Draft RFP - ProTech Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Domain IDIQ

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a DRAFT Request for Proposal (RFP) for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Program (ProTech) 2.0 Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Domain Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) procurement. The purpose is for information and planning, allowing industry to verify requirements and promote competition. A FINAL RFP is not yet available.

This draft RFP includes:

• DRAFT RFP No. 1305M426R0011 (Sections A – M)

• RFP Attachments J.1 - J.4

• The procurement is for a Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Domain IDIQ.

• Draft RFP Questions and Answers: A twelve (12) day Q&A period begins with this posting. Written questions and comments are requested via email using the "Q&A spreadsheet provided as Attachment J.4 – Questions & Answers Form" no later than March 24, 2026, 1:00 PM EST.

• Industry Day: A virtual Industry Day is scheduled for April 9, 2026, from 1:00-2:30 PM EST.

• Final RFP Release: Anticipated on or about April 24, 2026, with an open period of 20 business days.

• All prospective offerors must be actively registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• Industry feedback is specifically requested on "Small Business Subcontracting Possibilities" regarding the percentage of work that could be provided by small businesses.

• The Government reserves the right to update any section of the documents or add documentation in the FINAL RFP.

• Industry feedback is specifically sought on Attachment J.2 "IDIQ Price Schedule" regarding pricing structures for Functional Categories and Section L.8.2.1(f) "Small Business Subcontracting Possibilities."

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This document outlines the requirements for the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) Commercial Data Program Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The objective is to acquire commercial, near-real-time satellite-based environmental data to enhance NOAA's environmental forecasting, modeling, and monitoring capabilities.

NOAA intends to procure commercial satellite-based terrestrial and space weather data across seven main Functional Categories:

• Global Navigation Satellite System Radio Occultation (GNSS-RO)

• Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R)

• Microwave Sounders (MWS)

• Multispectral Imagery

• Infrared Sounders

• Thermospheric Neutral Density measurements

• Active Sensors The IDIQ contract establishes broad requirements, while individual Task Orders will specify more refined requirements. The acquisition aims to complement, supplement, and/or replace Government-owned systems and integrate novel space-based technologies.

• Data delivery must adhere to standard NESDIS methods and protocols, including secure ingest into the NESDIS Common Cloud Framework (NCCF).

• Data descriptor files must conform to ISO 19115-1:2014 and ISO 19139-1:2019 standards.

• Contractors must provide notifications for anomalies affecting data delivery within 24 hours and for planned system changes at least 14 days in advance.

• Operational availability of at least 75% is required.

Not specified in this document; Task Orders will define specific periods and locations.

• Data must originate from satellites with assigned World Meteorological Organization (WMO) identifiers or internationally recognized identifiers.
• Contractors must provide test data, including satellite lists, file naming protocols, and representative on-orbit data.
• Security requirements include compliance with CAR Clause 1352.239-72 and may involve alternate security accreditation methodologies.
• NOAA is granted a perpetual, non-exclusive, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, and create derived/value-added products from the provided data. Copyright of deliverables is assigned to NOAA.
• Pricing for various external data sharing rights must be provided.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a Draft Request for Proposal (RFP) for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services Program (ProTech) 2.0, specifically for the Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Domain. NOAA is procuring commercial Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Data-as-a-Service through a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. The overall ceiling for all ProTech 2.0 Domains is $8,000,000,000.

• The contract will support the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS).

• Services are under NAICS code 518210 - Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services.

• Task orders will be issued on a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) and/or Firm-Fixed-Unit-Price (FFUP) basis.

• Deliverables and performance requirements will be specified in individual task orders.

• Contract Type: Multiple-award IDIQ.

• Ordering Period: One five-year base ordering period and one five-year optional ordering period.

• Period of Performance: Base period is 09/01/2026 to 08/31/2031. Option period is 09/01/2031 to 08/31/2036.

• Minimum Contract Amount: $250.

• Maximum Contract Amount: $8,000,000,000 across all ProTech 2.0 domains.

• Proposal Submission Deadline: May 22, 2026, 1:00 PM Eastern Time.

• Proposals must be submitted electronically.

• Evaluation Factors: Technical Capability (significantly more important than Price) and Price.

• A tradeoff process will be used for award decisions.

• The Government reserves the right to award at least twelve (12) contracts to small businesses.

• This acquisition is unrestricted.

• The IDIQ contract includes a reserve for small business.

• Contractors are only eligible to compete for Task Orders issued under the specific Functional Categories for which they were evaluated and awarded at the IDIQ level.

• The Statement of Work (SOW) is attached as J.1.

• An IDIQ Price Schedule is provided as Attachment J.2.

• A Subcontracting Plan Template is provided as Attachment J.3.

• A Questions & Answers Form is provided as Attachment J.4.

• A post-award conference is required for successful offerors.

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document contains questions and answers related to the ProTech 2.0 Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Domain IDIQ, Draft RFP 1305M426R0011. It includes a section for vendor questions and answers, and a section where NOAA poses questions to industry.

• Pricing Structures: NOAA is seeking feedback on the pricing structures for the Functional Categories in Attachment J.2 "IDIQ Price Schedule." They are interested in how data types are typically priced in the commercial marketplace and welcome suggestions for optimization.
• Small Business Subcontracting: NOAA is inquiring about the existence of small business subcontracting possibilities in the direct performance of requirements. They also ask for the anticipated percentage of self-performance and, for the remaining subcontracted work, the estimated percentage that could be provided by small businesses and other socioeconomic concerns.

This document provides an opportunity for bidders to offer input on pricing structures and subcontracting possibilities. The responses to NOAA's questions may influence future iterations or clarifications of the solicitation requirements. No specific changes to the RFP or deadlines are indicated in this Q&A document.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a template for a Small Business Subcontracting Plan, intended for use by offerors responding to government solicitations. It outlines the minimum requirements as imposed by Section 8(d) of the Small Business Act and FAR Subpart 19.7. Bidders should use this template as a guideline to develop their own subcontracting plans.

• Identification Data: Fields for Company Name, Address, Date Prepared, Solicitation Number, and Estimated Total Contract Value.
• Type of Plan: Specifies an Individual Subcontracting Plan.
• Goals: Requires separate dollar and percentage goals for various small business categories (SB, HUBZone, SDB, WOSB, VOSB, SDVOSB) for both total contract value and specific periods (Base, Options).
• Supplies/Services: Section to identify principal types of supplies and services to be subcontracted and the business categories planned for subcontracting.
• Method for Goal Development: Requires a description of how subcontracting goals were developed.
• Source Identification Method: Requires a description of the method used to identify potential subcontractors.
• Indirect Costs: Statement on whether indirect costs are included in goals and the method used.
• Program Administrator: Information about the company employee responsible for administering the subcontracting program.
• Equitable Opportunity: Description of efforts to ensure equitable opportunities for small businesses.
• Clause Inclusion and Flow Down: Assurances regarding the inclusion of FAR clauses in subcontracts.
• Reporting and Cooperation: Assurances regarding reporting requirements and cooperation with federal agencies.
• Recordkeeping: Description of records to be maintained.
• Assurances: Agreement to make good faith efforts, provide explanations for failures, not prohibit subcontractor discussions, and pay small business subcontractors on time.

This template is crucial for bidders who are required to submit a subcontracting plan as part of their proposal. It details the specific information and commitments the government expects regarding the utilization of small businesses in subcontracting. Bidders must complete and submit this plan, tailoring it to the specific solicitation requirements.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document provides the pricing schedule for various data license options across multiple functional categories (FCs). Bidders must populate the 'UNIT PRICE' column for their proposed Functional Categories. The 'Worksheet tabs titled, "FC # - DATA TECH (Base/Option)"' will reflect the offeror's maximum IDIQ ceiling rates and extended prices for proposed scenarios, used for calculating the Total Evaluated Price (TEP).

• Data License Descriptions: Outlines five distinct data licensing options (Options 1, 2, 2A, 3, 3A, and 4) with varying distribution rights and usage restrictions.
• Functional Categories (FCs): Includes pricing schedules for:
  • FC1: GNSS-RO (Global Navigation Satellite System-Radio Occultation) - Neutral Atmosphere Products, Polarimetric Products, Space Weather Total Electron Content (TEC) Products, and Space Weather Scintillation Products.
  • FC2: GNSS-R (Global Navigation Satellite System-Reflectometry) - Tracks per Day.
  • FC3: MWS (Microwave Sounder) - Satellites per Day (includes Traditional and Hyperspectral).
  • FC4: MSI (Multispectral Visible and Infrared Imagery) - Coverage Area per Day (for Weather and Fire Applications).
  • FC5: IRS (Infrared Sounder) - Satellites per Day.
  • FC6: TND (Thermospheric Neutral Density) - Density Observations per Day.
  • FC7: AS (Active Sensors) - SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) Coverage Area per Day and other AS (Altimetry, K/Ka/Ku-Band Radar, Scatterometry) Satellites per Day.
• Pricing Structure: Unit prices are tiered based on quantity, number of satellites, or coverage area (km²). The document specifies that only the unit price corresponding to the awarded quantity range will be applied, not prices for lower quantity ranges.

This spreadsheet is critical for bidders to understand the pricing structure for different data products and licensing options. Bidders must complete the 'UNIT PRICE' fields for each relevant Functional Category and Subcategory. The structure of the pricing (tiered based on quantity/usage) and the defined data license options are key considerations for proposal development and cost estimation.