Cynerge partnered with the USDA Forest Service to build CIAO, a secure, mobile-ready check-in/check-out system that safeguards field crews across the country. Today, more than 7,000 users and 600 teams rely on CIAO daily—delivering real-time visibility, stronger safety, and peace of mind in the field.
Field Tested: A Safer Season for Forest Service Crews Using CIAO
The Challenge
The U.S. Forest Service’s Office of Safety and Occupational Health mandates that all forests maintain a check-in/check-out procedure to ensure the safety of field personnel during routine operations. Historically, each region or forest was left to its own devices to find, fund, and implement a system that met these requirements. Some forests had the resources to purchase commercial software, while others relied on manual methods like clipboards and whiteboards. The Chief Information Officer rightly expressed concerns that the locally purchased commercial software was not FedRAMP certified nor compliant with federal privacy and security standards, posing potential risks to employees and their data. This situation made the job of safety managers across the country even more difficult, as there was no universal or reliable solution for this critical safety requirement—one that could genuinely save lives.
The Solution
Cynerge was tasked with developing a custom check-in and check-out system tailored to the unique needs of the Forest Service. The platform was named CIAO—a name chosen by pilot users for its convenient acronym and the Italian greeting, meaning “hello” and “goodbye”.
CIAO is a mobile-friendly, scalable platform designed for simplicity in the field and robust performance behind the scenes. Field crews can log trips, update statuses, and receive late alerts—helping them stay safe and connected with teammates, supervisors, dispatchers, and safety personnel. What began as a small pilot web application was scaled into an enterprise-level system through AWS cloud hosting, agile development, and human-centered design.
Launched as CIAO 2.0 in April 2025, this version features mapping capabilities, streamlined workflows, and more—all shaped by continuous input from field personnel to ensure practicality and user-friendliness. Built as a secure, containerized application, CIAO now supports approximately 7,000 users across diverse operations. Its architecture emphasizes security, ease of maintenance, and iterative improvement, with new features like redesigned workflows, integrated alerts, and a map interface tailored to operational needs and driven by ongoing user feedback.
The Impact
CIAO addressed a decades-old challenge within the agency by providing a reliable, accessible, and practical check-in/check-out solution to every region, forest, and district. This not only helps safeguard the agency’s greatest asset—its people—but also sets a new standard for safety and visibility across the entire Forest Service.
Since its nationwide deployment, over 600 teams and thousands of users rely on CIAO for their check-in and check-out procedures—giving supervisors real-time insights into crew statuses and greatly enhancing field safety. CIAO’s versatility allows teams to use it in ways that best suit their specific activities, terrain, and trip durations. It offers a more convenient way to stay safe and connected with field crews, all while preserving privacy and ensuring security. Its strong architecture, user-centric design, and scalability deliver key benefits: increased safety, operational efficiency, and more informed decision-making, helping to save lives and reinforce the agency’s unwavering commitment to safety.
CIAO By The Numbers
White Paper Sneak Peek
Want a deeper dive? The full white paper walks through how Cynerge took CIAO from a concept to a national system, highlighting the tech stack, agile delivery strategy, and lessons learned from engaging real users in the field. It’s a guide to building secure, scalable tools that people want to use. Download the white paper and see how modern field tech can be done right.
White Paper
Cynerge is a software consulting firm that helps government and commercial organizations modernize legacy systems, streamline operations, and build user-friendly digital experiences. From cloud migration and enterprise application development to DevOps and UX design, we deliver secure, scalable solutions that solve real problems.
In addition to our custom consulting services, we develop and support mission-driven platforms including Kalpa, a professional development tracker for educators; LocalHop, an event management and ticketing solution for communities; and CIAO, a Check-In and Out enterprise application for field-going teams.
