Weather Act Reauthorization Act of 2025

303. Commercial Data Pilot Program

(a) Program establishment. Within the Commercial Data Program under section 302, there shall be a Commercial Data Pilot Program to engage with external partners and providers to test and develop shared standards and methodologies for quality, use, licensing, and attribution of observation services and data, and to ensure quality, impact, and compatibility of such services and data with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration modeling capabilities, meteorological situational awareness, and forecasting. The Program is authorized to test and evaluate all sources and types of observation services, imagery, products, and data from private sector entities, including new and innovative surface-based, airborne-based, space-based, and coastal- and ocean-based data, metadata, and model components.

(b) Criteria. The Under Secretary shall ensure that data acquired through the Commercial Data Pilot Program described in subsection (a) meets the most recent standards and specifications required for observation services and data as published pursuant to section 302(c).

(c) Pilot contracts. The Under Secretary shall, through an open competition, regularly enter into pilot contracts with private sector entities capable of providing observation services and data referred to in subsection (a) that meet the standards and specifications published pursuant to section 302(c) for so providing such services and data in a manner that allows the Under Secretary to calibrate and evaluate such services and data for use in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration activities.

(d) Assessment of viability. The Under Secretary shall annually assess and submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a summary of the pilot contracts entered into pursuant to subsection (c), the extent to which such contracts meet the standards and specifications published pursuant to section 302(c), and any additional information determined necessary related to the following:

(1) The viability of assimilating observation services and data from private sector entities into National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts and models.

(2) The expected value added or improvements from such services and data so assimilated into National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts and models.

(3) The accuracy, quality, timeliness, validity, reliability, usability, information technology security, and cost-effectiveness of obtaining observation services and data from private sector entities.

(4) Steps to integrate within one year such services and data into operational use by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or any associated challenges in doing so.

(e) Obtaining future data. If an assessment under subsection (d) demonstrates the ability of commercial services and data to meet the standards and specifications published pursuant to section 302(c), the Under Secretary shall—

(1) when cost-effective and feasible, obtain observation services and data from private sector entities through the Commercial Data Program under section 302;

(2) as early as possible in the acquisition process for any future National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite system, determine whether there is a suitable, cost-effective, commercial capability available or that will be available to meet applicable instrument, spacecraft, or system requirements before completion of the critical design phase of such planned satellite system;

(3) if a suitable, cost-effective, commercial capability is or will be available as described in paragraph (2), determine whether and how such capability is in the national interest if developed as a solely governmental system; and

(4) submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report detailing any determinations made under paragraphs (2) and (3).

(f) Authorization of appropriations. From amounts authorized to be appropriated pursuant to section 302 to carry out such section, not less than 15 percent of such amounts each fiscal year are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section.