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DoN Releases Service Specifications for Next Generation Enterprise Network

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS081211-36
Release Date: 12/11/2008 9:51:00 PM

By Ed Riley, Next Generation Enterprise Network System Program Office

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The assistant chief of naval operations (ACNO) for the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) released the Draft NGEN Block I, Increment 1 Service Specification document Dec. 4.

This release is the most recent Department of Navy (DoN) industry interaction and builds on information previously provided during the NGEN Industry Day earlier this year.

The draft document represents the DoN's first articulation of an approach to implementing the NGEN environment. The document provides service specifications for the initial occurrence of NGEN – which is Block 1 – in addition to the framework for how those services will be provisioned, managed and supported. The document is available by searching for "NGEN" on www.fbo.gov Web site.

The DoN believes the specifications will establish a framework for the transition of services from the Navy Marine Corps (NMCI) to NGEN; specify performance measures for the delivery and provision of services; and define and allocate Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) functions that will facilitate the increased DoN operational and design control desired in NGEN.

"This document deconstructs the Department of the Navy's NGEN requirements into an industry-defined open standard service delivery model. It identifies the processes and sub-processes for IT service strategy, service design, service transition, service operations and continuous service improvement using the ITIL framework," said Rear Adm. Dave Simpson, interim ACNO NGEN. "We would like to receive comment from interested industry partners on our representation of the process definitions as well as their associated interfaces.

"This draft does not constitute a commitment by the government to acquire NGEN exactly as outlined in the document but will help us develop RFPs that are equally relevant to government and industry. The acquisition approach, specified services and allocation of ITIL functions are all still in development, and we'll adjust design specifications in the document based on input from industry," the admiral said.

Simpson also outlined DoN's ramp-up for NGEN governance.

"Rear Adm. Bill Goodwin has been named ACNO NGEN and will arrive in January to fill the two-star director billet. ACNO NGEN will solidify DoN's top-level governance for NGEN, bringing together the authorities for resource, requirements, policy, acquisition and operations into a single office. ACNO NGEN will be the sponsor responsible for delivery of USN and USMC enterprise network capabilities."

Simpson will continue to support NGEN, leading the Navy's NGEN resource and requirements efforts from his position as director of Navy networks on the OPNAV N6 staff.

The DoN is seeking feedback and comments from industry partners on the draft service specifications by Jan. 9. The next industry day is planned for the last week of January. The exact date, location and time will be released later.

"Industry feedback will help the DoN to further define the approach, while also revealing industry's capacity to provide the desired services and support in execution," said Capt. Timothy Holland, the NGEN program manager.

The Navy and Marine Corps service chiefs approved the requirements for the NGEN program in April. This document is an interpretation of those requirements that NGEN stakeholders will approve in near-term DoN decision review. Industry should view the document as a demand signal for resources and expertise required to operate and support the DoN's primary enterprise network. Industry feedback will be valuable at this stage in order to validate the proposed service delivery model prior to the DoN's release of a formal request for proposal. The next step for NGEN will be to turn the specifications into a statement of work and request for proposal(s).

The government anticipates a phased transition from the current NMCI service provider to one or more NGEN service providers. Timing and sequencing of the transition will be executed in a manner that will minimize transition risk and maximize overall efficiency. An overarching goal of the DoN is to ensure a seamless transition from NMCI to NGEN.

NGEN is the DoN's first step in building an integrated naval network that provides information transport services and applications to the Navy, Marine Corps and civilian personnel. NGEN will be the follow-on to the NMCI when the current contract ends on Sept. 30, 2010.

At its inception in 2000, NMCI was a revolutionary approach for obtaining voice, video and data communications and computing capabilities within the DoN. NMCI provides the DoN a mature IT infrastructure for stable, secure information transfer. NMCI is the largest corporate intranet in the world.

Building on the foundation of NMCI, NGEN will provide secure, net-centric data and services and, at its first phase, will represent the foundation for the DoN's future naval network environment (NNE). The NNE will be interoperable with and leverage other Department of Defense-provided net-centric enterprise services.

The NNE will connect and transform existing DoN enterprise and legacy networks, afloat and ashore, into a secure, reliable and globally-integrated net-centric computing and communications system.