The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released a request for proposals for a commercial microwave sounder data buy under its Commercial Data Purchase program.
What Is NOAA Requesting From Industry?
NOAA said Wednesday it is seeking commercially available passive microwave sounder products to support the generation of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles. The data will be used to enhance land, hydrology and precipitation products for operational weather models and applications. Interested vendors can submit their proposals until April 22.
This latest solicitation follows previous MWS data contracts awarded to Tomorrow.io and Orbital Micro Systems for the agency's latest Commercial Weather Data Pilot studies.
How Will NOAA Use the Data?
NOAA plans to assess the quality and operational impact of microwave sounder data on its forecasting systems, including models used for tropical cyclone prediction. The agency said successful demonstrations may lead to ongoing procurement of similar datasets to complement government-owned observation systems.
What Is the Role of the CDP Program?
The Commercial Data Purchase program, managed by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Services, focuses on acquiring space-based observational data to enhance weather forecasts. It includes pilot projects to test data utility and procurement activities that support operational forecasting.
