Pat Host 
- NOAA’s SBEM will procure data from commercial sources to augment government sources
- The SBEM IDIQ will leverage technologies like commercial microwave sounder
- Hear from NOAA’s James Donnellon at the 2026 FedCiv Summit on Oct. 29!
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s new Space-Based Environmental Monitoring, or SBEM, contract vehicle is the agency’s bold shift toward a hybrid data architecture—one featuring both traditional government-owned satellites and commercial spacecraft.
NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service, a.k.a. NESDIS, on Thursday released its SBEM IDIQ contract, which runs through Aug. 31, 2036—a five-year contract followed by a five-year option period. NOAA will initially work with 14 companies to procure data among seven categories with a goal of significantly improving weather forecasting and space weather monitoring capabilities for the agency and international partners.
NESDIS’ SBEM forecasts a massive investment in commercial space data. Get beyond the headlines with James Donnellon, NESDIS deputy assistant administrator, during his appearance at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 FedCiv Summit on Oct. 29. At the OneGov Effect: Leveraging AI to Accelerate Agency Modernization and Migration panel discussion, learn from Donnellon about translating OneGov buying power into modernization outcomes. Sign up today!
Taylor Jordan, NOAA assistant secretary of commerce for environmental observation and prediction, said the agency is maximizing the impact and value of high-quality environmental data provided by commercial firms that will benefit the American weather enterprise.
“NOAA will support data streams and projects that harness cutting-edge instruments and science that advances our mission to protect lives, safeguard property, and strengthen the nation’s economy and national security,” Jordan said.
When Did NESDIS Start Moving Toward a Commercial-Friendly Data Architecture?
NESDIS began laying the groundwork for a more commercial-inclusive data architecture as early as 2019. This is when the agency issued broad agency announcements for new instrument, spacecraft and business-model concepts for NOAA’s space-based observation architecture beyond Joint Polar Satellite System and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R, or GOES-R, systems.
NESDIS, through its Commercial Data Program, or CDP, established its SEBM contract under NOAA’s Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Program, or ProTech, 2.0. The ProTech-managed contract operates under an $8 billion shared ceiling funding vehicle created in 2021. It enables NOAA’s Weather Service, Ocean Service, Fisheries Service and Satellite Service to acquire professional, technical and scientific services.
When Did NOAA Begin Offering SBEM Bridge Contracts?
NOAA issued CDP contracts earlier in 2026 to act as a bridge to SBEM. NOAA on Aug. 13 announced contracts to Spire Global and PlanetiQ totalling $6.4 million for the Radio Occultation Data Buy 2 IDIQ. These awards, for weather forecasting and space weather applications, serve as a bridge between RODB-2 and SBEM.
NOAA on June 18 tapped Tomorrow.io and Weather Stream for contracts totalling $10 million for passive microwave sounder data, focusing on forecasting impact assessments, operational readiness and preparation for potential transition-to-operations. They also assess the quality and impact of commercial microwave sounder data on NOAA forecast models and tropical cyclone forecasting.
The agency in late July selected Muon Space for a $2.5 million contract for wildfire imagery data as part of a pilot. Muon is providing multispectral infrared observation data on-orbit for one or more satellites. The data will be used by NOAA for wildfire detection, characterization, monitoring and mapping.
Power up your federal civilian contracting success by attending the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 FedCiv Summit on Oct. 29. Meet your teaming partners in person—find primes, subs and small businesses for partnership opportunities. Expand your network beyond your usual circles by meeting top officials from agencies like NOAA, the Department of the Interior and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and more during rare public appearances. Skip the cold outreach and accomplish in one day what you can’t with emails and LinkedIn messages. Secure your seat now for this essential GovCon forum!
What Commercial Data Will NESDIS Acquire Under SBEM?
NESDIS under SBEM will initially work with 14 industry partners to procure data across seven technology categories:
1. Global navigation satellite system-radio occultation, a.k.a. GNSS-RO, for atmosphere profiling and ionospheric space weather, or total electronic content and scintillation. Industry partners are: Spire Global Subsidiary, PlanetiQ, Ethereal Space, Precursor SPC and Tomorrow.io.
2. Global navigation satellites system-reflectometry, or GNSS-R, for land and ocean surface observations. Spire Global Subsidiary, Tomorrow.io and Muon Space were chosen for GNSS-R awards.
3. Microwave sounder, to acquire traditional and hyperspectral atmospheric temperature and moisture measurements. The companies selected were: Spire Global Subsidiary, Tomorrow.io, BAE Systems Space and Mission Systems and Weather Stream.
4. Multispectral imagery for weather, including in low-light areas and wildland fire applications. Ethereal Space, Tomorrow.io, Muon Space, Hydrosat and Tropical Weather Analytics were chosen for this category.
5. Thermospheric neutral density for satellite orbital predictions. Industry partners selected were: Spire Global Subsidiary, PlanetiQ, Ethereal Space and SpaceX.
6. Active sensors for scatterometry, altimetry, synthetic aperture radar, and K/Ka/Ku-band radar, to measure atmospheric features. Industry partners tapped were: Tomorrow.io, Care Weather Technologies, ICEYE and Umbra Lab.
7. Infrared sounders for atmospheric vertical temperature, moisture profiles and environmental monitoring applications. No vendors were initially selected for this category.
