Request for Information: United States Coast Guard Core Navigation Software
Sources Sought from the US Coast Guard, for work in Portsmouth, Virginia. Due Oct 23, 2026, 5:00 PM (UTC-4), 5 days left.
| Solicitation number | 70Z04427IOTI32721 |
|---|---|
| Agency | US Coast Guard |
| Office | C5I Contract Operations Division 3 (CG-C5I-C3) Portsmouth |
| Notice type | Sources Sought |
| Set-aside | None |
| Trade (NAICS) | Software Publishers (513210) |
| Place of performance | Portsmouth, Virginia |
| Posted | Sep 23, 2026 |
| Response deadline | Oct 23, 2026, 5:00 PM (UTC-4) (5 days left) |
Official notice and attachments
Description
Description & Purpose of Request 1.1 Objective The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is conducting market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 to identify commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) and Non-Developmental Item (NDI) core maritime navigation software solutions that have the capability of being enhanced to meet USCG requirements (e.g. EAIS IDD).
The primary objective is to survey industry capabilities to inform the prospective modernization and eventual replacement of the legacy USCG “Vega” navigation software suite (currently derived from commercial core navigation architectures) across the cutter and boat fleet. 1.2 Purpose & Scope of Market Inquiry The Coast Guard seeks insight into the current commercial and naval navigation software, including cutting-edge display engines, autonomous voyage planning, sensor fusion, resilient Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT), and modern software architectures (e.g., modular open systems, containerized microservices, cross-platform runtimes).
The Government intends to assess software suites that can match or exceed the complete operational baseline of current USCG E-NAV capabilities while remaining flexible, open, and capable of integrating seamlessly into existing USCG shipboard hardware configurations without requiring complete bridge refits. 1.3 Disclaimer This is a Request for Information (RFI) and is issued solely for informational, market research, and planning purposes.
This is not a Request for Proposals or a Request for Quotations, and it is not considered to be a commitment by the Government to award a contract/order nor is the Government responsible for any costs incurred in furnishing information provided under this RFI. No basis for claim against the Government shall arise as a result of a response to this RFI or Government use of any information provided.
Further, the Government is not seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals at this time. No classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response to this RFI. Proprietary information must be clearly marked if included.
The Government reserves the right to use any information provided by respondents for any purpose deemed necessary and legally appropriate, including using technical information provided by respondents in any resultant solicitation. Responses will assist the Government in determining the availability of potential solutions and commercial products in the market. At this time, no solicitation exists; therefore, please do not request a copy of the solicitation.
The information and requirements in this RFI, and any attachments, is subject to change at the sole discretion of the Government. 2. Operational Environment & Hardware Baseline Constraints To ensure candidate software solutions can integrate into active cutter classes without widespread structural or electrical bridge overhauls, respondents must demonstrate compatibility with the following operational constraints: 2.1 Installed Hardware Baseline (E-NAV) The USCG fleet operates on a variety of IEC 60945 compliant hardware baselines consisting of: rack mounted industrial computers, rack mounted servers, ruggedized small factor computers, marine-grade All-in-One (AIO) Computer/Displays, system displays ranging from 15-19 inches, KVM matrix, ruggedized mouse and keyboard.
2.2 Operating System (OS) Gatekeeper Requirements Software architecture must natively support modern enterprise operating system standards: Microsoft Windows 11 Enterprise (including Long-Term Servicing Channel [LTSC] builds). Enterprise Linux Distributions (e.g., Latest version of Red Hat Enterprise Linux [RHEL]). Vendors must state whether their software executes natively on Windows 11, Linux, or maintains a dual-OS cross-platform compiled codebase.
2.3 System Availability and Deterministic State Recovery Deterministic State Recovery: In the event of ungraceful bridge power interruption or system reset, the software must reboot and restore its previous operational state, active route, safety parameters, and sensor assignments without manual database rebuilding. 3. Core Functional Capability Matrix See Attachment.
3.1 Sensor Ingestion & Data Distribution Protocol Support: Native ingestion, parsing, translation, and broadcast of NMEA 0183, NMEA 2000 (IEC 61162-3), NMEA OneNet, and Lightweight Ethernet (LWE)(IEC 61162-450) protocols. Sensor Interfacing: Interfacing with gyrocompasses, Doppler velocity logs (DVL), magnetic compasses, wind sensors, depth sounders, GPS/DGPS/Galileo receivers, Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and radar targets (ARPA).
Integrity & Checksum: Cryptographic and checksum integrity verification for all data streams; automated detection and notification of malformed or invalid sentences. Decoupled Time Distribution: Network time distribution via UDP/TCP; ability to assign an authoritative UTC time source independent of the primary positioning source. 3.2 Data Recording, Playback, and Forensics Comprehensive Logging: Continuous background recording of ownship dynamics, sensor inputs, target tracking data, alert histories, and operator interactions.
Storage Flexibility: Ability to write logs and telemetry to internal storage, external mission media (USB/NAS), or enterprise shipboard repositories. Visual Playback: Integrated forensic playback mode providing time-synchronized replay of chart presentation, radar overlay, and sensor states for accident investigation and tactical debrief. 3.3 Chart Management & Next-Gen Hydrographic Standards Legacy Format Support: Seamless handling of S-57 ENC, S-63 encrypted charts, and DNC (Digital Nautical Chart) formats.
S-100 Transition Framework: Implementation roadmap and readiness for the IHO S-100 Universal Hydrographic Data Model, specifically: S-101 Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) S-102 High-Resolution Bathymetric Surfaces S-104 Water Level Information S-111 Surface Currents S-124 Na
The description continues in the official notice.
About the buyer
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