IDIQ Q&A

ProTech 2.0 Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Domain IDIQ

RFP 1305M426R0011

Questions & Answers Compilation (5.19.2026)

# RFP Reference Page No. Question/Comment NOAA Response

What is the NOAA payment structure intended to look like from a timing perspective? Will payments commence as soon as the data is deemed to have met the threshold requirements or after all final on-orbit calibration is complete?

The payment structure follows a Firm-Fixed-Unit-Price (FFUP) model on a consumption basis.

Services will be billed monthly based on actual usage, with payments commencing once data is delivered and accepted during the designated Data Delivery Period of Performance. For existing providers, this period is estimated to begin December 1, 2026. For new providers, this follows a 35-day Data Preparation period and is estimated to begin January 5, 2027.

How does NOAA anticipate data latency to affect pricing? For example, would NOAA be interested in paying a premium for 15-minute latency over 60-minute latency? How would task orders approach payment for data with less than 60-minute latency? NOAA's response informs industry approaches to meeting NOAA's data latency needs in commercial, economically feasible ways.

For Task Orders, NOAA will communicate more specific latency requirements than the SBEM IDIQ SOW. Rates established in the IDIQ are ceiling rates and task order rates can be discounted off of those rates.

In the Draft RFP Q&A document, there is a response from the government that states: "The pricing structure is a ceiling cost that will be used for all data levels, including derived products." Is it NOAA's intent for the IDIQ pricing to be only the true total and maximum value that is proposed in any Task Order? Or, as with other IDIQ contracts, does NOAA intend to use the pricing submitted with the IDIQ as the starting pricing which may later be adjusted up or down as necessary to meet the specific requirements of any Task Order RFP received?

The pricing structure established at the IDIQ level represents the maximum ceiling rates that a contractor cannot exceed for any future requirements. However, for individual task orders, NOAA intends to use competitive bidding to secure fair and reasonable pricing. Contractors can provide discounts off of the IDIQ maximum ceiling rates during task order competition.

4 RFP SF1447 1

Will the GOV consider a 2-week extension to the due date to allow additional time to finalize a complete and competitive application The Government does not contemplate extending the proposal submission due date at this time.

Attachment J.1 - C.3.6.

SECURITY

REQUIREMENTS 6

Could the Government please clarify whether offerors are required to possess an active FedRAMP High authorization/ATO at the time of data delivery, or if it meets RFP requirements to demonstrate that the offeror's security controls are designed and implemented in accordance with FedRAMP High baseline security controls/posture at time of data delivery?

NOAA does not expect vendors to possess an Authority to Operate (ATO). Compliance with security and privacy control standards are expected at the time data is delivered.

Attachment J.2 IDIQ Price Schedule

Section L / Attachment J.2 IDIQ Price Schedule - quantity tier cells (highlighted pink) within each Functional Category and License Option.

Question: For each Functional Category, is an Offeror required to populate pricing in every pink quantity-tier cell across every License Option, or only in the quantity tiers the Offeror is proposing to deliver?

Example: Under FC GNSS-RO, if an Offeror intends to propose only the 501–1,000 occultations/day tier, should the Offeror (a) populate pricing in only that quantity tier across the applicable License Options, leaving other quantity-tier cells blank or marked "Not Proposed," or (b) populate pricing for every quantity tier across every License Option?

Vendors shall only fill out ALL the pink "UNIT PRICE" Column cells for the Functional Categories or subcategories (if applicable) to which they are proposing. For any proposed Functional Categories or subcategories, vendors shall provide pricing for all quantity tiers and license options.

Using the Questioner's example, an Offeror cannot only price the 501–1,000 occultations/day tier, the Offeror must populate pricing for all the other quantity tiers and license options of the proposed Functional Category or subcategory. An Offeror may choose to price the other tiers and license options with "$0" with the understanding that their maximum ceiling rates for those quantity tiers would be $0 for the life of the ordering period.

NOTE: Functional Category 1 GNSS-RO contains four (4) subcategories so Offerors should propose and price Functional Category 1 by subcategory. Offerors are not required to propose/price to all the subcategories of Functional Category 1. This applies to other Functional Categories containing subcategories.

Language has been clarified in the Instructions tab in Attachment J.2.

7 RFP 1305M426R0011 27

Within the NOAA Acquisition Manual 1330-52.232-71 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (Feb 2023). "The Contractor must include the following documents as attachments to payment requests submitted though the IPP:" What follows is a bracketed statement, [Contracting Officer list required invoice attachment(s); none if left blank.] Please clarify if this should be construed as "blank" and no attachments are required when submitting invoices through the IPP.

This should be construed as "blank" and no attachments are required when submitting invoices through the IPP. However, the Contractor must still provide access to tools that allow the Government to track usage at no additional cost to support the billing of consumption-based services.

Attachment J.2 IDIQ Price Schedule N/A

The FC 7 - Active Sensors (Base) tab outlines how offerors should list a SAR unit price per quantity (kilometers squared). For vendors whose unit price varies based on SAR resolution, mode (e.g.

spotlight vs. scan), and number of looks, what should be reflected in the unit price?

We recognize that Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) pricing is inherently multidimensional, and that a single flat rate is not ideal to account for the significant differences in tasking complexity and data volume between wide-area scans and high-resolution spotlight collections. The pricing structure established at the IDIQ level represents the maximum ceiling rates, and serve as a not-to-exceed threshold. For individual task orders, NOAA intends to specify the exact resolution, scan mode, and processing requirements (such as number of looks) to simplify pricing and ensure the government receives the best value for specific mission needs.

RFP 1305M426R0011.

pdf; L.6.1 Format 71

Font style should be in an easy-to-read serif or san-serif font (e.g. Calibri, Times New Roman, etc.)

Please confirm that Arial font style is acceptable.

For the SBEM IDIQ proposal, Arial is acceptable as it is considered an easy-to-read sans-serif font.

However, for the Task Order 1 (TO-1) Technical Volume, the instructions specifically mandate the use of Times New Roman 12-point font.

RFP 1305M426R0011.

pdf; L.6.1 Format 71

Each email will be limited in size to 20MB or less. The TO 01 instructions state that the file size limitation is 25MB. Please confirm the email size limitation (combined file size for email message and attachments).

For TO-1 proposals, the limit is 25MB. This includes the combined size of the email message and all attachments. For IDIQ Proposals, the limit is 20MB.

RFP 1305M426R0011

Questions & Answers Compilation (5.19.2026)

# RFP Reference Page No. Question/Comment NOAA Response

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026).

pdf 2

For offerors with one company WMO identifier, can NORAD IDs be supplementally listed for each satellite that are planned to be used for data collection during the contract? NORAD IDs and/or COSPAR IDs are sufficient.

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026).

pdf 3

Can NOAA please provide direction on where to find details on NESDIS standards for file naming conventions, data formats, and metadata formats?

Please first refer to the SOW for the specific Functional Category for applicable data formats.

Additionally, refer to the "Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Common Data Format Control Book – External Volume I - Overview" as a guide, which is available here:

https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/s3/2024-01/474-00001-01_JPSS-CDFCB-X-Vol-I_F.pdf

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026).

pdf 62

Will the following items need to be provided to NOAA's analysis team upon award of the IDIQ or specific Task Orders? i. Quality flags generated in processing pertaining to all levels of provided data and relevant documentation. Quality flags will include signal quality, land/ocean discrimination, ice flags, and navigation or receiver errors.

ii. All data used for calibration/validation and product development.

iii. Data readers and format descriptions (i.e., reader software source, data dictionaries, etc.) necessary for processing and analysis. These specific items are needed after award of a Task Order.

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026).

pdf 64

Will the following items need to be provided to NOAA's analysis team upon award of the IDIQ or specific Task Orders?

a. Algorithm Theoretical Basis Documents (ATBDs) – Describing the scientific rationale, processing methodology, and assumptions underlying data generation algorithms.

b. Documentation to support quality control and calibration/validation activities.

c. Antenna pattern designs and gain patterns, if appropriate.

d. User guides and detailed data format and data specification documents.

e. Description of instrument(s) used in the data acquisition and their sampling characteristics.

f. Pre-launch characterization and calibration as well as on-board calibration and stability metrics for each instrument. These specific items are needed after award of a Task Order.

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026).

pdf 6

Can NOAA please provide direction on where to find details on the NESDIS Cloud System Data Ingest and Data Distribution Services Interface Control Document (ICD)?

The NESDIS Cloud System Data Ingest and Data Distribution Services ICD is a controlled document and can not be shared publicly, but NESDIS will work with vendors when on contract.

Attachment J.2 IDIQ Price Schedule N/A

In the FC 7 - Active Sensors (Base) tab, what do the numbers in Column A reflect? Should they correspond to different products that the offeror should propose? Column A "ITEM NO." is only for internal tracking purposes.

Attachment J.2 IDIQ Price Schedule N/A

Should offerors delete any subcategory pricing tables that they will not be proposing towards for their Price Schedule submission?

No, offerors should not delete any subcategory pricing tables or worksheets from the Price Schedule submission. Leave them blank.

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026).

pdf 62

Does NOAA expect altimetry and scatterometry to be "always on" rather than commanded modes from an offeror?

While power constraints or orbital geometry may necessitate commanded duty cycles, the Agency’s primary requirement is for consistent, predictable data availability delivered regularly or over specified regions. For individual Data Orders, offerors may be asked to specify whether their unit pricing reflects a background "always on" continuous stream or a tasking-based model. If a commanded approach is proposed, offerors may be asked to detail minimum lead times and any on-demand surcharges to ensure the competitive bidding process remains transparent and efficient.

Attachment J.2 IDIQ Price Schedule N/A

In the FC 7 - Active Sensors (Base) tab, is the quantity proposed expected to be deliverable quantity (in kilometers squared) on a daily basis?

Correct. The header on Column H states "max price per day". Please propose based on the quantity per day.

20 IDIQ Price Schedule

FC 1 - GNSS-

RO (Base) tab

Is it possible to offer additional data categories not included in the Price schedule? There may be other useful data categories that aren't included in the price schedule. For GNSS-RO, the data categories listed reflect the requirements as stated in Section C.4.

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026)

C.3.1. Test Data

For large constellations, is it possible to provide descriptions and reporting at the fleet level in the proposal rather than specific WMO identifiers?

For Task Orders, NOAA requires a listing of all satellites utilized during the ordering period. A listing of all WMO identifiers or NORAD IDs are not required at the IDIQ level.

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026) C.9.3.2.5.a.i

Can NOAA please explain why all of this data is needed? This is redundant with data that would be provided for TEC and isn't needed to compute the thermospheric data. Either NOAA wants the raw data to determine OD, or use contractor's estimate of OD/acceleration. Please pick one or the other.

The first paragraph in Section C.9.3.2. states that, "Such data shall consist of orbit dynamics and spacecraft information, contractor-derived density estimates, or a combination thereof, as specified in each Task Order RFP." NOAA will specify more details at the Task Order level.

Section C – Statement of Work (Satellite-Based Environmental Data;

GNSS-RO / Space Weather)

As described in Section C regarding GNSS-RO and space weather measurements, how does NOAA envision incorporating ionospheric measurements (e.g., TEC, electron density) within the SBEM framework, particularly given their coupling to neutral density effects (e.g., drag) and impact on GNSS performance and space weather operations?

NOAA will utilize Neutral Density for inclusion into Thermospheric models (an example is WAM-IPE).

For TEC, NOAA currently incorporates TEC data into SWPC's Global TEC model. Refer to the SWPC Testbed website for more details: https://testbed.swpc.noaa.gov/products/experimental-glotec

RFP 1305M426R0011

Questions & Answers Compilation (5.19.2026)

# RFP Reference Page No. Question/Comment NOAA Response

Section C – Performance Work Statement (PWS), GNSS-RO and Space Weather Measurements

As described in Section C (GNSS-RO and Space Weather Measurements), NOAA references GNSS-RO measurements and ionospheric specifications that are processed into neutral atmosphere and space weather products. How does NOAA view higher-order ionospheric data products (e.g., Level 3 three-dimensional TEC or electron density fields) within the SBEM framework, particularly with respect to Task Order consideration? NOAA produces higher-level data (level 2+) from vendor-provided Level 0/1 data.

NOAA SBEM Industry Day (April 9) - and Section C

In alignment with Section C and as discussed during the SBEM Industry Day (April 9), NOAA noted that Level 2-derived products may be considered for Task Orders. Could NOAA clarify: (1) which types of Level 2 products are of greatest interest, and (2) whether ionospheric characterization products (e.g., TEC-derived density fields) would be considered within this scope?

NOAA remains most interested in Level 0/1 data. However, there are select areas, as specified in several sections of the IDIQ SOW, where NOAA may solicit for Level 2 data.

Section B – IDIQ Structure; Section C – Scope (Task Orders)

Given NOAA’s emphasis on Level 1 data validation and primary focus on satellite-based measurements, how should vendors best position enhanced or processed data products while remaining aligned with SBEM’s data procurement objectives?

NOAA remains most interested in Level 0/1 data. NOAA cannot advise companies on how they should position their products.

Section C – Data Sources / Commercial Data

Would NOAA consider data products that integrate multiple satellite and sensor sources (commercial, government, and public), provided the output remains a standardized, traceable, and attributable data product NOAA desires Level 0/1 and 2 data at the instrument level.

Section L – Proposal Instructions; Section M – Evaluation Criteria (Capability / Planned Missions)

For SBEM eligibility, what level of maturity is required for a “planned mission” (e.g., committed launch, funded program, contractual milestones)?

For planned missions, vendors should clearly articulate a "Credible Plan" as specified in the Instructions (see L.6.2.2 Volume II – Technical Capability). NOAA can not specify on the level of maturity that is required to be eligible for an IDIQ award. Alternatively, vendors have the option of submitting proposals anytime after SBEM IDIQ award, in-line with NOAA's continual on-ramping strategy (see section G.5 On-Ramping).

Section B – IDIQ Structure; Section C – Scope (Task Orders

How does NOAA prioritize data types that directly impact operational outcomes such as GNSS accuracy, aviation operations, and communications reliability within SBEM task order evaluations? NOAA prioritizes data against its various mission requirements.

Attachment J.2 – IDIQ Price Schedule

Attachment J.2 does not appear to include pricing schedules for Functional Categories C8, C9, C10, and C11. Could NOAA clarify whether pricing for these categories will be provided in a future amendment, addressed at the Task Order level, or if these categories are not required for base IDIQ pricing?

Attachment J.2 lists all of the seven Functional Categories. Please note that Functional Category (FC) 1 aligns with Section C.4. of the IDIQ SOW, FC2 aligns with C.5, FC3 aligns with C.6, and so forth. Section C.11 is not utilized for this initial IDIQ award.

Section C – Data Product Definitions (Level 0/1/2)

Section C references Level 0/1/2 data products; however, definitions of what constitutes Level 1 versus Level 2 appear open to interpretation. Could NOAA clarify the expected level of processing, calibration, and formatting required for Level 1 deliverables under SBEM? Each Functional Category provides examples of what is required for each level of data.

Section C – Data Delivery Requirements

Could NOAA clarify the expected data rights and licensing model for SBEM data deliveries, including whether the Government requires unrestricted use, redistribution rights, or limited-use licensing? Please refer to IDIQ SOW Section C.3.7. Data Rights

Section I – Contract Clauses (Data Rights / Licensing)

Could NOAA clarify the expected data rights and licensing model for SBEM data deliveries, including whether the Government requires unrestricted use, redistribution rights, or limited-use licensing? Please refer to IDIQ SOW Section C.3.7. Data Rights

Section C – Data Quality / Validation

Could NOAA clarify the acceptance criteria and validation process for SBEM data products, including how data quality, accuracy, and consistency will be assessed? Please refer to the details as specified in each Functional Category of the IDIQ SOW.

Section C – Data Delivery / Interface Requirements

Are there defined data formatting and interface standards (e.g., NetCDF, BUFR, API specifications) that SBEM data providers are expected to comply with? Please refer to the details as specified in each Functional Category of the IDIQ SOW.

Section M – Evaluation Criteria; Task Orders

Could NOAA provide additional detail on how Task Orders will be evaluated (e.g., price, performance, and data uniqueness), particularly for emerging or non-traditional data types?

Each subsequent Task Order RFP will provide its own specific evaluation criteria and refined technical requirements.

Section B – IDIQ Structure (On-Ramp / Off- Ramp)

Does NOAA anticipate future on-ramp opportunities for vendors as capabilities mature, particularly for emerging data types or planned missions?

NOAA may consider additional SBEM Requirements in on-ramping opportunities, as generally described in Section C.11. of the IDIQ SOW. Additionally, please refer to the Instructions, Section G.

5. for on-ramping instructions.

Section C – Functional Categories C4, C10, C11;

Section B – Task Orders

For Functional Categories C4, C10, and C11, how should vendors position capabilities that provide both currently available satellite-derived environmental data and near-term enhanced data products from planned satellite missions?

For both "currently available satellite-derived environmental data and near-term enhanced data products from planned satellite missions", vendors are welcome to propose to any applicable area of the SBEM IDIQ except Section C.11. NOAA is not considering Section C.11 for this initial IDIQ award.

39 J.1 58

Please clarify requirement C.9.4.3 "cadence of no less than once every 3 hours": Does a delivery cadence of once per hour meet this requirement? In the other direction, does a delivery cadence of once per 6 hours meet this requirement? Please consider alternative language "a nominal cadence of 3 hours or more frequently" (conversely, "...or less frequently") to clarify NOAA's meaning.

For this requirement, vendors are required to deliver data at least once every 3 hours. SOW Section C.9.4.3 language clarified to reflect, "The Contractor shall provide data deliveries at a nominal cadence of every 3 hours, or more frequently, unless specified in a Task Order."

RFP 1305M426R0011

Questions & Answers Compilation (5.19.2026)

# RFP Reference Page No. Question/Comment NOAA Response

40 J.1 23

GNSS-R Observation Requirements Section C.5.4 specifies two antenna peak gains, "CYGNSS-class" (>10 dBi) and "high gain" (>18 dBi) which differ by a factor of more than 6. CYGNSS’s peak gain is actually ~14.7 dBi (Li et al., 2019), a factor of 3 higher than 10 dBi. Are CYGNSS’s OSW estimates sufficiently accurate that a GNSS-R system with CYGNSS-level peak gain of ~15 dBi would satisfy NOAA’s GNSS-R accuracy requirement of 2 m/s or 10% of the measurement?

The reference to "CYGNSS-class" in Section C.5.4 is intended as a general performance benchmark rather than a strict hardware specification. The primary metric for evaluation is the offeror's ability to meet the threshold accuracy of 2 m/s or 10%. If an offeror can demonstrate through validated performance data that their system with on the order of >10dBi gain consistently satisfies these accuracy requirements, that system will be considered compliant. Offerors should provide technical justification in their proposal illustrating how their specific antenna gain and receiver architecture achieve the required measurement precision.

41 J.1 7

Please consider deleting licensing options 2 and 2A from the IDIQ. They differ from options 3 and 3A solely in their support for near-realtime access to academic and non-profit institutions. Research users' needs are typically met by non-realtime access which is provided by license options 3A and 4A (and implicitly by option 1). Deleting options 2 & 2A will simplify data pricing by removing redundant tiers.

It is correct to state that Level 2/2a differ from Level 3/3a in that they include data sharing to non-profit and academic institutions. NOAA sees value in this data option as NOAA has utilized this in recent data Pilots. As such, the data rights provisions as written in the IDIQ shall remain.

Attachment J.1 - SBEM IDIQ SOW v7 (4.23.2026).

pdf 2

Can NOAA please clarify what is meant by the Contractor shall provide "24 hours of contiguous on-orbit data, representative of that to be be provided under contract and compliant with the data requirements specified herein?" Will NOAA reserve a Contractors' satellite systems for 24 hours upon the start of a Task Order?

This refers to SOW Section C.3.1., Test Data and only applies to new data sets and/or from new vendors who have not previously established data deliveries to NOAA. In order to prepare NOAA systems for continuous data deliveries, and prior to any data delivery period, NOAA requires a set of continuous data delivered for a period of 24 hours. The SBEM IDIQ employs a DaaS model and, as such, will NOT be reserving any satellite system for any period of time.

Section I Contract Clauses

Solicitation Pg.

Please confirm that 52.219-9 (pursuant to 19.708), that a subcontracting plan only needs to be submitted by Offerors whose proposals "offer further subcontracting opportunities…" and if the Offeror affirms there are no further subcontracting opportunities that the requirement to sumit a plan per 52.219-9 is waived.

Revised RFP L.6.2.1(f) by adding: "If an Offeror believes there are zero subcontracting opportunities, they must provide a detailed written rationale within their Volume I-Business explaining why the work cannot be subcontracted."

Section H Contract Clauses

Soliciation Pg.

The RFP currently includes a CAR 1352.209-71,Limitation on Future Contracting, this restriction appears unnecessarily broad- it does not specify to which functional category it would apply and therefore could significantly limit competition for future procurements while reducing the Government’ s access to experienced and highly qualified contractors. Consequently, we believe this clause was inadvertently added to solicitation and respectfully request that the Government remove this clause in its entirety. Clause has been removed.

45 Section L.6.2.1 72 Is there a prefilled SF 33 form that we should sign and include with our IDIQ response? Revised RFP L.6.2.1(c) from "(Standard Form 33)" to "(Standard Form 1449)."

TO1 Q&A

ProTech 2.0 Space-Based Environmental Monitoring (SBEM) Domain Task Order 1 (TO1)

RFP 1305M426R0011

J.7 Questions & Answers Form

# RFP Reference Page No. Question/Comment NOAA Response

1 J.6 & TO-1 Schedule

CLIN 0001 and CLIN 0002 are inconsistent between the TO-1 Schedule and the J.5 Price Volume Spreadsheet. Subsequently, spreadsheet CLIN002 lines up with Schedule CLIN 0003 (and so on).

Please clarify the CLIN alignment.

CLIN assignment is correct on the SBEM TO-1 Schedule, but is being modified for additional clarity.

CLINs are NOT listed in the J.5 Price Volume, only item numbers for reference. The J.5 Price Volume prices apply to all CLINs.

2 J.6.3 4 Please define what is meant by "accepted" and "successfully ingested into the system;" as used in J.

6.3(b).

The "accepted" data is data that meets requirements as specified in the IDIQ and TO-1 SOW. NOAA will correct the verbiage in J.6.3(b). for clarity.

3 Schedule Please define what is meant by "actual usage" as used in the SBEM TO-1 Schedule.

Actual usage refers to the specific number of unique, compliant data units—specifically Radio Occultation (RO) profiles and Total Electron Content (TEC) tracks—that are successfully delivered, accepted, and securely ingested into the NCCF. This "Pay-by-the-Drip" model ensures that payment is metered and billed periodically only for data that meets all quality standards and contractual requirements.

4 J.6

Paragraph J.6.5.1(c) cites CLIN001-CLIN0004 which are to be used to provide surge volume during the TO. However, this does not align with either the TO-1 schedule or the J.5 price volume spreadsheet. Please clarify the option CLINs which are envisioned in this TO to provide surge capability.

This citation is from the draft release. J.6.5.1 (c) has been revised since to the following.

"Optional CLINs (0002–0004) act as a volume dial. By exercising these options, the government can increase the daily ceiling (e.g., from 10,000 to 26,000 profiles) at pre-negotiated fixed prices."

However, the language is being modified and a new version being released. All CLINS are Options except CLIN 0001.

5 J.6 2

Please consider allowing on-orbit capability which is deployed greater than 6 months from the PoP start date to be eligible for proposal as additional surge capacity in support of J.6.5.1. This would enable vendors to provide pricing for capability growth over the course of the multi-year TO.

NOAA will extend the timeline for on-orbit operational readiness to no later than 12 months after PoP start date. Although this strategy offers greater flexibility and potential for increased throughput, it requires NOAA to account for uncertainties in deployment timelines/data avilability and budget planning for future year monies.

6 J.6, J.4 Please consider adding an option CLIN to provide surge capability for Temporal Resolution Enhanced data.

Temporal Resolution Enhanced Data (CLIN 004) is already an option, which allows NOAA to utilize as a surge, or volume dial. See J.6.5.1 (c):

"Optional CLINs (0002–0004) act as a volume dial. By exercising these options, the government can increase the daily ceiling (e.g., from 10,000 to 26,000 profiles) at pre-negotiated fixed prices."

7 J.4 2-3

Please consider deleting licensing options 2 and 2A from the TO. They differ from options 3 and 3A solely in their support for near-realtime access to academic and non-profit institutions. Research users' needs are typically met by non-realtime access which is provided by license option 3A (and implicitly by option 1). Deleting options 2 & 2A will simplify data pricing.

It is correct to state that Level 2/2a differ from Level 3/3a in that they include data sharing to non-profit and academic institutions. NOAA is sympathetic to the work vendors undertake to present optimal pricing; however, NOAA sees value in this data option as NOAA has utilized this in recent data Pilots. As such, the data rights provisions as written in the IDIQ shall remain.

Attachment J.6 - TO-1 RFTOP Instructions & Evaluation Criteria (4.28.2026).pdf 3

NOAA limits the size of individual messages to 25MB. The IDIQ instructions state that the file size limitation is 20MB. Please confirm the email size limitation (combined file size for email message and attachments).

For TO-1 proposals, the limit is 25MB. This includes the combined size of the email message and all attachments. For IDIQ Proposals, the limit is 20MB.

9 IDIQ Price Schedule

Attachment J.5 - TO-1 Price Volume Spreadsheet (4.23.2026)

Can NOAA clarify/consider increasing the maximum quantity of RO profiles per data if a provider can support a meaningfully higher count? Is 1,000 TEC profiles per day intended to be a limit if a provider has a greater capability? Similarly, the 9,000 Temporal Resolution Enhancement is limiting to total provider capability. NOAA may unintentionally be limiting data available with a maximum of 9,000 tracks per day when considering availability from LEO constellations. These are the NOAA requirements for TO-1 as written.

10 IDIQ Price Schedule

Attachment J.5 - TO-1 Price Volume Spreadsheet (4.23.2026)

Can NOAA provided a minimum data buy/minimum value under contract to awardees, or a paid portion of the "Data Preparation Period"? There is some effort required to stand up the relevant data pipelines and formats. The IDIQ price schedule provides a maximum, but not a minimum buy.

SBEM TO-1 Schedule lists a minimum buy only for RO profiles. A single, smaller payment may enable providers to stand up capability that enables a lower per-track / profile cost of data.

The quantities reflected in TO-1 are a combined total from all awards. NOAA may choose to award a delivery to a vendor for as low as 500 RO profiles/day (refer to SBEM IDIQ C.4.3.3. para 18).

11 IDIQ Price Schedule

Attachment J.5 - TO-1 Price Volume Spreadsheet (4.23.2026)

Is the intent that a provider fills out the pricing for a single satellite, or across a constellation per day?

NOAA may unintentionally be limiting data available with a maximum of 9,000 tracks per day when considering availability from LEO constellations.

Vendors shall fill out the quantities they can adequately deliver, which may be from a single satellite or from multiple satellites.

Attachment J.4 - SBEM IDIQ TO-1 SOW_v2 (4.20.2026)

Part II Data Delivery

For TEC, could NOAA consider more data should it be readily available? Seeking 500 - 1,000 compliant TEC tracks per day doesn't maximize value from LEO constellations These are the NOAA requirements for TO-1 as written.

Attachment J.6 - TO-1 RFTOP Instructions & Evaluation Criteria (4.28.2026) J.6.5.1

NOAA notes that actual payment is based on the number of compliant, unique RO profiles and/or TEC tracks successfully delivered and accepted by the Government. How does the government communicate what is accepted? What is the turn around time from contractor delivery of data to acceptance by the government? Contractor has a requirement to notify when reaching the 50 percent and 75 percent ceiling price for each CLIN for consumption-based services, but to do this (and to invoice) contractor needs to know what has been accepted by the government.

Acceptance includes two elements: 1) Delivery of the data into the NESDIS Common Cloud Framework (NCCF). Successful delivery is signaled via automated alert notifications from the NCCF if submitted data requires resolution or redelivery.; 2) Compliance metrics tracked by NESDIS CDP (through an independent third-party). NESDIS CDP will advise during monthly invoicing if all data or a portion thereof met contractual requirements.

Since payment is strictly consumption based, data usage is metered periodically based on the volume of unique, compliant units successfully ingested into the system. To manage the budget, you will use your own tracking tools to notify the Contracting Officer and Contracting Officer's Representative once consumption reaches 50% and 75% of CLIN and contract ceilings.

TO1 Q&A

SBEM TO-1 Schedule (4.28.26) Section B

If an offeror bids the maximum fixed NTE 26,000 RO/day under CLIN0001, is it also possible to bid the optional up to 16,000 RO/day under CLIN0002 even though the maximum total NTE for both CLIN 0001 and CLIN 0002 has a combined NTE of 26,000 RO/day? Bidding the maximum under CLIN 0001 seems to be redundant with CLIN 0002

Under the updated Amendment 0001, the combined total daily delivery for base CLIN 0001 and optional surge CLIN 0002 cannot exceed 26,000 Radio Occultation (RO) profiles. CLIN 0002 is specifically designed to allow the Government to scale capacity up to 10,000 additional RO profiles per day. Consequently, bidding the absolute maximum of 26,000 profiles under CLIN 0001 leaves no room to exercise CLIN 0002, meaning offerors should strategically allocate their capacity between the base and optional CLINs to avoid redundancy.

Attachment J.4 - SBEM IDIQ TO-1 SOW_v2 (4.20.2026)

To be considered for award, to contractors have to provide Neutral Atmosphere Data, or can contractors provide only the desired capability, either TEC or Temporal Resolution Enhancements?

If a vendor can clearly meet the space weather requirements under the GNSS-RO Category, then they may qualify. NOAA highly encourages vendors to provide a detailed description on how their sensor(s) are configured, what they are capable of and how they will operate to meet these requirements.

Updated SOW Section C.4.3.5.2