"NOAA's Commitment Issues: Weathering the Storm"
Frustration with NOAA's short-term data purchase contracts for weather data from private companies was voiced at the American Meteorological Society's annual meeting. Industry executives expressed concerns about the impact of short-term contracts on their ability to invest in satellite constellations and develop new applications. NOAA defended its approach, citing the need to obtain the best value for the government given the allocated funding. The slow pace of integrating commercial data into operational forecasts was attributed to the paradigm shift and mismatched decision cycles between government and private sectors. Suggestions were made to emulate U.S. intelligence agency programs to build long-term partnerships with industry.