110 
Program described in subsection (a) meets the most recent 
standards and specifications required for observation serv-
ices 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 pur-
suant to section 302(c) for so providing such services and 
data in a manner that allows the Under Secretary to cali-
brate and evaluate such services and data for use in Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration activities. 
‘‘(d) ASSESSMENT OF VIABILITY.—The Under Sec-
retary 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 con-
tracts entered into pursuant to subsection (c), the extent 
to which such contracts meet the standards and specifica-
tions published pursuant to section 302(c), and any addi-
tional information determined necessary related to the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) The viability of assimilating observation 
services and data from private sector entities into
111 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
forecasts and models. 
‘‘(2) The expected value added or improvements 
from such services and data so assimilated into Na-
tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fore-
casts and models. 
‘‘(3) The accuracy, quality, timeliness, validity, 
reliability, usability, information technology security, 
and cost-effectiveness of obtaining observation serv-
ices and data from private sector entities. 
‘‘(4) Steps to integrate within one year such 
services and data into operational use by the Na-
tional 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 commer-
cial services and data to meet the standards and specifica-
tions published pursuant to section 302(c), the Under Sec-
retary shall— 
‘‘(1) when cost-effective and feasible, obtain ob-
servation services and data from private sector enti-
ties through the Commercial Data Program under 
section 302; 
‘‘(2) as early as possible in the acquisition proc-
ess for any future National Oceanic and Atmos-
112 
pheric Administration satellite system, determine 
whether there is a suitable, cost-effective, commer-
cial capability available or that will be available to 
meet applicable instrument, spacecraft, or system re-
quirements before completion of the critical design 
phase of such planned satellite system; 
‘‘(3) if a suitable, cost-effective, commercial ca-
pability is or will be available as described in para-
graph (2), determine whether and how such capa-
bility 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 de-
terminations made under paragraphs (2) and (3). 
‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—From 
amounts authorized to be appropriated pursuant to sec-
tion 302 to carry out such section, not less than 15 per-
cent of such amounts each fiscal year are authorized to 
be appropriated to carry out this section.’’.
113 
SEC. 303. CONTRACTING AUTHORITY AND AVOIDANCE OF 
DUPLICATION. 
Title III of the Weather Research and Forecasting 
Innovation Act of 2017 is amended by adding at the end 
the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 304. CONTRACTING AUTHORITY AND AVOIDANCE OF 
DUPLICATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Consistent with other Federal 
agencies that contract and partner with private sector en-
tities, the Under Secretary is authorized to use con-
tracting mechanisms and enter into agreements that uti-
lize multiyear contract options. In carrying out sections 
302 and 303, the Under Secretary shall, to the greatest 
extent possible— 
‘‘(1) enter into year-long or multiyear contract 
options using contracting mechanisms that foster re-
siliency of datatypes purchased; 
‘‘(2) partner and contract with multiple obser-
vation service and data providers simultaneously to 
reduce risks of data gaps and improve mission 
robustness; and 
‘‘(3) utilize authorities, such as additional 
forms of transaction agreements under section 301, 
that allow for innovative partnerships with private 
sector entities.
114 
‘‘(b) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this title may be 
construed as infringing on the acquisition authority or 
strategy of Federal entities authorized under title 10, 
United States Code. 
‘‘(c) UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION.—In meeting the 
requirements under this title, the Under Secretary shall 
avoid unnecessary duplication between the National Oce-
anic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration, other Federal depart-
ments and agencies, and private sector entities, including 
relating to corresponding expenditures of funds and em-
ployment of personnel by— 
‘‘(1) coordinating existing activities with other 
civilian Federal departments and agencies which 
provide, contract, or partner with private sector enti-
ties to acquire, weather and environmental observa-
tions and data; and 
‘‘(2) coordinating and soliciting weather and en-
vironmental observations and data requirements and 
needs from other civilian Federal departments and 
agencies to be acquired by the Commercial Data 
Program under section 302. 
‘‘(d) FAIR
COMPENSATION
FOR
INTERAGENCY 
NEEDS.—The Under Secretary, to the maximum extent 
practicable, shall ensure that Federal departments and
115 
agencies utilizing services and data under sections 302 
and 303 fairly compensate the National Oceanic and At-
mospheric Administration, or the non-Federal entities pro-
viding such services or data, as appropriate, for use.’’. 
SEC. 304. DATA ASSIMILATION, MANAGEMENT, AND SHAR-
ING PRACTICES. 
Title III of the Weather Research and Forecasting 
Innovation Act of 2017, as amended by section 303 of this 
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 305. DATA ASSIMILATION, MANAGEMENT, AND SHAR-
ING PRACTICES. 
‘‘(a) DATA STANDARDS.—The Under Secretary, in 
collaboration with the weather enterprise, shall seek to es-
tablish consistent and open data and metadata standards 
to support open science, including simple cloud-optimized 
data formats and application programming interfaces that 
support 
findability, 
accessibility, 
usability, 
and 
preservability. 
‘‘(b) DATA INFRASTRUCTURE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary, in 
consultation with the Chief Information Officer and 
appropriate program heads, shall consolidate and ar-
range data infrastructure needs to ensure efficient 
and effective data transfer between National Oceanic