NRO awards first 3 vendors to new commercial imagery contract vehicle
The National Reconnaissance Office has selected the first tranche of companies for its nascent contracting vehicle aimed at evaluating emerging technologies for the spy agency’s missions.
The NRO announced Tuesday that HEO, SatVu and Sierra Nevada Corporation are contracted for the Strategic Commercial Enhancements program. The effort is designed to allow the agency to test out how commercial satellite data can be integrated into its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
The new contracts will purchase non-Earth imagery from HEO, medium-wave infrared imagery from SatVu, and radio-frequency sensing capabilities from Sierra Nevada, according to NRO.
While the agency has purchased commercial capabilities from different vendors in the past, the new awards are the first to be given via the organization’s new Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) contracting vehicle. The acquisition pathway enables rapid procurement and testing of commercial tools.
“The NRO is always looking for innovative ways to bring on new partners,” NRO Director Chris Scolese said in a statement. “The CSO is a flexible contracting mechanism that enables us to bring in new ideas and technologies. This helps ensure we have access to the latest technologies to advance our mission.”
The effort is meant to cover multi-phenomenology data — which includes data collected from different sources such as electro-optical sensors, hyperspectral imaging, and light detection and radar (LIDAR).
According to the agency, the CSO has a two-stage process. The first focuses on modeling and simulation capabilities, while the second supports evaluating on-orbit capabilities and further development of technologies.
“Budget permitting,” the NRO is expected to award more contracts under the Strategic Commercial Enhancements program in 2026, the agency said in a news release.
“The NRO is using a variety of acquisition processes and contract models to bring in new talent and providers and cut the time from concept to delivery,” Peter Meund, director of the Commercial Systems Program Office, said in a statement. “We are excited to continue advancing our mission by gaining new commercial capabilities and strengthening ties with commercial providers, while collaborating closely with our mission partners.”
