Jane Edwards 
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has started soliciting proposals for the Space-Based Environmental Monitoring, or SBEM, domain under the Professional, Scientific and Technical Services, or ProTech, 2.0 program.
As NOAA advances its push to integrate commercial satellite data through the ProTech SBEM solicitation, the broader implications for space-based environmental monitoring and forecasting will continue to shape industry discussions. Join the 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30, where leaders will explore emerging capabilities and partnerships shaping the future of space. Sign up now!
According to a solicitation notice published Tuesday, NOAA is also requesting industry responses for an initial task order focused on global navigation satellite system radio occultation data. Offers are due May 22.
The procurement supports NOAA’s strategy to integrate commercially produced satellite data into its environmental monitoring, forecasting and modeling operations. In March, the agency issued a draft request for proposals for the SBEM domain.
ProTech 2.0 is a suite of multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts spanning four domains with a combined ceiling value of $8 billion.
What Is the Scope of the ProTech 2.0 SBEM Contract?
NOAA intends to acquire commercially produced satellite-based terrestrial and space weather data across multiple functional categories under the SBEM IDIQ contract.
The agency said the contract will support the procurement of data types including GNSS radio occultation, GNSS reflectometry, microwave sounders, multispectral imagery, infrared sounders, thermospheric neutral density measurements and active sensors.
The SBEM contract provides broad requirements at the IDIQ level, with more specific and refined requirements to be defined under individual task orders. NOAA said the effort will support environmental monitoring, weather forecasting, numerical modeling, space weather prediction and decision support services.
What Are the Requirements of the Initial SBEM Task Order?
The initial task order requires contractors to deliver near-real-time GNSS radio occultation satellite data for use in NOAA’s operational weather and space weather models, including measurements that will be processed into atmospheric and space weather products.
NOAA requires vendors to provide Level 0 and Level 1a data with global coverage, including between 10,000 and 26,000 radio occultation profiles per day. The agency also identified desired capabilities such as 500 to 1,000 total electron content tracks per day and enhanced temporal resolution from varied orbital configurations.
The task order includes a data preparation phase for new vendors, followed by a data delivery period of up to two years. Contractors must submit quarterly status reports, notify NOAA within 24 hours of any anomalies and deliver data that the agency will archive.
What Previous Awards Has NOAA Made Under ProTech 2.0?
NOAA has made multiple awards under the ProTech 2.0 program. In the weather domain, the agency selected 20 small business contractors to compete for task orders supporting modeling, data assimilation and forecasting capabilities.
Across other domains, NOAA awarded 18 companies spots on the oceans contract to support data collection, research, engineering and coastal monitoring efforts, and 21 vendors positions on the fisheries domain contract covering studies, surveys, field sampling and applied research services. The agency also selected 15 vendors for the satellite domain contract to provide space-based observation and related support services.
