DoDIN-Approved Cisco Networking & Edge at Naval Station Great Lakes, IL
Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago, Illinois is home to Recruit Training Command, the Navy's only boot camp, processing tens of thousands of new sailors a year alongside Training Support Center classrooms and barracks. That volume makes it one of the densest concentrations of managed, high-turnover Wi-Fi and wired ports anywhere in the Navy's shore establishment, with a network refresh cycle driven by training throughput rather than fleet operations.
- DoDIN APL
- TAA
- FIPS 140-3
- STIG
Mission-ready Cisco for Naval Station Great Lakes
Delivering FIPS-compliant and TAA-approved Cisco edge networking to support continuous Afloat/Ashore operations for the U.S. Navy at Naval Station Great Lakes in North Chicago — resilient, secure connectivity from the pier to the data center.
What buying Cisco at Naval Station Great Lakes looks like
The mission here is training at scale rather than fleet operations, which changes what network buyers need. Barracks and classroom buildings cycle thousands of new users through identity and access systems every eight weeks, so wireless capacity, guest onboarding, and 802.1X authentication matter as much as raw throughput. Cisco Catalyst wireless and switching are a natural fit for that kind of high-density, high-churn environment, and ISE-driven network access control helps Training Support Center IT staff onboard and retire recruit accounts without manual per-device work.
Facilities and training-command IT shops at Great Lakes generally handle day-to-day refresh through GPC purchases and rely on GSA Schedule or SEWP contracts for classroom-wide wireless upgrades or barracks network overhauls. Because RTC buildings support instructional technology as much as connectivity, buyers here also weigh TAA compliance and DISA STIG hardening for gear that touches training management systems, not just tactical or shipboard networks.
How to buy
The purchasing paths we support today, so your acquisition team can move fast and compliant. Our GSA Multiple Award Schedule application is in progress.
- GPC / Government Purchase Card (direct)
- Simplified Acquisition (SAP, FAR Part 13)
- FAR-based purchase orders (open market)
- GSA eBuy
- WAWF / PIEE invoicing
- GSA MAS — application in progress
Compliance documented up front — on the quote, not after award.
- DoDIN APL
- TAA
- FIPS 140-3
- STIG
Cisco platforms for the Navy
Catalyst 9300 / 9400 Series
DoDIN APL ASLAN campus switching
Ruggedized edge routers (ASR / NCS 540)
Hardened, FIPS-validated edge
FIPS 140-3 VPN & encryption
Secure transport for sensitive enclaves
Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Network access control
Cisco Secure Firewall
Boundary defense & segmentation
Need a specific SKU or a full bill of materials? Request a quote — we source the entire Cisco catalog, with TAA-compliant options.
Naval Station Great Lakes procurement FAQ
Q1What kind of network load does a base like Great Lakes actually put on Wi-Fi?
With roughly 7,000 recruits on board at any given time cycling through barracks and classrooms every eight weeks, the load is less about bandwidth-heavy applications and more about device density and rapid onboarding/offboarding. High-density Catalyst wireless deployments with 802.1X and ISE policy enforcement are built for exactly that churn.
Q2Do we need TAA-compliant gear for training buildings that aren't shipboard or tactical?
Yes. TAA compliance is a federal acquisition requirement tied to funding source and contract vehicle, not to whether the network supports a ship or a classroom. Any GSA Schedule or SEWP buy at Great Lakes should carry the same TAA country-of-origin documentation as fleet-facing purchases.
Q3What procurement vehicle fits a barracks-wide network refresh?
For a scoped project spanning multiple buildings, most Great Lakes facilities and training-command buyers move off the GPC and onto GSA Schedule or SEWP task orders, which support bundled hardware, installation, and warranty in a single award rather than piecemeal micro-purchases.
Related installations & coverage
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