SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE
Radar Next Program: Weather Radar Scientific and Engineering Expertise
Purpose:
This Sources Sought Notice is issued for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation or a Request for Proposal (RFP). The Government is conducting market research in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 10 to identify sources that possess the capability, expertise, and availability to provide substantive and expert technical and scientific advice, and engineering and small-scale prototyping/manufacturing services in support of the Radar Next Program.The information obtained from industry’s responses to this notice may be used in the development of an acquisition strategy and future request for proposal (RFP).
The Government does not intend to award a contract based on this market research or otherwise pay for information received. This request for information (RFI) is issued solely for information, planning purposes, and market research; it does not constitute an RFP or a promise to issue an RFP. This market research does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service. NOAA will not pay for any costs associated with providing information in response to this announcement, or any follow-up information requests. Not responding to this announcement does not preclude participation in any future RFP. All submissions become the property of the Government and will not be returned. If a solicitation is released, it will be posted on the System for Award Management (SAM) https://sam.gov.
Background:
The Radar Next Program is a long-term, tri-agency effort to plan for the eventual replacement of the current operational weather radar network, which is reaching the end of its service life. The program requires sustained engagement from technical experts in meteorological radar research and engineering, as well as the ability to prototype and test advanced radar systems and technologies to inform future acquisition and deployment decisions.
Description of Required Services:
The Government requires services to support the maintenance and advancement of a critical national capability in weather radar research, engineering, and development. These services are essential to ensure the successful planning, acquisition, and deployment of the next-generation weather radar network.
Minimum required capabilities include:
Manufacturing Capabilities
- Access to proprietary weather radar systems (and associated testing and manufacturing expertise) to provide insight into cost, maturity timelines, and value of emerging technologies, including:
- Phased Array Weather Radar (PAR) and electronically steered radar systems
- Parabolic Dish Weather Radar Systems
- Mobile and Portable Weather Radar Systems
- Novel design, engineering, manufacturing, and testing concepts for modern weather radar
Technical Expertise
- Advanced weather radar manufacturing processes
- PAR technology maturation and operational cost assessments
- Evaluation of commercial data and radar-as-a-service offerings, including minimum quality standards
- Clutter filtering techniques for next-generation systems
- Digital beamforming
- Calibration and data quality management
- Maintenance, sustainment, and operational best practices
- Remote monitoring and control
- Radar siting expertise
Areas of Market Research Interest:
To inform future acquisition strategy, the Government is seeking input from industry in the following areas:
- Commerciality of the Services:
Are the technical and scientific services, along with small-scale prototyping and radar manufacturing support described herein, offered commercially or modified from commercial services? Please describe the extent to which such services are available in the commercial marketplace.
- Prototyping and Manufacturing Capabilities:
Are there vendors with the ability to provide small-scale, on-demand prototyping and manufacturing of weather radar systems and components, as described in the required capabilities? Please identify any relevant facilities, experience, and technology access.
- Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI):
Vendors are asked to assess whether performance of the services described herein may create potential conflicts of interest with future procurements related to the Radar Next Program, such as those involving programmatic design, acquisition strategy, source evaluations, or prime contractor oversight. Additionally, vendors should describe any processes and procedures they have in place to prevent organizational conflicts of interest and ensure they are able to provide objective, impartial, and unbiased advice to the Government. This includes internal firewalls, non-disclosure practices, or other safeguards that preserve independence in technical and acquisition-related advisory roles.
- Subcontracting Opportunities:
The Government is also interested in understanding the availability of subcontracting opportunities within this requirement. Please identify areas where small or large business subcontractors could reasonably support the effort and describe the types of services or expertise they may contribute.
- Ability to Meet Minimum Required Capabilities:
Vendors are requested to describe their ability to meet the minimum required capabilities outlined in Section 2 of this notice. This includes, but is not limited to, access to and experience with phased array, parabolic dish, mobile, and portable weather radar technologies; engineering and manufacturing expertise related to advanced radar systems; and deep scientific and technical capabilities in radar data quality, digital beamforming, clutter filtering, remote operations, and radar siting. In doing so, vendors must clearly demonstrate how their capabilities have been applied specifically in support of meteorological or atmospheric science objectives, including:
- Scientific support to weather and environmental monitoring missions;
- Engineering and data quality challenges unique to weather radar observations;
- Radar system design and optimization for the detection of atmospheric phenomena; and
- Operational integration of radar systems into weather forecasting or early warning systems.
Vendors should identify which capabilities they currently possess, how those capabilities have been applied in comparable work, and any partnerships or specialized facilities leveraged to meet these needs. Vendors with broader radar experience in other domains (e.g., defense or surveillance) must explain how their capabilities translate to the specific performance requirements and mission goals of weather radar research and operations.
Responses:
Interested vendors should provide a brief capability statement addressing each of the areas above. Responses should include:
- Company name, address, and UEI number
- Business size under the anticipated NAICS code
- Description of relevant experience and technical capabilities
- Any additional information the Government should consider regarding this requirement
Submission Instructions:
Responses to any or all information requested in this RFI is acceptable. Responses must be submitted in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. RFI responses are limited to 15 pages on standard US letter size 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper using either Times New Roman or Arial font, 12 point. Existing commercial documentation and product literature can also be submitted separately and is not subject to a page limitation. Cover pages and contact information do not count against the page limit. Any supporting technical drawings/data should be as an appendix and does not count against the page limit. However, incorporated figures, charts, and images do count against the page limit.
Responses must be submitted electronically via email to jennifer.hildebrandt@noaa.gov by 4:00 PM EST on August 19, 2025. Please include "Radar Next Sources Sought Response" in the subject line.
This notice is issued solely for information gathering purposes and does not constitute a solicitation or obligation on the part of the Government to issue a solicitation or award. No reimbursement will be made for any costs associated with providing information in response to this notice.
Handling of Information
Proprietary information will be safeguarded in accordance with the applicable government regulations. Any material received will be considered to be public domain unless clearly marked (on each page) as proprietary. The Government shall not be liable for or suffer any consequential damages for proprietary information not properly identified.
Restrictive notices notwithstanding, during the evaluation process, submissions may be handled by support contractors for administrative purposes and/or to assist with technical evaluation. All NOAA support contractors performing this role are expressly prohibited from performing NOAA-sponsored technical research and are bound by appropriate nondisclosure agreements. Subject to the restrictions set forth in FAR 37.203(d), input on technical aspects of the proposals may be solicited by NOAA from non-Government consultants/experts who are strictly bound by the appropriate non-disclosure requirements.
Respondents are advised that the Government may utilize the Contractors and/or Consultants listed below to assist in the evaluation of the responses. These Contractors/Consultants will have access to any and all information submitted by respondents, and will be subject to the restrictions contained in the following clauses: Commerce Acquisition Regulations (CAR) 1352.209- 71 – Limitation of Future Contracting; CAR 1352.209-72 – Restrictions Against Disclosure; CAR 1352.209-74 – Organizational Conflict of Interest; and FAR Clause 52.203-16 – Preventing Personal Conflicts of Interest. The companies/organizations employing the subject Contractors/Consultants are also required to comply with these same confidentiality restrictions. All federal and non-federal personnel participating in the evaluation of this acquisition will have executed Non-Disclosure Agreements.
M2 Company Information
MITRE Company Information
The respondent agrees, by its submission of a response to the sources sought notice, to have its resonses reviewed by these Contractors/Consultants for the purpose of providing technical or cost/price analysis to the Government unless the respondent provides objections to such disclosure as follows: The respondent shall (1) submit the objection in writing to the Contracting Officer at least five (5) days prior to the date set for receipt of the proposals; and (2) include a detailed statement of the basis for the objection.
