Alion amps up RF spectrum services for NOAA

Alion Science and Technology Corp. will supply radio frequency spectrum services to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the result of a five-year, $4.4 million contract.

The contract calls for the employee-owned technology solutions provider to perform a wide range of radio frequency spectrum services that will help to ensure that environmental data can be gathered and transmitted via satellite.

The work will be performed specifically for the Office of Radio Frequency Management in NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service.

NESDIS acquires and manages the nation’s operational environmental satellites, provides global data and information services, and conducts related research. NOAA/NESDIS currently operates 16 environmental satellites in three separate constellations as well as the National Data Centers for Climate, Geophysics, Oceans and Coasts, Alion officials said.

By analyzing RF interference between NOAA and other satellite networks and providing RF engineering and project management expertise, Alion will support RF spectrum access for NOAA’s network of geostationary and polar-orbiting environmental satellites and associated ground systems.

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 that RF spectrum is available to NOAA.

In addition, Alion will work with national and international RF spectrum policy-setting and regulatory bodies to support the agency’s spectrum interests.

The work will include innovative approaches, enhanced processes and procedures that ultimately will help ensure NOAA’s ability to detect, track and observe meteorological phenomena such as hurricanes and other events that directly affect public safety, Sue Archer, senior vice president and manager of Alion’s Operational Solutions Group, explained in a statement.

The period of performance runs June 30, 2009 through June 29, 2014.

Alion Science and Technology, of McLean, Va., ranks No. 39 on Washington Technology’s 2009 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.