diff --git a/dev/ci/cases/pr/C96C48_ufs_hybatmDA.yaml b/dev/ci/cases/pr/C96C48_ufs_hybatmDA.yaml
index 37f4299cdb7..4d785ada96b 100644
--- a/dev/ci/cases/pr/C96C48_ufs_hybatmDA.yaml
+++ b/dev/ci/cases/pr/C96C48_ufs_hybatmDA.yaml
@@ -24,5 +24,3 @@ skip_ci_on_hosts:
   - orion
   - hercules
   - awsepicglobalworkflow
-  - hera
-  - wcoss2
diff --git a/sorc/build_gdas.sh b/sorc/build_gdas.sh
index 21e70aeb256..f67945aec85 100755
--- a/sorc/build_gdas.sh
+++ b/sorc/build_gdas.sh
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ shift $((OPTIND-1))
 # double quoting opts will not work since it is a string of options
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086
 BUILD_JOBS="${BUILD_JOBS:-8}" \
-WORKFLOW_BUILD="ON" \
-WORKFLOW_TESTS="OFF" \
+WORKFLOW_BUILD="${WORKFLOW_BUILD:-"ON"}" \
+WORKFLOW_TESTS="${WORKFLOW_TESTS:-"OFF"}" \
 ./gdas.cd/build.sh ${_opts} -f
 
 exit
diff --git a/sorc/gdas.cd b/sorc/gdas.cd
index 492aa9967df..03c10c2a1b0 160000
--- a/sorc/gdas.cd
+++ b/sorc/gdas.cd
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 492aa9967dfe0a3d8bc9e729ed4aa58eb7fc599c
+Subproject commit 03c10c2a1b053d8299f0539e62bae7045fea9ac9
diff --git a/sorc/gsi_utils.fd b/sorc/gsi_utils.fd
index f716012812c..ec424437760 160000
--- a/sorc/gsi_utils.fd
+++ b/sorc/gsi_utils.fd
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit f716012812c2564e7eab24041f7a3ec14c7aa383
+Subproject commit ec42443776077f4fdeaa5c2503c247e078d6f298
diff --git a/sorc/ufs_model.fd b/sorc/ufs_model.fd
index 6ece76a2e25..4a566203b76 160000
--- a/sorc/ufs_model.fd
+++ b/sorc/ufs_model.fd
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 6ece76a2e25147c7bbdf289e9d4b641576b64537
+Subproject commit 4a566203b76e0abbe6382ab12af1449efbbef8a4
diff --git a/ush/load_ufsda_modules.sh b/ush/load_ufsda_modules.sh
index 05e7d736030..88601de1917 100755
--- a/ush/load_ufsda_modules.sh
+++ b/ush/load_ufsda_modules.sh
@@ -93,8 +93,7 @@ fi
 # TODO: a better solution should be created for setting paths to package python scripts
 # shellcheck disable=SC2311
 pyiodaPATH="${HOMEgfs}/sorc/gdas.cd/build/lib/python${PYTHON_VERSION}/"
-gdasappPATH="${HOMEgfs}/sorc/gdas.cd/sorc/iodaconv/src:${pyiodaPATH}"
-PYTHONPATH="${PYTHONPATH:+${PYTHONPATH}:}:${gdasappPATH}"
+PYTHONPATH="${PYTHONPATH:+${PYTHONPATH}:}:${pyiodaPATH}"
 export PYTHONPATH
 
 # Restore stack soft limit:
diff --git a/ush/parsing_ufs_configure.sh b/ush/parsing_ufs_configure.sh
index f5e58578301..fe428d77358 100755
--- a/ush/parsing_ufs_configure.sh
+++ b/ush/parsing_ufs_configure.sh
@@ -52,6 +52,11 @@ if [[ "${cplflx}" = ".true." ]]; then
   local RUNTYPE="${cmeps_run_type}"
   local CMEPS_RESTART_DIR="CMEPS_RESTART/"
   local CPLMODE="${cplmode}"
+  local CMEPS_PIO_FORMAT='pnetcdf'
+  local CMEPS_PIO_STRIDE=4
+  local CMEPS_PIO_IOTASKS=-99
+  local CMEPS_PIO_REARR='box'
+  local CMEPS_PIO_ROOT=-99  
   local coupling_interval_fast_sec="${CPL_FAST}"
   local RESTART_N=999999
   local ocean_albedo_limit=0.06