The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) collection, analysis, and dissemination of ecosystem information on the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and seas, and land-masses is critical to public safety, protection of property, and the economic health and development of communities in the United States and globally. Under a contract valued at $4.4 million, employee-owned technology solutions provider Alion Science and Technology will perform a wide range of radio frequency (RF) spectrum services for the NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS) Office of Radio Frequency Management (ORFM) that will help to ensure environmental data can be gathered and transmitted via satellite.

Under the contract, Alion will support the protection of RF spectrum access for NOAA’s network of geostationary and polar-orbiting environmental satellites and associated ground systems by analyzing RF interference between NOAA and other satellite networks and providing RF engineering and project management expertise.  Alion will work with national and international RF spectrum policy-setting and regulatory bodies to support NOAA’s spectrum interests. Additionally, Alion will perform RF modeling and analysis of environmental satellite Earth-to-space and space-to-Earth communications and develop processes and procedures to ensure availability of RF spectrum for NOAA.