Guard s Command, Control and Communications sponsor. What is holding up the decision process of determining acts of war response to cyberattacks? This is not a question the USCG can answer. National Policy or Defense Related issues should be addressed to other parts of the government. Has there been any consideration given to making use of more flexible/agile contracts? For example, to support specific missions, award contracts for 3-6 months to support specific tasks instead of awarding contracts for the traditional base and multiple option years. CG-28 supports the idea of shorter-term or flexible contracts. We have done level-ofeffort contracts which request a certain number of work hours within a specified calendar period (usually a year). Our Acquisition folks have tended to award annual contracts with option years simply to standardize things and make them more repeatable. Does the CG maintain a network infrastructure evaluation and test organization to validate systems capabilities before deployment? Since most systems utilized by CG are existing Navy or DoD Program of Record systems independent testing by CG isn t necessary. However, for new and unique systems CG does have the capability. Who is responsible for evaluation of firewalls, IPS/IDS? Is this a part of network infrastructure or a separate IA group? CG engineering staff would initially be responsible for network components, although validation is conducted by a separate IA organization. When will the CG undertake tech refresh on both afloat & ashore IT systems? It really depends on the system. Can CG use other DHS task orders or contracts & transfer funds to these task orders? The CG can and does use task orders on DHS contracts. We also often transfer funds to the Office of Selective Acquisitions for use on sensitive contracts. With the CG being the backside for homeland security in the maritime, will the OPC have the C4ISR to be able to work seamlessly in support of USN? The OPC will typically conduct its primary missions in the Coast Guard deepwater environment, beyond 12 nautical miles from shore, and will be deployed anywhere around the globe where the national interests require the Coast Guard s unique blend of authorities and capabilities. It will include a sophisticated C4ISR suite of sensors, displays, and communications equipment and will be equipped with combat weapons systems scaled to the expected threat environments. To maximize efficiency, the OPC will be interoperable with the USN and have the ability to exchange voice, data and video with DoD, DHS components, international partners, commercial and private vessels or aircraft.

3 You mention that workforce within the CIO organization requires more professional personnel; both enlisted & officers this also appears to be the case with the new assets (aircraft & NSCs) when will the personnel system catch up with policies such as assignments and pro-pay? The personnel system is working well; it is the resourcing system that is playing catch up. We have brought on capabilities and acquisitions without adequately resourcing them due to reduced budget. CG-DoD Industry technology sharing Can we do better so we don t pay more than once with a limited budget? For example, Navy systems may be overkill for CG application, can we do systems scalable to fit multiple services. Can CG define requirements more effectively? Yes, absolutely. There is always room for improvement when it comes to defining requirements & technology sharing. We have been working closely with N2N6 on this very issue specific to cryptologic systems. The current environment is ripe across C4ISR for finding cost-efficient ways to address various requirements via scalable systems. RDT&E funding streams across government, likewise, increasingly requires joint capability/meeting joint requirements in the earliest stages of the funding request process to gain any traction for support. Is the intel IT budget separate from the CG Non-intel budget? How much funding does the CG get from ODNI for your intel IT budget? Coast Guard Intelligence receives funding from both the IC and as part of its regular DHS appropriation. IT purchases are made with both sources of funds. The exact amounts of the IC funding as classified. IT program purchases consume 37.6% of our available O&M funds. Working in an environment of limited resources, what are the CG s top programs regarding funding? Within the CG Intelligence enterprise Information Technology is our top (by dollars assigned) program, with 37.6% of our O&M dollars; Technical Intelligence is second with 22.4% of our O&M funds. What programs, if any, are being impacted due to funding constraints? Within the CG Intelligence enterprise, our overall management and support staffing has been cut significantly over the past few fiscal years. Can you please provide more information on what you mean by counterintelligence within the acquisition process? CI support to RDA programs focuses on protecting critical technologies, and critical components; those technologies and functions deemed critical to the operational viability of the RDA program. CI support is from cradle to grave; it educates RDA personnel about the threats and collection methodologies

4 directed against RDA programs and the supply chain, as well as how to detect and respond to foreign collection activity. Will the CG follow the USN Information Dominance Corps model, i.e. integrating N2&N6 by integrating CG-2 & CG-6? At the Headquarters staff level, the Coast Guard will not be integrating our CG2 and CG6 staff. However, to support computer network defense, Protection of the Maritime Critical Infrastructure and Providing a Decision Advantage in Maritime Operations with Cyber Capabilities, moving operational function of CG-2 and CG-6 that currently occur in the policy and engineering staffs and placing them under a unified command at the operational layer of mission is being reviewed and expected to occur. C4ISR as capital program: USCYBERCOM (General Alexander) previously convinced the Joint Chiefs of Staff that transitioning existing C4ISR systems to Cloud- Computing architecture (JIE) will save some long term DoD funding while increasing cybersecurity posture. Will DHS & by extension the CG transition C4ISR systems to a similar cloud computing architecture? DHS is currently moving to Technology As A Service cloud architecture. For example Workplace As A Service, Share point As A Service, etc. The USCG is a military organization that is fully tied to the.mil networks. Additionally, in our operating environment, we rely on DOD sensors, information systems and training systems at all classification levels to provide our Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) needs in the Maritime. As such, we will be moving with DOD to the JIE Architecture. However, as a DHS component, there are likely elements of the As A Service solutions that the Coast Guard may use to ensure our reporting and information sharing with our department is firmly in place. How important is encryption for CG s cyber security? Encryption of our communication within our.mil network and when transiting between Other Government agencies at the Federal, State, Local, Territorial and Tribal levels is critical to Operational Security. Establishing a robust encryption capability, which minimizes our workforce remembering to encrypt data transmitted to other government entities, will significantly reduce our Privacy and Operational Security Information Spills. What is the CG doing to ensure the networks on its cutters are cyber secured- from both internal & external threats? The Coast Guard's Information Assurance programs for shipboard systems are certified and accredited using the same process as our shore side equipment. CG-65 is responsible for Unclassified and GENSER Classified, while CG-26 is responsible for SCI systems. Performing security updates to our electronics and computer systems on our cutters are the responsibility of our Base C4IT Divisions. They work with CGCYBER and the respective systems Product Line Manager within the C4ITSC and the Intelligence Coordination Center to ensure software updates/patches that can be deployed from a central site are correctly loaded and audit logs of those systems

5 are reviewed for threats. When central deployments cannot be performed, the Base C4IT Division coordinates the local installation. Shipboard systems that are on the network are monitored by our CGCYBER Security Operations Center (CSOC). When a security alert is triggered our Information Systems Security Officers at the Base C4IT Divisions coordinate with ship personnel to contain and when necessary eradicate the threat. What role can/should SIGINT play in Cyber? SIGINT provides a vital window for our nation into foreign adversaries' capabilities, actions, and intentions. This includes the ability to see the cyber battle space and gain insights into the opponent s use of cyber to inform cyber operations. It is precisely what led the joint world to align US Cyber Command with the SIGINT situational awareness and knowledge of the battlespace of NSA. How does the CG define Cyber? Where does the CG draw the boundaries of intersection between cyber & operations & cyber & policy? The Coast Guard is currently drafting these definitions for our CG Cyber Strategy and internal alignment of resources as discussed in question #20 above. What is the most significant challenge facing USCG Cyber Command in working with US Cyber Command & DHS NPPD Cyber Office? The Coast Guard must establish a single Cyber Watch Center that provide cyber situational awareness for the Maritime Domain. This means that all Computer Network Defense, Maritime Critical Infrastructure and Decision Advantage cyber activities across the electromagnetic spectrum must go through this center so that DHS NCCIC and DOD s USCYBERCOM watch centers. It seems as though most of the CG representation today is from the operational or HQ policy side of the CG. Could you please discuss the portals available to industry to engage with your acquisition directorate? Do they handle acquisition for CG SIGINT/Intel Programs? Certainly, we hear loud & clear that you d like more Acquisition (CG-9) representation at the next CG Intelligence Industry Day and we will work to get them involved. Regarding acquisitions of SIGINT equipment; the answer is it depends. Equipment that is part of the National Security Cutter was part of the construction contract, so CG-9 had a hand in acquiring that. Follow-on support and maintenance for that equipment may go through CG-9, or if the Statement of Work is sensitive, we may work through the DHS Office of Selective Acquisitions. What is holding up the United States from joining the international Arctic consortium group? Without more information, we are unfortunately unable to answer this question.

6 After extensive research and coordination, neither the Coast Guard (DCO-X and other offices with whom we work) nor our interagency partners has heard of the international Arctic consortium group or any other organization with a similar name. If the person posing this question could provide more details as to the actual name of this consortium or group, we could provide a more comprehensive answer. Of course, the primary international body dealing with the Arctic is the Arctic Council, consisting of the eight Arctic nations, various indigenous groups, non-governmental organizations, and an increasing number of permanent observer States. The United States has been a key member since the Ottawa Declaration in The United States has not joined the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the governing principles for world's ocean and coastal waters, including the Arctic maritime regime. However, since President Reagan's ocean policy statement of March 1983, the United States has committed itself to following the non-seabed mining provisions of the Convention. Moreover, the United States signed the Ilulissat Declaration in May 2008, along with the four other States bordering the Arctic Ocean: Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, and the Russian Federation. Among other things, that Declaration recognizes that "the law of the sea provides for important rights and obligations concerning the delineation of the outer limits of the continental shelf, the protection of the marine environment, including ice-covered areas, freedom of navigation, marine scientific research, and other uses of the sea. We remain committed to this legal framework and to the orderly settlement of any possible overlapping claims." The United States is also committed to the development of an Arctic Coast Guard Forum, mandatory rules to promote safe maritime activities in the Arctic under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization, and bilateral and multilateral agreements governing search and rescue, oil spill prevention and response, safety of vessels and aircraft operating in the Arctic, environmental protection, maritime boundary delimitation, marine scientific research, food security and cultural protection for the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, sustainable development, and other topics. Please describe the CG s approach to engaging small business, including its SB goals, progress toward meeting these goals and use of small business set asides. The Coast Guard realizes that small businesses are a vital part of our national strength. We are proud of our record for awarding Coast Guard contracts to small businesses and our record for meeting or exceeding annual socioeconomic goals. In 2013, the Coast Guard awarded nearly 34% of its procurement dollars to small businesses and exceeded agency goals for awards to Small Business, Small Disadvantaged Business, (8a) Small Disadvantaged Business, HUBZone contracts, and Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business. The Coast Guard awards contracts via Small Business Set-asides when market research indicates that the market meets the "rule of two" and via other competitive and limited

7 competition processes. The Coast Guard announces upcoming opportunities via the Acquisition Planning Forecast System. Each of the Coast Guard's six acquisition centers has a Small Business Specialist charged with engaging small businesses for market research, facilitating their participation in appropriate procurements, and answering procedural questions to enhance understanding of the procurement process. Moreover, the Coast Guard has a Small Business Specialist/Industry Liaison who oversees the Coast Guard's small business program. The Coast Guard s Head of the Contracting Activity closely monitors progress against annual small business and other socioeconomic goals and is a strong advocate of the small business program. For additional information about Coast Guard small business programs and points of contact, please visit the following website: CG becoming a model acquisition community is the CG establishing a civilian professional acquisition community commensurate with the USN civilian professional acquisition community, i.e. DAWIA certification? Yes, the U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) Acquisition Directorate s Human Capital Strategic Plan (HCSP) maps out a vision and direction for maintaining and continually developing a world-class acquisition workforce. The HCSP outlines current challenges, details strategies for addressing those challenges, and identifies specific courses of action to ensure that we have skilled and certified professionals available to perform the USCG s acquisition functions now and in the future. Both the USCG and Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act (DAWIA) acquisition workforce share a community of practice and many similar characteristics. The USCG acquisition certification process is structured in alignment with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and closely mirrors DAWIA. Both DHS and DAWIA use certifications to determine that an employee meets the education, training, and experience standards required for a particular career field. USCG personnel can obtain certification in the following acquisition career fields through DHS: Contracting, Cost Estimating, Life Cycle Logistics, Program Financial Management, Program Manager, Systems Engineering, and Test and Evaluation. The Coast Guard uses DAWIA requirements for those career fields where no DHS certification exists: Facilities Engineering, Information Technology, Production, Quality and Manufacturing, and Requirements Management. Both DHS and DAWIA have a three tier competency level certification system (entry level I, mid level II, and senior level III) with requirements that have many common characteristics:

8 Training: To satisfy competencies through training, there are requisite hours and subjects that must be included in the curriculum. Some DHS and all Coast Guard certification training requirements can be met through the completion of Defense Acquisition University (DAU) courses. DAU courses, when specific DHS courses are not available, provide a common training resource. Experience: In general, the entry level requires a minimum of one year of relevant experience. The mid level and senior level certifications require two and four years of experience, respectively. Fulfillment: A common process of using experience, education, professional certification, or training to satisfy competency requirements. To accomplish the eye to eye contact you would like, what can industry and CG ops do to navigate the turbulent waters of the federal contracting offices? Quality Industry Engagement is a priority for the DHS Chief Procurement Officer and for the Coast Guard Head of Contracting Activity. The Coast Guard is proactively leaning forward to improve "eye to eye" contact to improve market research, refine requirements, and enhance competition, while maintaining a level playing field during procurements. Coast Guard customers should engage their cognizant contracting staff early to maximize the opportunities for industry engagement. In addition to standard vehicles, such as Requests for Information (RFI), contracting officers can organize capability presentations, one-onone meetings, and other meaningful, mutually productive sessions. The Coast Guard is planning multiple Industry Days across the contracting enterprise in the coming months; industry partners should actively participate in such events. Early planning and adherence to a few basic rules permits all parties to navigate the waters...it need not be turbulent! Please address your acquisition capabilities & trends. Basically, describe how you buy. Under the leadership of the Head of the Contracting Activity, Coast Guard procurements are executed by six Chiefs of Contracting and over 500 civilian and military members. Coast Guard acquisition professionals are certified, highly trained and motivated to maximize taxpayer value. The portfolio of supplies, services and major systems the Coast Guard acquires is broad, and it requires creativity and flexibility. The Coast Guard utilizes a broad array of procurement types, from purchase cards to formal source selection, to meet its operational needs and to support component and Departmental goals for competition, socioeconomic programs and other targets. In 2013, the Coast Guard obligated nearly 57 percent of its award dollars competitively and nearly 34 percent of its dollars to Small Businesses, while exceeding targets for awards to Small Disadvantaged Businesses, HUBZone awards and Service Disabled

9 Veteran Owned Small Businesses. The Coast Guard will continue to recapitalize its fleet and meet operational requirements via competitive procurements to the maximum extent practicable. The Coast Guard will also continue to focus on improved industry engagement and quality procurement planning via the Acquisition Planning Forecast System. Additionally, the Coast Guard will continue to provide timely feedback on contractor performance and utilize such information when conducting source selections to ensure that precious procurement funds are awarded to high performing companies.