Oceans In Action (OIA) 2022 is an in-person event highlighting marine science and technology research efforts taking place in the Gulf of Mexico. Co-hosted by Mississippi Enterprise for Technology (MSET), the event will take place March 7-10, 2022, at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi. The Port Security Summit will take place in tandem with OIA and will examine emerging technology within port security and logistics at the Port of Gulfport, one of the 17 strategic seaports in the nation.
Registrants to the Oceans in Action/Port Security Summit are able to request business-to-business and business-to-government meetings with our attending “anchors.” These anchors are businesses and government entities who are interested in technology procurement with small businesses in the Mississippi coastal region.
About the Meetings
Anchor meetings will take place between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00p.m. on March 9, 2022, at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center. Meetings with anchors are 15 minutes in length. During this time, you will be able to briefly introduce your company capabilities to the anchor.
Register for the Conference
In order to participate in the B2B/B2G anchor meetings, you must register for the Oceans in Action/Port Security Summit. Click here to register.
Members of MSET’s Affiliate Program receive a $100 discount to register for OIA. Our Affiliates may also take advantage of strategic consultation with MSET to prepare your business for the meetings. Contact us about joining MSET.
Schedule Your Meetings
After you register, send the list of which anchors you would like to meet with to MSET’s Laurie Jugan. Meetings will be scheduled as sequentially as possible on a first-come, first-served basis. Be aware that there may be breaks in between meetings for your company, as we try to fit in as many requests as possible.
Meet the OIA Anchors
Below are the anchors attending the event, as well as some information on their priorities.
ERDCWerx
About ERDCWerx
ERDCWerx identifies new partnerships for innovation and commercialization with the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in military engineering, environmental quality and inspections, civil works and water resources, geospatial research and engineering, and engineered resilient systems.
Anchor Needs
Individuals, startups, small businesses, large enterprises, academics, and research labs are invited to submit solutions to specific tech challenges and other project opportunities launched by ERDCWERX in collaboration with ERDC.
General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT)
About GDIT
General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) is a business unit of global aerospace and defense company General Dynamics. GDIT provides a comprehensive range of professional and technical services for government, defense, and intelligence projects.
GDIT Needs
GDIT is looking for small business partners with expertise in:
- software and systems engineering
- geospatial information systems (GIS)
- data and system architectures
- numerical weather prediction and oceanographic modeling
- oceanographic and meteorological sciences
- cybersecurity/information assurance
NavalX Gulf Coast Tech Bridge
About the Anchor
The NavalX Gulf Coast Tech Bridge focuses on the outreach to entrepreneurs, innovators, universities, and private companies to identify hi-tech solutions that may support Navy missions. Seeking those not already involved in federal contracting or working with technologies that are stalled or yet to be discovered, the Tech Bridge serves as a conduit to Navy programs and funding.
Anchor Needs
NavalX is looking to connect with companies that have expertise in their four pillars:
- AI/machine learning
- unmanned systems
- geospatial data science
- sensing and prediction
Ingalls Shipbuilding
About Ingalls
Ingalls, located in Pascagoula, is the largest supplier of U.S. Navy surface combatants, and has built nearly 70 percent of the U.S. Navy fleet of warships.
Anchor Needs
Ingalls Shipbuilding is dedicated to building solid partnerships with suppliers that offer innovative approaches to obtain the highest quality products, improved cost control, and delivery as committed.
Leidos
About Leidos
Leidos is an American defense, aviation, information technology, and biomedical research company that provides scientific, engineering, systems integration, and technical services.
The Defense & Intelligence Division focuses on providing air service systems, geospatial analysis, cybersecurity, intelligence analysis, and supporting operations efforts.
Anchor Needs
Leidos is looking for:
- novel ocean sensors
- optical systems for unmanned surface vessels (USVs)
- small businesses with advanced, high technology readiness level (TRL) systems and products to support DoD
NASA – Stennis Space Center
About the Anchor
Stennis Space Center (SSC) is NASA’s largest rocket engine test facility. Stennis is a unique federal city that is home to federal and state agencies, academic and private organizations, and numerous technology-based companies.
Federal agencies include:
Department of Defense
- Commander, Naval Meteorology & Oceanography Command
- Naval Oceanographic Office
- Naval Research Laboratory
- Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School
- Navy Special Boat Team 22
- Navy Human Resources Service Center Southeast
Department of Commerce
- NOAA, NWS, National Data Buoy Center
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
- NOAA National Coastal Data Development Center
Environmental Protection Agency
- Environmental Chemistry Laboratory
- Gulf of Mexico Program
Department of Interior
- U.S. Geological Survey, Hydrologic Instrumentation Facility
Anchor Needs
NASA is seeking hi-tech companies that complement the missions of the federal agencies operating at Stennis Space Center. This includes technologies that developed for the Blue Economy that are relevant to the Aerospace Industry.
A growing area of interest is autonomous systems, which provide self‐operating and maintaining capabilities, reducing the burden of conducting operations.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
About NOAA
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in climate, weather, ocean, and coasts, to share that knowledge and information with others, and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources.
Opportunities with NOAA
NOAA is looking for small companies that might participate in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) opportunities and will provide information about NOAA’s SBIR program to grow awareness of topics and highlight the potential focus areas for their next round of SBIR awards.
NOAA is also looking for research partnerships, including the use of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) as a way to partner with NOAA on research projects and their key research initiatives moving forward.
On the Gulf Coast, NOAA is interested in partnerships on
- uncrewed maritime systems
- fisheries management (including habitat)
- weather prediction
- blue technology innovations
Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (New Orleans)
About NIWC
NIWC develops and delivers C4ISR capabilities that expand information warfare advantage, including:
- communication systems (radios)
- networking systems (routers/switches)
- cyber operations (red team/forensics/network defense)
- intelligence
- surveillance
- reconnaissance (sensors/decision support applications)
- business systems (benefits/personnel)
- information security
Anchor Needs
NIWC Atlantic obligates over 40 percent of their total eligible dollars to small business concerns, with the majority of the obligations in engineering services and supplies that support our C4ISR requirements.
NIWC Atlantic would like to engage with their regional industry partners in order to understand their capability, share their message, and create and maintain relationships within the local industrial base.
Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) – Stennis
About CNMOC
CNMOC has for many years been reaching out to private business and development organizations (government and private industry) to enhance our operational capabilities. These close relationships often develop into Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADA) and are a benefit to both parties in enhancing the relationships between business and government.
Anchor Needs
A near future development is the Gulf Coast NavalX Tech Bridge (GCTB). This is a collaboration between CNMOC, NSWC PCD, and NRL-South. This cooperative agreement spans from Tallahassee, FL to New Orleans, LA. The major thrust areas:
- coastal sciences and technology
- assured maritime access
- operational meteorology
- oceanography
Naval Research Laboratory – Stennis Detachment
About NRL
The Naval Research Laboratory Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) serves as the primary gateway for small businesses considering doing business with NRL. The OSBP promotes small business participation through prime contracting, subcontracting, and partnering.
Anchor Needs
The OSBP endeavors to broaden acquisition opportunities with small businesses who can provide innovative scientific and technological solutions for optimal sailor support. At the same time, they want to enhance a culture of small business inclusivity that supports scientific research and advanced technological development.
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport (NUWCDIVNPT)
About NUWCDIVNPT
NUWCDIVNPT is a naval laboratory located in Newport, Rhode Island. They provide research, development, testing, evaluation, engineering, analysis, and delivery of undersea warfare capabilities to expand the United States Navy readiness.
Anchor Needs
Representatives for NUWCDIVNPT will be on hand to discuss areas of interest for collaboration in technology development and research. Specific development areas include:
- composites and textiles
- undersea sensors/vehicles and associated technologies, with areas of research targeting acoustic signal processing
- undersea acoustic communications
- transduction and acoustic sensors
- operational and informational science
- undersea tactical stealth systems
- bio‐inspired sensors
- propulsion
Peraton (formerly Perspecta)
About Peraton
Peraton is the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider. They deliver trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and technologies that keep people safe and secure. They are a major provider of oceanography, acoustics, supercomputer programming, and IT services for:
- Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (and their subordinate commands)
- Naval Research Laboratory
- University of Southern Mississippi
Anchor Needs
Peraton seeks small business partners to both add capabilities to their team as a prime and to prime SBSA opportunities that Peraton may join.
Their potential partners will bring software development capabilities, preferably with experience supporting scientific development for oceanography, acoustics, meteorology, numerical modeling, and/or Navy tactical applications.
They are also seeking partners focused on emerging applications of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and cloud‐based applications with a passion for advancing the Navy’s mission.
Radiance Technologies
About Radiance
Radiance is a 100 percent employee‐owned company specializing in delivering highly technical solutions to our Department of Defense and Intelligence Community customers.
They are a mid-size company seeking to establish strategic and trusted partnerships with small businesses that share the focus of supporting our nation’s warfighters.
Anchor Needs
Radiance is interested in partnering with firms that have niche capabilities or established solutions. While it is not essential, they often look for teammates that can handle storage of or access to classified material.
S2Global
About S2 Global
S2 Global is the world’s leading security screening solutions company. They provide customers with unprecedented insight into all aspects of security screening operations.
S2 Global specializes in providing multi-location solutions for trade, travel, and events. Their solutions include:
CertScan®: an integration platform that increases the effectiveness of inspection operations for agencies and security providers in any industry. CertScan achieves this through the unique combination of the integration platform, rules engine, and common viewer for X-ray image analysis.
S2 University: training system for security personnel helps students become experts in the most advanced screening and security methods and techniques. Their programs have increased student contraband detection skills over 136 percent.
Anchor Needs
S2 Global is interested in connecting with inspection technology and application developers.
USM’s Gulf Blue
About Gulf Blue
USM’s Gulf Blue initiative pools the knowledge of research scientists, federal agencies, industry partners, and entrepreneurs to further develop the Gulf of Mexico region into a global leader in blue technology.
Anchor Needs
USM has been strategically investing in coast-wide maritime infrastructure that positions coastal Mississippi to advance technology in six blue tech innovation clusters:
- uncrewed maritime systems
- ocean-friendly plastics
- precision aquaculture
- smart ports
- sea-space systems
- coastal data science
USM would like to invite you for a conversation to discuss your needs in these areas and discuss innovative approaches for advancing technologies in this new Mississippi Gulf Coast Economy.
Woolpert
About Woolpert
Woolpert is an architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG), and strategic consulting firm. They are working to map much of the planet’s more than 372,000 miles of coastline.
Anchor Needs
Woolpert’s Maritime market is expanding rapidly. They are interested in meeting with businesses with various coastal capabilities and experiences. Discussions could potentially lead to collaboration, teaming, or procurement of services and hardware opportunities.
Areas of Interest include:
- hydrographic unmanned systems (ASV, UUV)
- engineering services (mechanical, electrical, optical)
- coastal modeling (environmental and spatial)
- coastal analytical capabilities (data to information transfer)
- sensor research and development
Join MSET’s Affiliate Program
Learn more about how MSET’s Affiliate Program can help connect your business to other organizations and government entities who want to procure your technology. Get started by contacting us at (228) 688-3144.