diff --git a/compass/LICENSE b/compass/LICENSE
new file mode 120000
index 000000000..ea5b60640
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compass/LICENSE
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../LICENSE
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/compass/build_and_upload.bash b/compass/build_and_upload.bash
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..8d0d19b0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compass/build_and_upload.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+conda build -c conda-forge -c e3sm .
+
+#anaconda upload -u e3sm ${HOME}/miniconda3/conda-bld/noarch/compass*.tar.gz
diff --git a/compass/create_new_env.bash b/compass/create_new_env.bash
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..4b5034e21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compass/create_new_env.bash
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+check_env () {
+  for module in "geometric_features" "mpas_tools" "jigsawpy"
+  do
+    if python -c "import ${module}"; then
+      echo "  ${module} passed"
+    else
+      echo "  ${module} failed"
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  done
+
+  for exec in "gpmetis" "ffmpeg"
+  do
+    if ${exec} --help; then
+      echo "  ${exec} passed"
+    else
+      echo "  ${exec} failed"
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  done
+}
+
+
+# Modify the following to choose which e3sm-unified version(s) the python version(s) are installed and whether to make
+# an environment with x-windows support under cdat (cdatx) and/or without (nox).  Typically, both environments should
+# be created.
+versions=(0.1.0)
+pythons=(3.7)
+
+default_python=3.7
+
+# Any subsequent commands which fail will cause the shell script to exit
+# immediately
+set -e
+
+world_read="True"
+
+# The rest of the script should not need to be modified
+if [[ $HOSTNAME = "cori"* ]] || [[ $HOSTNAME = "dtn"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/global/cfs/cdirs/acme/software/anaconda_envs/base"
+  activ_path="/global/cfs/cdirs/acme/software/anaconda_envs"
+  group="acme"
+elif [[ $HOSTNAME = "acme1"* ]] || [[ $HOSTNAME = "aims4"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/usr/local/e3sm_unified/envs/base"
+  activ_path="/usr/local/e3sm_unified/envs"
+  group="climate"
+elif [[ $HOSTNAME = "blueslogin"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/lcrc/soft/climate/e3sm-unified/base"
+  activ_path="/lcrc/soft/climate/e3sm-unified"
+  group="climate"
+elif [[ $HOSTNAME = "rhea"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/ccs/proj/cli900/sw/rhea/e3sm-unified/base"
+  activ_path="/ccs/proj/cli900/sw/rhea/e3sm-unified"
+  group="cli900"
+elif [[ $HOSTNAME = "cooley"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/lus/theta-fs0/projects/ccsm/acme/tools/e3sm-unified/base"
+  activ_path="/lus/theta-fs0/projects/ccsm/acme/tools/e3sm-unified"
+  group="ccsm"
+elif [[ $HOSTNAME = "compy"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/compyfs/software/e3sm-unified/base"
+  activ_path="/compyfs/software/e3sm-unified"
+  group="users"
+elif [[ $HOSTNAME = "gr-fe"* ]] || [[ $HOSTNAME = "wf-fe"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/usr/projects/climate/SHARED_CLIMATE/anaconda_envs/base"
+  activ_path="/usr/projects/climate/SHARED_CLIMATE/anaconda_envs"
+  group="climate"
+elif [[ $HOSTNAME = "burnham"* ]]; then
+  base_path="/home/xylar/Desktop/test_e3sm_unified/base"
+  activ_path="/home/xylar/Desktop/test_e3sm_unified"
+  group="xylar"
+else
+  echo "Unknown host name $HOSTNAME.  Add env_path and group for this machine to the script."
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+if [ ! -d $base_path ]; then
+  miniconda=Miniconda3-latest-Linux-x86_64.sh
+  wget https://repo.continuum.io/miniconda/$miniconda
+  /bin/bash $miniconda -b -p $base_path
+  rm $miniconda
+fi
+
+# activate the new environment
+source ${base_path}/etc/profile.d/conda.sh
+conda activate
+
+conda config --add channels conda-forge
+conda config --set channel_priority strict
+conda update -y --all
+
+for version in "${versions[@]}"
+do
+  for python in "${pythons[@]}"
+  do
+    channels="--override-channels -c conda-forge -c defaults -c e3sm"
+    packages="python=$python compass=${version}"
+
+    if [[ "$python" == "$default_python" ]]; then
+      suffix=""
+    else
+      suffix="_py${python}"
+    fi
+
+    env_name=compass_${version}${suffix}
+    if [ ! -d "$base_path/envs/$env_name" ]; then
+      echo creating "$env_name"
+      conda create -n "$env_name" -y $channels $packages
+      conda activate "$env_name"
+      conda deactivate
+    else
+      echo "$env_name" already exists
+    fi
+
+    conda activate "$env_name"
+    check_env
+    conda deactivate
+
+    mkdir -p "$activ_path"
+
+    # make activation scripts
+    script=""
+    script="${script}"$'\n'"if [ -x \"\$(command -v module)\" ] ; then"
+    script="${script}"$'\n'"  module unload python"
+    script="${script}"$'\n'"fi"
+    script="${script}"$'\n'"source ${base_path}/etc/profile.d/conda.sh"
+    script="${script}"$'\n'"conda activate $env_name"
+    file_name=$activ_path/load_latest_compass${suffix}.sh
+    rm -f "$file_name"
+    echo "${script}" > "$file_name"
+  done
+done
+
+# delete the tarballs and any unused packages
+conda clean -y -p -t
+
+# continue if errors happen from here on
+set +e
+
+echo "changing permissions on activation scripts"
+chown -R "$USER":$group $activ_path/load_latest_compass*
+if [ $world_read == "True" ]; then
+  chmod -R go+r $activ_path/load_latest_compass*
+  chmod -R go-w $activ_path/load_latest_compass*
+else
+  chmod -R g+r $activ_path/load_latest_compass*
+  chmod -R g-w $activ_path/load_latest_compass*
+  chmod -R o-rwx $activ_path/load_latest_compass*
+fi
+
+echo "changing permissions on environments"
+cd $base_path
+echo "  changing owner"
+chown -R "$USER:$group" .
+if [ $world_read == "True" ]; then
+  echo "  adding group/world read"
+  chmod -R go+rX .
+  echo "  removing group/world write"
+  chmod -R go-w .
+else
+  echo "  adding group read"
+  chmod -R g+rX .
+  echo "  removing group write"
+  chmod -R g-w .
+  echo "  removing world read/write"
+  chmod -R o-rwx .
+fi
+echo "  done."
+
diff --git a/compass/meta.yaml b/compass/meta.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eaf3c5219
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compass/meta.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+{% set name = "compass" %}
+{% set version = "0.1.0" %}
+
+package:
+  name: {{ name|lower }}
+  version: {{ version }}
+
+build:
+  noarch: python
+  number: 0
+
+requirements:
+  host:
+    - python
+  run:
+    - python
+    - geometric_features 0.1.6
+    - mpas_tools 0.0.8
+    - jigsaw 0.9.12
+    - jigsawpy 0.2.1
+    - metis
+    - pyflann
+    - scikit-image
+    - cartopy
+    - cartopy_offlinedata
+    - pyamg
+    - ffmpeg
+
+test:
+  imports:
+    - geometric_features
+    - mpas_tools
+    - jigsawpy
+  commands:
+    - gpmetis --help
+    - ffmpeg -help
+
+about:
+  home: https://github.com/MPAS-Dev/MPAS-Model/tree/ocean/develop/testing_and_setup/compass
+  license: BSD 3-Clause
+  license_family: BSD
+  license_file: LICENSE
+  summary: 'A metapackage for creating test cases in the Model for Prediction Across Scales'
+  description: |
+    A metapackage of all the tools needed by COMPASS (Configuration Of Model
+    for Prediction Across Scales Setups), a framework for setting up and running
+    ocean and land-ice test cases in the Model for Prediction Across Scales
+    (MPAS) framework.
+  doc_url: https://github.com/MPAS-Dev/MPAS-Model/blob/ocean/develop/testing_and_setup/compass/README_ocean.md
+  dev_url: https://github.com/MPAS-Dev/MPAS-Model/tree/ocean/develop/testing_and_setup/compass
+
+extra:
+  recipe-maintainers:
+    - xylar