Request for Information: Argos Satellite Data Transmission Service

Please see RFI document for additional details.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in support of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources (OPR), Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Division is seeking to identify vendors with the capacity to deliver satellite data transmission services. These services must be compatible with wildlife platform transmitter terminals (PTT) and capable of providing data transmitted by PTT in near-real time and in a standardized format.

NOAA Fisheries will utilize this service for multiple critical missions to manage and protect fisheries, marine mammal and sea turtle populations. The team will install satellite transmitting devices to provide real-time monitoring and obtain data necessary to understand and implement effective conservation and recovery efforts.

Another project this service will support is the efforts to further understand habitat use preferences of fisheries, marine mammal and sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico leading to efforts to better mitigate threats in those areas. The PTT’s utilized by NOAA Fisheries are specifically designed for data transmission via the Argos system. The Argos service provided by the Woods Hole Group is essential to NOAA Fisheries' initiatives in tracking marine life movements and monitoring water temperatures.

Marine life generally exhibits secretive behaviors and occupies extensive ranges, making direct tracking challenging. To gain insights into their habitat requirements, movement rates, home ranges, and other ecological parameters, it is necessary to employ remote tracking techniques. This service will specifically offer critical satellite data transmission and high-resolution location accuracy to researchers, enhancing monitoring efforts regarding movement patterns, site fidelity, seasonal migrations, corridor utilization, habitat preferences, and responses to changes in water temperature and other environmental factors.