AGENCY IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING FOR COMMUNITY ON-LINE INTELLIGENCE SYSTEM (COINS)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80B01139A000100130032-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 23, 2005
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: August 1, 1966
• Content Type: MF

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DDS&T-3973-6b
1 August 196b
MEMORANDUM FOR:
Executive Directox-Comptroller
THROUGH
Director of Planning, Programing
and Budgeting
SUBJECT
Agency Im
Commu
System
plementation Planning for
nity On?Line Intelligence
(COINS)
REFERENCE
A. Execu
me
tive Dir~etor-Comptroller
mo for Deputy Directors,
dtd 18 May 196b, subject: "CIA
Participation in Community
On-Line Intelligence System
{COINS). "
B. COINS Committee, "COINS Imple-
mentation Plan, " Report to
CODIB, dtd 25 May 1966.
1. This rnemorandurri contains a recommendation in
paragraph 8 relating to the Agency's participation in the COINS
activity.
~. Reference A, provides guidance pertaining to the Agency`s
role in implementing the President`s desire for improved real?time
communication of information between components of the Intelligence
Community. This memorandum summarizes the efforts of the CIA
Task Force on COINS to date in planning the implementation of the
first phase of this activity.
S,
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3. With your approval., the CIA participation in COINS I
will consist of the followingo
a. Inclusion of five active Agency files (listed and
described in Attachment A). For the most part, these
files are now under machine control and can readily be
made compatible with the planned COINS programs and
communications specifications.
Secure electronic connection)
d. Familiarization and trainin of A enc ersonnel in
the use of the system,
4. Accomplishment of the above implementation task is feasible
by January 1967. This schedule and the extent of Agency participation
is in harmony with the recommendations contained in reference B.
5. To a large extent, the implementation tasks are an extension
of independently derived, but related, activities already planned or
underway in the Agency. A general description of these activities is
given in Attachment C. The costs identified for implementing COINS I
are those over and above existing Agency programs. This is estirzated
to be approximately for FY 1967. Attach
ment :D contains a breakdown of the casts and responsible components.
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6. The second phase of COINS is planned to begin in FY
1968. This appears optimistic; the problems involved in the
shakedown and evaluation of the initial phase and the design of
an effective follow~on system are considerable. The COINS II
goals are:
a. Remote access computers with automatic
scheduling features installed in each agency.
b. A uniform method of querying all files in the
system, including the use of consistent entries for data
elements and a single query exchange language.
c. A data store and forward switch, installed in
CIA, to service messages securely at high speeds between
the computers in the system.
Estimates of the Agency resources needed to achieve these goals
vary widely, depending on the particular design yet to be chosen.
For example, programming manpower needed to implement the
query exchange language will depend on whether the language cho-
sen is similar to any then available to CIA. computers. Similarly,
a wide range of methods could be used in implementing the store
and forward switch requirement. With the following assumptions:
a. COINS I will continue to operate through December
b. Manpower will continue to be required at least at
the COINS I level indefinitely.
c. Other Headquarters terminals connected to the
OCS computer will have access to COINS files, i, e. , no
others will be needed.
d, Several CIA files will be added to the system.
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e. The concept of a central store and forward
switch as described in reference B, is valid.
the costs in FY 1968 will be approximately
and, in FY 1969,
7. It should be noted that the climate within the Agency is
one of caution rather than enthusiasm. Consequently, the effort
proposed for COINS I could be characterized as minimal. The
experimental nature of this activity needs to be emphasized; while
the payoff could ultimately be great, overselling the COINS concept
and overcammitting ourselves now should be avoided.
8. It is recommended that the Agenc}r commit itself to tine
degree of COINS I participation summarized in paragraph 3 above,
and that e allocated in FY 1967 to
carry out this portion of the program.
CHARLES A. BRIGGS
Acting Chairman
CIA Task Force on COINS
Attachments (4~: a/s
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