Coast Guard chooses SAS software for Deepwater project

SAS Institute Inc. won a Coast Guard contract to create a performance management system that will support the Coast Guard's biggest modernization effort ever, the Integrated Deepwater System Program, officials of the Cary, N.C., company announced today.

IDS is a $17 billion program to modernize and replace the Coast Guard's aging ships and aircraft, and improve command and control and logistics systems over at least 20 years. The Deepwater contract was awarded in 2002 to Integrated Coast Guard Systems, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp.

Using SAS Strategic Performance Management software, the Deepwater program will implement a Web-based performance management evaluation system that will gather, analyze, report and share program performance information across multiple channels. The Deepwater performance management system is expected to be complete within six months, according to SAS officials.

The Coast Guard did not disclose the value of the SAS contract.
The performance management system will assist in performance-based budget support, balanced scorecard measures, and award term and award-fee measures. It will also show program managers cause-and-effect relationships and provide acquisition executives with monthly reports.

When complete, the Deepwater system will include three classes of new cutters and their associated small boats, a new fixed-wing manned aircraft fleet, new and upgraded helicopters, and both cutter-based and land-based unmanned air vehicles. All of these assets will be linked with command, control, communications and computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems and supported by new, integrated logistics systems.

SAS provides business intelligence software and services to government and commercial clients. The private company has more than 9,000 employees and had revenue of $1.34 billion in 2003.