Meteorological Data and Reporting System (MDCRS)   2

Background
The National Weather Service (NWS) is responsible for providing weather, hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. This contract aims to acquire aircraft-based observations of wind and temperature from major commercial airlines to enhance the skill of numerical weather prediction (NWP) and improve operational forecasting applications.

The data collected will be critical for predicting severe weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, flash floods, and tornadoes, thereby protecting lives and property.

Work Details
The contractor shall provide the following services:
1. Acquire wind and temperature observations from commercial aircraft operated by major airlines, focusing on data concentrated over the continental United States (CONUS) and limited data from international airspace.
2. Deliver an estimated quantity of 1,700,000 data soundings per 12-month ordering period for a total of 5,100,000 data soundings over the three-year period.
3. Provide MDCRS observations from US-based airlines with adherence to WMO and NWS data standards.
4. Ensure high reliability in data delivery and maintain full disclosure of sensor characteristics.
5. Include ADS-C wind and temperature en-route observations from airlines operating along transoceanic routes with pressure/altitude and geolocation/temporal data.
6. Deliver an estimated quantity of 1,300,000 data soundings per 12-month ordering period for a total of 3,900,000 over three years for OCONUS observations.
7. Meet all requirements without interruption in service at the beginning of the contract period.

Period of Performance
The contract will be performed from March 1, 2025 to February 29, 2028.

Place of Performance
The services will primarily be performed within the continental United States (CONUS) with some limited operations in international airspace.