Fact Check: NOAA sent out its request for contract proposals too late, preventing Saildrone not just from bidding, but from pre-deploying its fleet to multiple launching ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast in time for hurricane season.

Fact Check: NOAA's Contract Proposal Timing and Saildrone Deployment

What We Know

The claim states that NOAA sent out its request for contract proposals too late, which allegedly prevented Saildrone from bidding and pre-deploying its fleet to various ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coast in time for hurricane season.

NOAA has been actively deploying saildrones for hurricane observation missions since 2021, with missions planned for the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico. The 2024 mission includes 12 saildrones and aims to measure atmospheric and oceanic parameters to improve hurricane forecasting (NOAA's Saildrone Observations). The 2023 mission also involved similar objectives and was executed successfully, with saildrones deployed in high-risk hurricane areas (2023 NOAA-Saildrone Atlantic Hurricane Mission).

The deployment of saildrones typically occurs during the peak of the hurricane season, which runs from August 1 to October 31 (NOAA Saildrone Hurricane Observation). The missions are designed to provide real-time data to operational weather prediction centers and the National Hurricane Center (NOAA Saildrone Hurricane Observation).

Analysis

The claim hinges on the assertion that a delay in NOAA's contract proposal process directly impacted Saildrone's ability to participate in hurricane season preparations. However, the available sources do not provide specific details regarding the timeline of NOAA's contract proposal requests or any official statements from Saildrone indicating that they were unable to bid due to late notification.

While NOAA has successfully conducted saildrone missions in previous years, including 2023, the details surrounding the timing of contract proposals are not explicitly addressed in the sources. The sources focus more on the objectives and outcomes of the missions rather than the administrative processes involved in contracting (NOAA's Saildrone Observations, 2023 NOAA-Saildrone Atlantic Hurricane Mission).

Additionally, the claim lacks corroboration from independent sources or statements from NOAA or Saildrone that confirm a late proposal process led to any operational shortcomings. The credibility of the sources is generally high, as they come from NOAA and related scientific institutions, but they do not provide the necessary evidence to validate the claim.

Conclusion

Needs Research: The claim that NOAA's late request for contract proposals prevented Saildrone from bidding and deploying its fleet in time for hurricane season lacks sufficient evidence. While NOAA has a history of successful saildrone missions, the specifics regarding the timing of contract proposals and their impact on Saildrone's operations are not clearly documented in the available sources. Further investigation into NOAA's contracting timeline and any official statements from Saildrone would be necessary to fully assess the validity of this claim.

Sources

1. NOAA's Saildrone Observations of Atlantic Hurricanes for Improved ...
2. 2023 NOAA-Saildrone Atlantic Hurricane Mission
3. saildrone - NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
4. NOAA Saildrone Hurricane Observation
5. Saildrone - Ocean Research Advisory Panel Briefing
6. Hurricane FAQ - NOAA/AOML
7. NOAA 2023 saildrone hurricane observations: Success and ... - NASA/ADS
8. NOAA Pioneers New Ways to Advance Hurricane Forecasting