Alion Science and Technology, an employee-owned technology solutions provider, has been awarded a $7 M contract to perform a wide range of radio frequency (RF) spectrum services at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The three-year contract was awarded by the Defense Technical Information Center through the Modeling and Simulation Information Analysis Center (MSIAC). Under the contract statement of work, any NOAA office can utilize Alion’s expertise in RF propagation, satellite orbital dynamics, RF spectrum management, RF systems testing and specifications, antenna siting and analysis, and other areas that support RF.
The contract, which is a follow-on to one-year contracts awarded in 2006 and 2007, gives NOAA offices the ability to obtain RF services from Alion to analyze radiation hazards, if any, from NOAA transmitters as well as identify the effects that various buildings and obstructions may have on NOAA transmitters and receivers.
“We are excited to be supporting NOAA with its radio frequency spectrum needs,” said Lt. Gen. Walter “Buck” Buchanan III (USAF, Ret.), Alion Senior vice president and manager of the Engineering and Integration Solutions Sector. “Alion brings its engineering expertise in RF propagation, orbital dynamics, Earth station analysis and RF system optimization for improved RF performance. We also provide interference analysis to prevent the interruption of satellite data reception and a Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) to provide immediate response to satellite data disruption with the delivery of solutions as quickly as possible.”
Previous projects under this NOAA statement of work have provided antenna siting analysis and RF studies to locate a new Earth station in the Arctic region and to locate and resolve interference to NOAA satellites from transmitters in the Andean mountains of Ecuador. Also, Alion has produced unique documentation of RF systems that NOAA technicians use for repair and maintenance of large parabolic dish antennas in Fairbanks, AK, Wallops, VA, and the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, MD.