Alternative Solutions to Replace capabilities of GEOS DCS Aux

The Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through its National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), is seeking industry input on alternative solutions to replace the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Data Collection System (DCS) Auxiliary Communication System. This Request for Information (RFI) solicits feedback on potential commercial solutions to replace the current space-based data collection system that supports environmental data platforms across 40 countries. The procurement aims to identify solutions that can support 16,000-33,000 data collection points while processing 500,000-1 million messages per day with data latency maintained under one minute and hemispheric reception coverage. Responses should include technical architecture details, implementation schedules targeting 2032, cost models, business risks, and potential contractual arrangements. Industry responses are due by August 4, 2025, and must be submitted via email to specified NOAA and NASA contacts.

This opportunity does not include any set-aside designations and is open to all qualified contractors. The RFI does not identify any current incumbents or existing contractors for the GOES DCS Auxiliary Communication System replacement. No specific award values or budget ranges are provided in the solicitation documents, as this is an information-gathering exercise rather than a formal procurement. The system currently supports over 33,000 environmental data platforms globally, indicating the substantial scale of operations that any replacement solution would need to accommodate. The target implementation timeline of 2032 suggests a multi-year development and deployment schedule for the selected alternative solution. NOAA has indicated that RFI responses may be shared with other US government agencies, though this information gathering does not guarantee future contract opportunities.