Commercial Alternatives for GOES Rebroadcast (GRB) and High Rate Information Transmission (HRIT) / Emergency Managers’ Warning Information Network (EMWIN) Services

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Document Number: RFI-NOAA-GRB-2026-001

Title: Commercial Alternatives for GOES Rebroadcast (GRB) and High Rate Information Transmission (HRIT) / Emergency Managers’ Warning Information Network (EMWIN) Services

Summary & Purpose

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) solely for market research and planning purposes in accordance with FAR Part 10 and FAR 15.201(e). NOAA is seeking information from commercial industry partners regarding the feasibility, technical approach, and cost-effectiveness of replacing current GOES Rebroadcast (GRB) and HRIT/EMWIN broadcasts with a commercially managed "Data-as-a-Service" model.  This strategy aligns with planning for future geostationary environmental observations under the Geostationary Extended Observations (GeoXO) program (targeting a ~2032 transition), as well as potential commercial capabilities during the GOES-R operational timeframe (2028–2050s).

Key Technical Objectives

NOAA is seeking market feedback on commercial solutions capable of meeting or exceeding target performance parameters:  Data Rates: GRB replacement ≥ 31 Mbps uncoded; HRIT/EMWIN replacement ≥ 400 Kbps uncoded.  Delivery Latency: < 5 seconds for high-priority emergency alerts; < 10 seconds for all other products.  Availability & Security: System availability ≥ 99.5%; compliance with FISMA "High" or "Moderate" standards.  Global Reach: Ability to serve a global direct readout user base over radio frequency (RF) links without requiring significant end-user capital expenditure.

Submission & Schedule

RFI Release Date: August 17, 2026, 3:00 PM EDT

Clarification Questions Due: August 24, 2026, 3:00 PM EDT

Final Response Submission Deadline: August 31, 2026, 3:00 PM EDT

Submission Format: PDF Capability Statement not to exceed 15 pages.

Points of Contact

Contracting Specialist: Mark Brady (mark.e.brady@noaa.gov)

Technical Program Manager: Toby Hutchings (toby.hutchings@noaa.gov)

Disclaimer: This notice does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Invitation for Bids (IFB), or Request for Quotation (RFQ). The Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this notice. Please refer to the attached document (RFI-NOAA-GRB-2026-001.pdf) for complete submission instructions and detailed evaluation criteria.