NOAA is expanding its procurement and use of new commercial environmental satellite data streams that will enhance weather forecasting and space weather monitoring. The Space-Based Environmental Monitoring Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract is a key part in the agency’s ongoing effort to boost U.S. weather forecasting capabilities.
“NOAA is maximizing the impact and value of high-quality environmental data provided by our commercial partners that will benefit the American weather enterprise,” said Taylor Jordan, NOAA assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction. “NOAA will support data streams and projects that harness cutting-edge instruments and science that advances our mission to protect lives, safeguard property, and strengthen the nation's economy and national security.”
NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service, through its Commercial Data Program, established the contract under NOAA’s Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Program (ProTech) 2.0. The ProTech-managed contract operates under an $8 billion shared ceiling funding vehicle established in 2021 that enables NOAA’s Weather Service, Ocean Service, Fisheries Service and Satellite Service to procure professional, technical and scientific services.
The new environmental observations will directly feed NOAA’s operational prediction models, weather forecasting, space weather applications and global research efforts across key interagency partners, academic institutions, and various other operational and scientific bodies.
Effective from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2036, the contract includes a five-year base period followed by a five-year option. NOAA will initially work with 14 industry partners to acquire data across seven categories that will significantly enhance weather forecasting and space weather monitoring capabilities for the agency and its global partners.
As operational requirements evolve, NOAA has the flexibility to integrate new categories of data and additional vendors while the contract is in place.
Global navigation satellite system - radio occultation (GNSS-RO) for atmosphere profiling and ionospheric space weather (total electron content & scintillation)
Global navigation satellite system - reflectometry (GNSS-R) for land and ocean surface observations
Microwave sounder for traditional and hyperspectral atmospheric temperature and moisture measurements
Multispectral imagery for weather, including in low-light areas, and wildland fire applications
Thermospheric neutral density for satellite orbit predictions
Active sensors for scatterometry, altimetry, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and K/Ka/Ku-band radar, to measure atmospheric features
Infrared sounders for atmospheric vertical temperature, moisture profiles, and environmental monitoring applications
Congress authorized NOAA’s Commercial Data Program with its passage of the Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Act of 2017 and the Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow Act of 2020. These statutes direct NOAA to assess, use, and where appropriate, procure commercial weather and space weather data to enhance forecasting capabilities. Appropriated funds specified for the Commercial Data Program were used to undertake this work.
John Jones-Bateman, john.jones-bateman@noaa.gov & nesdis.pa@noaa.gov