FAA Seeks Industry Input for Meteorological Decision Support

On February 4, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is reaching out to industry professionals for meteorological decision support services aimed at enhancing operations across the National Airspace System (NAS). This initiative encompasses several critical facilities, including the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), 21 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs), and three Combined Center Radar Approach Control (CERAP) facilities.

The primary objective of this request is to bolster weather-related decision-making processes, thereby improving both operational efficiency and safety within air traffic management. The prospective contractor will be entrusted with providing comprehensive weather data, forecasts, and briefings available around the clock, facilitating timely updates and urgent notifications essential for FAA operations.

This includes delivering scheduled and ad hoc weather briefings directly to air traffic control staff, ensuring they are equipped with up-to-date and precise information to manage flight operations effectively. Additionally, the contractor is expected to monitor and assess weather conditions such as thunderstorms, turbulence, icing, and visibility variances, providing real-time alerts regarding hazardous weather conditions that may impact flight safety.

Collaboration with the FAA and industry partners will also be essential for developing forecasting and decision-making tools. The contractor will engage in strategic planning to ensure coordinated responses to weather-related events and enhance predictive capabilities in air traffic management.

Moreover, program management responsibilities will be a key aspect of this role. The contractor must track performance, generate monthly reports, and adhere to a quality control plan to maintain high service delivery standards. Compliance with FAA security protocols concerning personnel, facilities, and government-contributed data is mandatory to protect sensitive information and meet established training and certification requirements.

Support for special events and emergency operations is also critical, as the contractor will provide tailored weather analyses and reports during high-traffic periods, such as holiday travel or major sporting events. Continuous evaluation of forecast accuracy and service performance will be implemented to measure the effectiveness of the meteorological support rendered.

Those interested in submitting responses to the Request for Information (RFI) must do so by emailing contracting officers Lucinda Davis at ldavis@faa.gov and Jennifer Dinwiddie-Gamble at jdinwiddie-gamble@faa.gov by 3:00 PM Eastern on February 19, 2025. More details can be found at SAM.gov.

Source: Original Article