Office of Coast Survey, Print-on-Demand Team Receives Department of Commerce Silver Medal For Scientific and Engineering Achievement
September 2003
Certificate Citation: For the development and implementation of Print on Demand and Electronic Commerce for NOAA nautical charts.
Program Booklet Citation: Messrs. Smith, Loeper, Fefe, and Ms. Gray are recognized for the development and implementation of Print on Demand and Electronic Commerce for NOAA nautical charts. The team’s exceptional accomplishment radically advanced the state of the art in nautical chart production. It advanced the ability of the nautical chart to quickly and accurately transmit critical navigation data to mariners. Their success also advanced the ability to leverage government technology and expertise with the private sector’s investment and expertise to provide a world-leading product.
Background: Nautical charts are the fundamental tool of marine navigation. Hundreds of critical chart changes occurring each week need to be applied, charts manufactured, and then efficiently and quickly distributed by chart retailers to mariners. The Print-on-Demand Updated Nautical Chart project is one-of-a-kind amongst hydrographic offices of the nations of the world. It provides to the mariner absolutely up-to-date information critical to safe navigation. It uses large format plotters, digital asset management, and electronic commerce to make nautical charts from digital files continuously maintained by the Office of Coast Survey. Charts are only printed when ordered using the up-to-date files. The technology enables customization of each chart to specific mariner, vessel, ship company, or industry needs
Office of Coast Survey Receives 2003 FLC Award for
Excellence in Technology Transfer
The Federal Laboratory Consortium selected the Coast Survey Print-on-Demand Team for their work on Electronic Commerce and Print-on-Demand for Nautical Charts for the 2003 Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer. The award recognizes laboratory employees who have accomplished outstanding work in the process of transferring a technology developed by a federal laboratory to the commercial marketplace.
The Coast Survey was commended for its leadership role in the development of large format, full color, variable data, and on-demand printing technology and then transferring that technology for commercialization by means of a CRADA. This year only 22 awards were given by the distinguished panel of technology transfer experts from industry, state and local government, academia, and the federal laboratory system.
The Office of Coast Survey would like to acknowledge its partners in this work. Software Performance Systems, Inc., of Arlington, VA, does the sophisticated E-Commerce software development. OceanGrafix, L.L.C., of St. Paul, MN, is the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement partner for the cutting edge, Print-on-Demand technology. Nautical charts are the fundamental tool of marine navigation. Hundreds of critical chart changes occurring each week need to be applied, charts manufactured, and then efficiently and quickly distributed by chart retailers to mariners. These Office of Coast Survey updated charts are offered to the mariner under the Charts-on-Demand OceanGrafix brand name.
Unique amongst the world's hydrographic offices, these charts provide the mariner the absolutely up-to-date information critical to safe navigation. The Office of Coast Survey uses a rules-driven, flexible manufacturing system triggered by an electronic commerce front end. The system identifies image elements and assembles them for printing on large format plotters. Digital asset management tools assist the Office of Coast Survey with continuous maintenance of the nautical chart files. Charts are only printed when ordered using the up-to-date files. The technology also enables customization of each chart to specific mariner, vessel, ship company, or industry needs.
Motor Boating Magazine Editor's Choice Award for 2003
Award write-up is third article entitled: "Charts on Demand"
2002 Excellence.Gov Award
The Federal CIO Council for Excellence in Government honored the Office of Coast Survey, NOS, NOAA, with the Excellence.Gov award for its visionary and unique NauticalCharts.gov electronic commerce site and Print-on-Demand Updated Nautical Charts project. The Council made only five Excellence.Gov awards government-wide at the January 31, 2001, Electronic Procurement Conference, Tysons Corner, VA. NauticalCharts.gov is one of the Federal Government's 1320 significant electronic commerce sites of which more than 200 were nominated for this award. The Council for Excellence in Government is a non-profit organization of major private companies formed 15 years ago to recognize innovation in government.
NauticalCharts.gov's electronic commerce site was further recognized through funding by the Information Technology Innovation Fund. NauticalCharts.gov not only captures orders and manages a flexible subscription service, but defines all production parameters from which customized print-on-demand nautical charts are manufactured on-the-fly. In addition, it is designed to push to the mariner electronic information, such as real-time water levels, status of the port, Department of Agriculture quarantine and inspection protocols, and U.S. Customs and Immigration information. In fact, NauticalCharts.gov was designed to be a one stop government information service to the mariner.
Nautical charts are the fundamental tool of marine navigation. Hundreds of critical chart changes occuring each week need to be applied, charts manufactured, and then efficiently and quickly distributed by chart retailers to mariners.
The Print-on-Demand Updated Nautical Charts project is one-of-a-kind amongst hydrographic offices of the nations of the world. It provides to the mariner absolutely up-to-date information critical to safe navigation. It uses large format plotters, digital asset management, and electronic commerce to make nautical charts from digital files continuously maintained by the Office of Coast Survey. Charts are only printed when ordered using the up-to-date files. The technology enables customization of each chart to specfic mariner, vessel, ship company, or industry needs.
Coast Survey has two strong private partners contributing to this success. Software Performance Systems, Inc., Arlington, VA, works under contract to develop the electronic commerce capability. OceanGrafix, L.L.C., St. Paul, MN, working under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, provides the print-on-demand research, development, and manufacturing capability
E-Gov 2001 Pioneer Award
The Government Solutions Center Selection Committee, in recognition of innovative electronic government applications that are transforming government service, bestowed the E-Gov 2001 Pioneer Award on the Office of Coast Survey's E-Commerce / Print-on-Demand Updated Nautical Chart project. As part of this recognition, the Committee invited Coast Survey to participate in the E-Gov 2001 Exposition and to deliver a Best Practice Briefing. The Committee is quoted as saying, "This is an excellent opportunity for your organization, a leader in Electronic Government implementation, to demonstrate the significant impact your agency's efforts have made on how the Government does business in the Information Age."
This is another endorsement that the Office of Coast Survey is attacking meaningful problems and applying "best practices" to successfully execute its mission.
The Office of Coast Survey would like to acknowledge its partners in this work. OceanGrafix, L.L.C., of St. Paul, MN, is our Cooperative Research and Development Agreement partner for the cutting edge, Print-on-Demand technology. Software Performance Systems, Inc., of Arlington, VA, has been doing the sophisticated E-Commerce software development. The contract with SPS was funded by the Information Technology Innovation Fund.
Nautical charts are the fundamental tool of marine navigation. Hundreds of critical chart changes occurring each week need to be applied, charts manufactured, and then efficiently and quickly distributed by chart retailers to mariners.
The Print-on-Demand Updated Nautical Chart project is one-of-a-kind amongst hydrographic offices of the nations of the world. It provides to the mariner absolutely up-to-date information critical to safe navigation. It uses large format plotters, digital asset management, and electronic commerce to make nautical charts from digital files continuously maintained by the Office of Coast Survey. Charts are only printed when ordered using the up-to-date files. The technology enables customization of each chart to specific mariner, vessel, ship company, or industry needs.
Grace Hopper Government Technology Leadership Award
Government Executive Magazine and the Federal Technology Service presented the 2001 Government Technology Leadership Award to the Electronic Commerce and Print-on-Demand for Nautical Charts Project. The award announcement said that the Project nomination, "was considered to be outstanding by a distinguished panel of government experts in the area of federal technology advancement." The announcement went on to say that an unprecedented 266 nominations were submitted this year while only eleven were chosen to receive an award. The ceremony with reception, held December 4th in the ballroom of the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Washington, D.C., was attended by several hundred representatives of industry and federal, state and local governments. The ceremony and reception were sponsored by CDW Government, Inc., Compaq Federal LLC., GovWorks Federal Acquisition Center, Information Builders, Inc., Northrop Grumman Corporation, and PeopleSoft, Inc.
Nautical charts are the fundamental tool of marine navigation. Hundreds of critical chart changes occurring each week need to be applied, charts manufactured, and then efficiently and quickly distributed by chart retailers to mariners.
The Print-on-Demand Updated Nautical Chart project is one-of-a-kind amongst hydrographic offices of the nations of the world. It provides to the mariner absolutely up-to-date information critical to safe navigation. It uses large format plotters, digital asset management, and electronic commerce to make nautical charts from digital files continuously maintained by the Office of Coast Survey. Charts are only printed when ordered using the up-to-date files. The technology enables customization of each chart to specific mariner, vessel, ship company, or industry needs.
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