NWS - Aerological Sounding Balloons

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), through its Acquisition and Grants Office Eastern Acquisition Division, is conducting market research to identify vendors capable of supplying General Purpose 20 km (GP-20) aerological sounding balloons to support National Weather Service radiosonde observations. These balloons carry radiosondes that measure critical atmospheric data including temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, and wind direction at altitudes up to approximately 30,000 meters, which directly supports weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and aviation services. Vendors must demonstrate capability to meet strict performance specifications requiring balloons to achieve a minimum burst altitude of 20.0 kilometers and maintain an average ascension rate of 275 meters per minute, with at least 90 percent of production meeting these standards across diverse launch and flight weather conditions at all 102 NWS Upper-Air sites. The anticipated contract will be awarded on a best value basis as a single-award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) with a Not to Exceed Ceiling and Firm Fixed Price unit-level provisions, and all First Article Tests must validate compliance with required performance specifications. Interested vendors must submit responses by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on March 20, 2026, providing company information, SAM UEI, contact details, size standard classification, and GSA Federal Supply Schedule number if applicable via a Google Form.

This procurement carries no set-aside designation and involves no identified incumbent contractor. The Government requires the supply of up to 18,960 GP-20 aerological sounding balloons annually, with balloons manufactured to stringent specifications including maximum inflated dimensions of 2.44 meters vertically and 1.98 meters horizontally, compatibility with hydrogen, helium, or natural gas inflation, and a 16-month warranty period covering visible defects and performance failures from delivery to the National Logistics Support Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Eligible vendors must operate within NAICS code 326299 (All Other Rubber Product Manufacturing) with a business size standard of 650 employees, and production lots cannot exceed 7,800 balloons manufactured within any consecutive 14-day period. While no specific budget range has been disclosed in this pre-solicitation notice, the substantial annual volume of nearly 19,000 units represents a significant procurement opportunity with ongoing demand across the NWS network. This is purely a market research initiative; responses do not constitute Government commitment to award a contract, and interested parties should direct inquiries to Contracting Specialist Alice Park at Alice.Park@noaa.gov.