Published 14 October 2026 · Source-linked research prepared with AI assistance. Proposed services require an agreed scope and qualified delivery team.
What the FY2026 notice means
MARAD’s FY2026 PIDP information identifies $488.628 million and a June 1, 2026 deadline. The competition is closed as of this review. Its capital-project categories can include resilience and digital infrastructure, but that does not make any stand-alone monitoring subscription eligible. Future funding and dates require a new official notice.
Qualify the sponsor and scope
Port authorities and other eligible applicants may work with private partners under the program’s terms. Weatherhill would need a defined role within an eligible project and a buyer who can procure it. Ask whether the sponsor has a selected project, a funded work package and an unmet evidence or measurement requirement.
Use customer economics
A Senate release promoting the FOG Forecasting Act makes a large hourly economic-loss claim. We do not use that figure as a terminal ROI assumption because the release does not provide a transparent calculation. Use actual restrictions, queues, labor, storage, equipment and contractual charges, distinguishing deferred activity from permanent loss.
A useful first procurement
Commission a bounded visibility and weather-evidence study with explicit data access, interviews, specialist review and acceptance criteria. Quote marine fieldwork separately. The result should help the owner decide whether to fund observation improvements, procedural work or a later research pilot. It should remain useful even when additional hardware is not justified.
Sources & further reading
- MARAD FY2026 PIDP Frequently Asked Questions ↗$450M plus $38.628M; June 1, 2026 deadline; eligible project categories.
- Senate Commerce: FOG Forecasting Act introduction ↗Fog problem and proposed observations/modeling; contains unsubstantiated $100M/hour assertion.
- NOAA PORTS: Keeping Maritime Commerce Moving ↗Existing public-private observations program includes visibility; tailored to local sponsors.