USNIC SAR Data Recompete

NOAA is procuring commercial Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery data supporting the U.S. National Ice Center (USNIC) and the U.S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol (IIP), with quotes due November 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time. The notice uses no set-aside. Quotes go electronically to graham.chapman@noaa.gov.

Acceptance location is Ocean Prediction Center, College Park, Maryland, and coverage spans polar and sub-polar latitudes (up to 90 North and South), Arctic and Antarctic regions, Alaskan coastal waters, the Great Lakes, the U.S. East Coast from Chesapeake northward, and ad-hoc global locations. The base year runs 12/6/2026 through 12/5/2027, with four optional one-year extensions through 12/5/2031. The estimated total is $4.5 million to $5.0 million, or $0.9 million to $1.0 million per annual period.

The contract has two firm-fixed-price tasks. Task 1 provides baseline imagery with a target capacity exceeding 60 million square kilometers per period of performance. Task 2 provides surge capacity for IIP's February 1 through August 31 operational season. Required capabilities include wide-swath primary imaging, multi-polarization (HH+HV or VV+VH) preferred, high-resolution modes at 3 meters or better, tasking up to 14 calendar days ahead, four-hour urgent tasking latency, and a four-hour maximum data latency from acquisition. Support is 24x7x365 with 2-hour Priority 1 response. System availability must be 98%, and a Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery plan is due within 30 days of award and each exercised option year. The government requires an extended "USG Plus" license tier for sharing with international partners such as the North American Ice Service.

Technical quotes are capped at 30 pages. The price quote must provide a unit-price catalog for all footprint and resolution modes, with NRT latency surcharges, urgent tasking surcharges for orders within 72 hours, and USG Plus pricing. A Small Business Subcontracting Plan under FAR 52.219-9 is required. Evaluation weighs technical capability and BC/DR planning approximately equally with price to determine best value.