RapidEye joins USDA/FAS/OGA/IPAD Vendor Contract

29 September 2009, 4:40am

Brandenburg / Havel, Germany, September 29, 2009 – RapidEye, the only geospatial solutions provider to own and operate a constellation of Earth Observation satellites, announced today that they are the latest addition to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS), Office of Global Analysis (OGA) and the International Production and Assessment Division (IPAD) Prime Vendor Contract.

Under the contract, RapidEye will provide the four agencies with their levels 1B and 3A satellite imagery products. The agencies will have the ability to order imagery either from RapidEye's existing archive (the RapidEye Library), or the option of tasking the RapidEye constellation of satellites if an area they are interested in has not been imaged.

Robert Tetrault, IPAD/Office of Global Analysis/FAS/USDA, Satellite Imagery Archive Manager, stated, “The use of RapidEye satellite data should allow our crop analysts to use a finer resolution data set. We look
forward to testing this imagery to see how it supports our convergence of evidence methodology. The convergence of evidence methodology is used to develop our crop acreage and yield estimates which is vital
to our global food security analysis.”

“We look forward to providing multi-temporal, in-season data collection programs to enhance USDA's crop and vegetation monitoring efforts,” said John Ahlrichs, Vice President of RapidEye. “This contract will give USDA agencies instant access to our imagery for better monitoring and decision making.”

The IPAD/Office of Global Analysis/FAS/USDA is responsible for global crop condition assessments and estimates of area, yield, and production for grains, oilseeds, and cotton. The primary mission of OGA is to target, collect, analyze, and disseminate timely, objective, useful, and cost-effective global crop condition and agricultural market intelligence information. One of OGA’s key missions is to provide unbiased commodity estimates and forecasts to create a marketing edge for U.S. producers in world markets (Source: USDA and NASA).

The Prime Vendor Contract vehicle allows them to obtain agriculture analysis solutions using
satellite imagery and ancillary information quickly and cost effectively. Derrick Williams, III, Division Director, IPAD, stated, “The purpose of this contract is to promote efficiency. We are making the best use of every taxpayer dollar. The Prime Vendor Contract helps the USDA achieve our goal – which is to have a contract in place that allows us to access products provided by the commercial industry and get the best price and performance possible. The Prime Vendor Contract provides the IPAD/Office of Global Analysis/ FAS/USDA with the best possible imagery based global agriculture analysis solutions at the best possible prices and meets our stringent delivery specifications and our clients needs which range from Global Food Security to Climate Change.”

RapidEye

Geo: International