Sustainment, Operations, and Maintenance Support
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
The Problem
The National Coordination Office (NCO) for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing relies on GPS.gov as its primary public communication platform for delivering authoritative information about GPS technology, policy, and services to federal stakeholders and the public. However, the website required ongoing sustainment and modernization to keep pace with evolving digital standards, security requirements, and user expectations. The platform needed consistent maintenance to address software updates, accessibility compliance, performance issues, and technical debt associated with legacy components. In addition, the site required enhancements to improve usability and ensure accessibility across devices and browsers while maintaining compliance with federal web policies such as Section 508, USWDS design standards, and NOAA web governance requirements. Without dedicated technical support and structured development practices, the government risked degraded performance, potential security vulnerabilities, and reduced accessibility for users relying on its primary outreach and education platform.
The Solution
Using an Agile development framework, Elements 5 implemented targeted feature enhancements designed to improve site usability, accessibility, and administrative efficiency while maintaining compatibility with the U.S. Web Design System and NOAA style guidance. Jira was used to manage the development backlog, track enhancement requests, and provide transparency into sprint planning, task progress, and future website improvements. In addition to technical development, Elements 5 supported content governance by helping government stakeholders improve editorial workflows, implement structured publishing processes, and maintain high-quality content standards through training, documentation, and ongoing guidance.
Elements 5 provided a structured sustainment and modernization approach to support the ongoing operations and improvement of the GPS.gov platform. Our team delivered comprehensive website maintenance and technical management services for the Drupal-based system, ensuring the platform remained secure, stable, and compliant with federal digital standards. Elements 5 implemented regular Drupal core and module updates, applied security patches, and coordinated closely with NOAA’s Web Operations Center to ensure reliable hosting, version control, and deployment processes.
The Impact
Through its sustainment and enhancement services, Elements 5 enabled the National Coordination Office to maintain a reliable, secure, and accessible federal website supporting national GPS communication and outreach efforts. The GPS.gov platform now operates with improved stability, modernized components, and full alignment with federal accessibility and security standards, ensuring critical GPS information remains accessible anytime and across devices.
By leveraging Agile development practices and Jira-based backlog management, Elements 5 provided the government with greater visibility into enhancement planning, task progress, and future site improvements while minimizing disruption to ongoing operations. This approach reflects Elements 5’s core value of ensuring government digital platforms remain secure, accessible, and compliant while enabling agencies to modernize mission-critical public information systems without disrupting operations.