Appendix E 



The North American Ice Service 



CDR Michael R. Hicks 

 International Ice Patrol 



Introduction 



The concept of the North American Ice Service (NAIS) evolved from the long relationship 

 that the Canadian Ice Service (CIS), the National Ice Center (NIC) and the International Ice Patrol 

 (IIP) have enjoyed in the US-Canada Joint Ice Working Group (JIWG). The JIWG was 

 established in 1986 to improve information exchange and enhance coordination among the 

 centers. The centers have taken advantage of these cooperative efforts in data exchange, 

 terminology and standards, systems development, mutual backup, training, and research and 

 development. NAIS was developed to extend and strengthen the working relationships among the 

 three centers. It was formalized in 2003 through an Annex to a Memorandum of Understanding 

 between the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the 

 Meteorological Service (MSC) of Environment Canada. The NAIS leadership is composed of two 

 co-chairs, one from NOAA and the other from MSC, and the directors of the three services. There 

 are no legal or financial obligations among the three organizations. 



NAIS was established with the expectation that the cooperation among both countries' ice 

 services could result in further efficiencies in the provision of ice information. Further, we believe 

 a collaborative North American ice service can provide clients and sponsors with superior ice 

 information to meet their requirements. NAIS may be the best way to meet the challenges 

 presented by changing ice regimes in the Polar Regions and the associated increase in activity and 

 interest expected throughout the rest of this century. The first four years of NAIS have shown that 

 to fully realize these benefits, further integration of services within a new organizational model 

 should be explored. 



During the NAIS meetings in the fall 2005 and spring 2006. it became apparent to NAIS 

 directors and co-chairs that an increasing level of ambiguity in the scope and future direction of 

 NAIS had resulted in growing concern among the staff. Individual NAIS committees continually 

 hit upon seemingly insurmountable barriers such as disparate information technology systems and 

 the absence of a link between individual organizational budgets/funding and NAIS priorities. As a 

 result, a team of NAIS leaders (the NAIS Tiger Team') with senior representatives from CIS, 

 NIC & IIP met during the spring of 2006 in an effort to clarify the scope, mission, vision and 

 strategic objectives that will allow NAIS to better serve ice information customers and clients. 

 The Tiger Team unanimously agreed that products and services resulting from the combined 

 efforts of all three organizations would be superior to each center's independent contributions. 

 This key fact was seized upon to be clearly articulated and demonstrated - both internally (to gain 

 buy-in from NAIS membership), as well as externally (to justify any further integration to parent 

 services and governments). 



The Tiger Team strategy focused on creating two key documents to promote NAIS 

 concepts and explore possible governance options. The first document. Vision and Scope of the 

 North American Ice Service , was intended to create a powerful message to inspire members and 

 stakeholders alike to embrace the NAIS concept. The main points are summarized in the 

 following Executive Summary: 



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