PWS 2.0 Weatherman - FA480326Q0096.docx

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

FOR

AFCENT Weather Intelligence Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) Platform

11 JUNE 2026

1.0 INTRODUCTION

This Performance Work Statement (PWS) defines the requirements for the acquisition, implementation, and sustainment of a commercial Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) weather platform for United States Air Forces Central (AFCENT). AFCENT is the air component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), responsible for air operations and developing contingency plans across the area of responsibility. Mission success in this dynamic and often austere environment is critically dependent on timely, accurate, and decision-quality environmental intelligence.

Currently, AFCENT relies on a combination of organic and disparate weather information systems that present challenges in data fusion, accessibility, and operational tempo. The operational environment demands a shift towards more agile, resilient, and scalable solutions that can be rapidly deployed and adapted to meet evolving mission needs. This acquisition will provide AFCENT with a secure, commercially managed, and continuously updated weather platform. This service will enhance situational awareness, improve the accuracy of mission planning and execution, and ensure that airpower can be projected decisively and safely in support of AFCENT's mission.

1.1 SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of this PWS encompasses all activities required to provide, operate, maintain, and sustain a fully managed SaaS weather platform. The Contractor shall deliver a turn-key solution accessible through Government networks that provides real-time and forecasted meteorological and oceanographic (METOC) data, high-fidelity modeling, decision support tools, and user support. The service shall be performance-based, focusing on the availability, accuracy, and usability of the weather data and platform capabilities rather than the underlying methods of implementation.

The scope includes, but is not limited to:

· Platform Provisioning and Data Delivery: The Contractor shall provide and operate its SaaS platform on NIPRNet within a FedRAMP-approved cloud environment. For classified capabilities, the vendor shall deliver data products to the Government-designated SIPR/JWICS enclave in a DoD-approved transfer format via an accredited cross-domain solution.

· Data Integration and Management: Ingest, process, and make available a comprehensive set of global, regional, and local weather data from diverse sources.

· Application and Forecasting Services: Provide an intuitive, map-centric user interface with advanced tools for data visualization, analysis, and the creation of mission-specific weather products.

· Cybersecurity and Information Assurance: Ensure the platform complies with all applicable DoD and Air Force cybersecurity directives, including obtaining and maintaining the necessary Authority to Operate (ATO) on Government networks.

· User Support and Training: Provide help desk support and virtual training to ensure effective adoption and utilization by AFCENT personnel.

· Contract Management and Transition: Provide all necessary program management, quality control, and transition activities to ensure seamless service delivery.

1.2 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance shall consist of a 3-month base period and options for a one 3-month extension and one 6-month extension.

· Base Period: 3 months (performance commencing 5-10 days after contract award to allow for a post-award conference)

· Option Period 1: 3-month extension

· Option Period 2: 6-month extension

1.3 GENERAL INFORMATION

· 1.3.1 Type of Contract: The government will award a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contract. This is a non-personal services contract. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or control over the contract service providers.

· 1.3.2 Place of Performance: The place of performance shall be virtual at the Contractor’s facility. The SaaS platform shall be hosted in the cloud and accessed by Government personnel entirely over the internet via secure web browsers on NIPRNet. No physical on-site contractor presence is required at AFCENT Headquarters, Shaw AFB, SC.

· 1.3.3 Security Requirements: Contractor personnel do not require access to physical Government facilities or classified systems for daily performance of this contract. However, Contractor personnel handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) or technical data schemas destined for classified environments must be US Citizens and undergo the appropriate background investigations. If the Government determines that discussions regarding C2 integration require access to classified information, the Contractor shall provide personnel holding the appropriate security clearance. Any classified requirements will be executed in accordance with the DD Form 254.

· 1.3.4 Quality Control Plan (QCP): The Contractor shall develop and maintain an effective Quality Control Plan (QCP) to ensure services are performed in accordance with this PWS. The QCP shall be delivered within 30 days of contract award.

· 1.3.5 Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP): The Government will evaluate the Contractor's performance in accordance with the QASP associated with this PWS.

PART II: DEFINITIONS & ACRONYMS

PART III: GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (GFP)

The Government will provide the following to support the performance of this PWS:

· API Access Specifications: Detailed API documentation and endpoints for required Government data sources and C2 systems.

· Security Credentials: Necessary credentials (e.g., CACs) for cleared Contractor personnel to access Government systems.

· C2 System and Testbed Access: Supervised, remote access to a Government-managed C2 system and testbed environment for integration testing and deployment.

· DD Form 254: The Government will provide a DD Form 254 specifying security requirements as needed.

· CDS Drop Point Specifications: The Government will provide the technical specifications, file formats, and network pathways required for the Contractor to successfully push data payloads to the NIPRNet CDS ingestion point.

PART IV: CONTRACTOR FURNISHED ITEMS AND SERVICES

The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, equipment, software, tools, materials, supervision, and other items and services required to perform the work defined in this PWS, except for those items specified as Government-furnished.

PART V: SPECIFIC TASKS

The Contractor shall provide a comprehensive, secure, and resilient SaaS-based weather intelligence platform with the following capabilities:

5.1 Task 1: Global AI-Native Atmospheric Prediction Engine

The service shall employ a proprietary AI-native global atmospheric prediction model with independent data assimilation.

· 5.1.1 Probabilistic Forecasts: Generate fully probabilistic forecast outputs providing calibrated likelihood distributions for all supported parameters.

· 5.1.2 Data Assimilation: Assimilate data from a proprietary LEO constellation of passive microwave sounders, fused with geostationary satellite inputs and institutional NWP sources, to produce a Unified Precipitation product.

· 5.1.3 Resolution and Refresh: Operate at a global baseline spatial resolution of 25km or finer, with enhanced regional output at sub-10km. Global predictions shall refresh on a cycle no greater than six hours; regional and location-specific predictions shall refresh hourly or more frequently.

· 5.1.4 Data Layers: Support a minimum of 60 atmospheric and environmental data layers, including core weather parameters, clouds, Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), maritime parameters, air quality, Land Information System, Flood index and aviation parameters.

5.2 Task 2: High-Resolution Probabilistic Regional Modeling

The service shall provide a hyper-local probabilistic regional model at 3km grid resolution with a 15-minute update cadence.

· 5.2.1 Forecast Horizon: Generate ensemble-based probabilistic output at 3km resolution with 15-minute temporal resolution through the first six hours, then hourly, with a forecast horizon of at least 36 hours.

· 5.2.2 AOR Coverage: Operate over the CENTCOM AOR including the Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, and South Asia.

5.3 Task 3: Configurable Decision Logic and Automated Insight Generation The service shall provide a configurable rules engine to convert atmospheric prediction into mission-relevant decision support.

· 5.3.1 Custom Thresholds: Allow METOC operators and planners to define custom environmental thresholds tied to mission types, platforms, or operational phases (e.g., rotary-wing wind limits, convoy visibility minimums).

· 5.3.2 Automated Alerts: Continuously evaluate forecast output against all active insight rules and generate structured, machine-readable alert objects when forecast conditions are predicted to breach defined thresholds.

· 5.3.3 API Delivery: Deliver all alerts and insight products via an authenticated RESTful API in JSON format.

5.4 Task 4: AOR-Wide Predictive Severe Weather and Environmental Shaping The service shall maintain continuous, automated, operator-independent monitoring for environmental shaping events.

· 5.4.1 Pre-built Detections: Pre-built detection shall include blowing dust and sand events, extreme heat/cold events, heavy precipitation, thunderstorms and convective winds, hail, tornadoes, fog, and significant sea state affecting maritime operations.

5.5 Task 5: Integration and Support

· 5.5.1 Integration Architecture & Data Delivery: For unclassified environments, the Contractor shall expose all data via authenticated RESTful API endpoints over HTTPS (port 443) in JSON and GeoJSON formats. For classified environments, the vendor shall deliver data products to the Government-designated SIPR/JWICS enclave in a DoD-approved transfer format via an accredited cross-domain solution (CDS). The delivered data products must perform and provide the same utility, capability, and data overlays in the classified enclaves as they do on the unclassified platform.

· 5.5.2 Security and Accreditation: The Contractor shall operate within a FedRAMP-accredited environment at Impact Level 2 or higher for NIPR access. The Contractor shall provide all necessary technical specifications, data schemas, and cybersecurity artifacts required to support the data transfer and verify the accreditation of the cross-domain pathway.

· 5.5.3 Contractor Support: The Contractor shall provide all operator setup, platform onboarding, and initial training virtually over the internet (e.g., via Microsoft Teams or secure web-conferencing) for approximately one week. Additionally, at the request of the Government, the Contractor shall conduct a live technical capability demonstration of the platform virtually via Microsoft Teams. Ongoing support and technical reachback shall be provided remotely over the internet/telephone. No physical travel to Government installations is required.

· 5.5.4 System Availability Service Level Agreement: The SaaS platform shall maintain a minimum operational uptime of 99.9% per month, excluding scheduled maintenance windows approved by the Government.

PART VI: APPLICABLE PUBLICATIONS

The Contractor shall comply with the most recent versions of the following documents, as applicable, to achieve and maintain a USAF network Authority to Operate (ATO).

· DoDI 8500.01: Cybersecurity

· DoDI 8510.01: Risk Management Framework (RMF) for DoD Information Technology (IT)

· NIST SP 800-53: Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations

· Relevant DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs)

PART VII: DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall provide deliverables as specified in the Contract Data Requirements List (CDRL), DD Form 1423, attached if needed. Deliverables include:

· Quality Control Plan (QCP)

· Monthly Progress Report

· System Security Plan (SSP) Updates

· API Documentation

PART VIII: TECHNICAL DATA AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE RIGHTS

· 8.1 Commercial Software: The Government shall receive the rights customarily provided to the public under the vendor’s standard commercial license agreement.

· 8.2 User-Generated Data: All data and information created or generated by Government personnel through the use of the platform shall be the exclusive property of the U.S. Government. The Contractor shall ensure the Government can export or retrieve all such data at any time in a non-proprietary format.

PART IX: SERVICE IMPLEMENTATION AND TRANSITION PLAN

The Contractor shall develop and execute a comprehensive plan to ensure a seamless and transparent implementation of the service at the beginning of the contract and an orderly transition to a successor at the end of the contract period. This plan will mitigate risks to mission capability during both phases.

9.1 Service Implementation (Phase-In): The Contractor shall achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) within fourteen (14) days of contract award. This includes provisioning NIPRNet platform access for authorized users, establishing virtual training schedules, and delivering the initial API/CDS data schemes to the Government.

9.2 Service Transition (Phase-Out): Upon expiration or termination of the contract, the Contractor shall fully cooperate with the Government to ensure an orderly cessation of services. This includes securely de-provisioning all Government user accounts and ensuring the Government has exported all historical, user-generated alerts or data. The Contractor shall certify in writing that all Government-generated data has been sanitized from their commercial systems within thirty (15) days of contract termination.