GEONETCast America (GNC-A)

The contract award, identified by solicitation number 1332KP26F0040, is a sole-source, firm-fixed-price order issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule contract GAS-35F-517AA to SIMBA Enterprises, LLC for the continued operation of the GEONETCast America (GNC-A) system. This award is justified under GSAM/R 538.7104-3(b)(1)(iii) as a logical follow-on to a prior competitive order, with the primary rationale centered on economy and efficiency. The government determined that transitioning to a new contractor would incur over $1 million in non-recoverable costs, result in service delays of more than three months, and require redundant infrastructure design, testing, and training, posing a high risk of mission-critical service degradation. The incumbent contractor retains critical personnel, existing technical systems, and a proprietary lease with Intelsat for satellite transponder capacity, creating unique, non-replicable operational advantages that limit competition and justify the non-competitive award. The base period of performance runs from June 13, 2026, to May 12, 2027, with three optional one-year extension periods through May 12, 2030. Primary operations are conducted at the Ellenwood, Georgia uplink teleport, while contract administration and oversight are managed by NOAA’s office in Silver Spring, Maryland. The service provides continuous satellite-based dissemination of environmental data to users across the Americas, maintaining compatibility with the Intelsat DVB-S2 transponder infrastructure without disruption. Although the stated estimated value is $1,000, this figure is inconsistent with the scale and complexity of the service and is likely an error. SIMBA Enterprises, LLC is a Small Disadvantaged Business certified by the SBA, and the award triggers compliance with CICA justification and public disclosure requirements. No specific contract clauses, inspection criteria, packaging requirements, or detailed pricing line items are included in the documentation; acceptance is governed by government verification of system functionality, service continuity, and adherence to FSS pricing. The point of contact for the contractor is Robert Strickland, and the primary government point of contact is Andrea Chiodi.