B09_Questions_and_Answers_AR_Experience_7_21_(AH)_0001.docx

Questions and Answers , Solicitation 140P5123Q0052, AR Experience, 7/21/2023

1. The Background section states “The six Civil Rights sites of national historic significance included in this project are…” but lists only three sites (Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Freedom Riders National Monument, and Selma to Montgomery Historic Trail).

Question 1a: Can the Government please provide additional clarity on what six (6) sites this project would like the contractor to focus on? According to the Scope of Contract section, the NPS would like location-anchored, 3D overlays of three historic campground (subparagraph c), the historic tent city at Lowndes (subparagraph d), the Edmund Pettis Bridge, plus 2 time travel/x-ray vision buildings (subparagraphs a and b). Are these the six sites desired by the NPS?

ANSWER: NPS is seeking development of AR experiences for seven sites located at three NPS parks. See answer to question 23. Bids should include “per location” pricing.

Question 1.b: What AR functionality does the NPS desire for the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and Freedom Riders National Monument sites? For example, are only audio recordings required by Technical Specification #11 to be played when at these locations, or is AR functionality desired at each of these locations?

ANSWER: AR functionality is desired at both locations with audio (including audio description option for persons who are visually impaired).

2. Scope of Contract, subparagraph a), The Scope requires “developing location anchored three-dimensional graphic overlays of indoor and outdoor architectural features of two historic buildings to show visitors what the buildings looked like historically. (time travel)”. Question : Does the NPS have a preference on what two (2) buildings they would like to model in the AR experience?

ANSWER: Yes, the Gaston Motel and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot. This requirement is for the exteriors and interiors of the buildings. Users should be able to “see” the historically accurate building interior during the period of significance when standing inside, using their phone. They should also be able to “see” the historically accurate building exterior during the period of significance when standing outside, using their phone.

3. Scope of Contract, subparagraph b), The Scope requires “developing location-anchored, three-dimensional, graphic overlays of the indoor architectural and decorative features of two historic buildings to show visitors what they looked like historically on the inside while they are standing on the outside. (x-ray vision)”. Question: Does the NPS have a preference on what two (2) buildings they would like to provide visitor with the “X-Ray vision” in the AR experience?

ANSWER: Yes, the Gaston Motel and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot. This requirement is for the interiors of the buildings. Users should be able to “see” the historically accurate building interior during the period of significance when standing outside, using their phone.

4. Scope of Contract, subparagraph e), The Scope requires “developing an interactive experience that allows users to select from a dozen historic marchers who participated in the Selma to Montgomery march and ‘follow’ them along the march.” Question: Does the NPS have a list of which twelve (12) historic protestors they desire, or is this a reference to subparagraph j that requires “researching the marchers involved in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery and working with the park to select an appropriate dozen that represents the diversity of people who originally participated in the march”?

ANSWER: This is a reference to subparagraph j that requires “researching the marchers involved in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery and working with the park to select an appropriate dozen that represents the diversity of people who originally participated in the march.” NPS and contractor will work together to select appropriate and feasible marchers to highlight.

4a. If this isn’t a reference to subparagraph j, will the NPS work with the contractor to ensure the interaction is historically accurate, or is that the sole responsibility of the contractor?

ANSWER: See above.

5. In Subparagraph f, The Scope requires that the contractor develop “a moving picture that provides an augmented reality view of the historic protestors who marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge marching in real-time in front of and around the viewer.” Question: From a safety perspective, is it acceptable for this AR experience to be viewable from a specific location (e.g., historical marker, safely away from the roadway)?

Registration with real-world objects can be difficult (particularly with low bandwidth) and there may be safety concerns with people using the app inadvertently wandering into the street while “immersed” in the experience.

ANSWER: Absolutely! Having an acceptable, safe location for people to view the experience is what we want.

6. Technical Specifications, subparagraph 11) This paragraph requires “Audio descriptions must be delivered as recordings at 48kHz stereo with an accompanying paper transcript.”

Question .a: Where does the NPS envision these audio descriptions will be used?

ANSWER: We envision audio descriptions being used by a screen reader, and/or as a sort of audio tour accompaniment that will allow people with vision impairments to experience the events through their phone using their sense of sound. We are open to suggestions for how to make this work, but the intent is that there must be an enhanced experience available to persons with impaired vision accessible via phone.

Question b: What does the term “paper transcript” mean in this context? Are you referring to a digital copy of the transcript that can be delivered to the NPS, or something else?

ANSWER: We are referring to a digital copy of the transcript.

7. Is a Content Management System (CMS) required for any amount of content? If so, what kinds of content are expected to be updated or added post-deployment?

ANSWER: Yes, certain content will be featured on the NPS CMS (refer to solicitation for which content elements would be on the CMS). We do not anticipate adding to or updating the content created by this project. (The NPS routinely updates and adds content to its CMS, but it should not impact the content requested in this solicitation).

8. Given the need to be embedded within the NPS app, is it expected that the AR experience would be a mobile-accessible webapp? Or is it preferred that a separate custom app would be developed and then downloaded by users?

ANSWER: As long as deliverables conform to specifications in the section for “technical specifications” the AR will be supported organically by the NPS’s own app. A custom app is not desired.

9. Please provide visual reference (i.e. photos or illustrations) for as many of the 3D elements as possible, so we can get a better sense of the full scope of 3D asset production. 3D elements could include specific locations, architectural details, people, interior details and furnishings, etc. For example, an interior room could be quite sparse with just a couple pieces of furniture and wallpaper, or much more detailed with many small props.

ANSWER: Visual reference materials owned by the NPS will be shared freely with the selected awardee. It is not feasible to provide a file of photographs or full visual reference for this solicitation. Some publicly available photographs and videos are available open source. The awardee may need to procure their own visual reference materials including any fees for copyrighted material. Bidders should plan to create fully furnished, highly detailed, historically accurate 3D models that include architectural detail, wallpaper patterns, props and furnishings.

10. Can you share existing examples of similar projects that served as inspiration for this approach?

ANSWER: Not without suggesting or providing unfair advantages to potential bidders.

11. In general, what level of detail should we be aiming for in the 3D assets? As realistic as possible? Stylized? Please provide visual reference if possible.

ANSWER: As realistic as possible.

12. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 1, letter A: Please further describe what these features might look like, ideally providing us with visual reference.

ANSWER: These features will be reproductions of the Gaston Motel and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot. While it is not feasible to provide visual reference at this stage of competition, many historic photographs and videos are available free and open source.

13. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 1, letter A and page 2, letter B: Both of these mention two historic buildings. Does this mean four historic buildings total, or are they both referring to the same two historic buildings?

ANSWER: Both referring to the same two historic buildings (the Gaston Motel and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot). See responses to questions 2 and 3.

14. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 2, letter B: Please further describe how much detail will be required. For example, approximately how many rooms? How many decorative features or other props/elements? Ideally please provide us with visual reference.

ANSWER: These features will be reproductions of the Gaston Motel and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot. While it is not feasible to provide visual reference at this stage of competition, many historic photographs and videos are available free and open source.

15. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 2, letter E: Is the expectation that a viewer might actually walk forward, following an augmented reality 3D marcher through real-world physical space? If so, how much distance would be covered by the marchers? How long would the marching last?

ANSWER: The full march covers 54 miles. The expectation is that a viewer could stop at multiple highlights along the route and pick up a character’s story to find out what happened to them at each stop. What is known about each marcher’s experience varies, but we expect appx. 5-10 unique stops per character journey.

16. The Scope of Work, page 2, f. says "developing a moving picture that provides an augmented reality view of the historic protestors who marched..." Please confirm that this is a 3D animation that the visitor can view around them from a specific location marker?

ANSWER: This can be a 3D animation, reproduction, or rendering of actual historical footage, but yes, the intent is that this is a 3D experience that viewers can see and hear happening around them from a specified marker.

17. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 2, letter F: would we need to build a 3D representation of the Edmund Pettus Bridge?

ANSWER: Likely, but not necessarily, as we are aware of certain technologies that allow 3D models to interact with 2D film/photographs. Potential awardees should explain/demonstrate how they would handle this in their proposal.

18. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 3, #10: Please confirm that the interactive experience embedded in the NPS CMS website allows for viewing all of the models and graphics found within the mobile experience, without the need to be at the location or use camera-based AR technology.

ANSWER: Yes, that is correct.

19. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 3, #10b: Please confirm that the map perspective to access content, such as following marchers, is unique to the version embedded in the NPS CMS website.

ANSWER: The NPS typically uses ARC GIS for its map content. A graphic representation of a map might also be suitable for the item described on page 3, #10b.

20. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 3, #10b: How many spots can be selected on a map?

ANSWER: Approximately a dozen, each one offering the opportunity to “check in” with up to a dozen character experiences.

21. Referring to the Scope of Work, page 3, #10b: Would 3D scenery and environments need to be created for the marchers to move through, when viewing only on the web? If so, please provide more details on what these environments would entail. For example, how many environments, visual reference of the locations if possible, what sorts of props and structures would be required within each environment, etc.

ANSWER: The item described on page 3, #10b does not necessarily have to incorporate 3D technology. The potential awardee should describe/show their approach in their proposal.

22. Is there an order of magnitude budgetary range that can be shared for this project?

ANSWER: This is a competitive solicitation. An estimate can not be provided. Cost should be inline with industry standards. Potential awardees should include price per item or service and any applicable price breaks for quantity (when applicable) so the NPS can scale the final project to their budget if necessary.

23. Please clarify the number and location of sites to be included:

1. Contract data on SAM says, “four of America’s most iconic Civil Rights sites” and lists three.

2. SF18 says, “six Civil Rights Parks”.

3. Scope of Work, first para, says, “four of America’s most iconic Civil Rights sites” then only lists three.

4. Background section of scope of work says, “six Civil Rights sites of national historic significance included in this project”, then lists only three.

5. “Work includes” section of Scope of Work indicates what could be interpreted as up to 17 locations:

a. 2 historic buildings (no location given)

b. 3 historic campgrounds (no location given)

c. Lowndes tent city

d. The march route (interactive experience)

e. The Edmund Pettus Bridge

f. And under travel includes Montgomery, Selma, Anniston, and Birmingham, and 3-5 points along the Selma to Montgomery trail.

ANSWER:

1. Contract data on SAM should say, “three of America’s most iconic Civil Rights sites”.

2. SF18 should say, “three Civil Rights Parks”.

3. Scope of Work, first para, should say, “three of America’s most iconic Civil Rights sites”.

4. Background section of scope of work should say, “three Civil Rights sites of national historic significance included in this project”, then lists only three.

5. Total locations is 7:

a. 2 historic buildings (the Gaston Motel (Birmingham) and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot (Anniston).

b. 3 historic campgrounds (along the 54-mile route from Selma to Montgomery - exact locations TBD)

c. Lowndes tent city

d. The march route (interactive experience - (not a separate location, includes campgrounds, tent city, and EP Bridge)

e. The Edmund Pettus Bridge

f. Travel would include Anniston (Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot), Birmingham (Gaston Motel), and 3-5 points along the Selma to Montgomery trail (Places - Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)).

24. When submitting the SF 18, should we include pages 1-3 of the solicitation, completed?

ANSWER: Yes, only page 1-3 are required to be included in your package. The other pages do not need to be submitted. Reps and Certs will be downloaded through SAM.gov by the CO.

25. Are Reps and Certs to be completed and submitted with the proposal? Prime Only?

ANSWER: Reps and Certs should be updated in SAM.gov. and will only be required for the Prime. No actual Reps and Certs need to be submitted via the proposal. The CO will review and download through Sam.gov when proposals are received.

26. Are there page limits on the proposal responses?

ANSWER: There is no page limit however, if your file is too large to transmit and not viewable then we would not be able to evaluate the proposal.

27. Period of Performance in RFQ SF 18 is 1 September 2023 to 30 December 2024 which is 486 days. Time and Delivery Schedule on page 4 of Scope of Work reflects 360 days. Which is correct, which should we use in developing our schedule for the proposal?

ANSWER: The period of performance is an estimate of 1 September 2023 to 30 December 2024. The schedule may be 360 in SOW but the additional months are added for invoicing and any issues that may arise. This will be a firm fixed price award, so completion can be sooner than Dec 2024. The contractor may propose an alternate schedule in their proposal as well.

28. What does SERO IEV stand for?

ANSWER: Southeast Regional Office of Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers.

29. Instructions for submission in SF18 do not mention submitting a portfolio. RFQ Evaluation section and Scope of Work Evaluation section require submission of a portfolio.

a. Where should the portfolio be placed, in the experience/past performance section within the technical proposal?

ANSWER: The SF18 states that a technical proposal should be submitted. The portfolio is listed in the evaluation criteria as part of the technical proposal. See page 4 of the solicitation under FAR 52.212-2.

b. Is it acceptable to provide links to a site or sites with our portfolio samples?

ANSWER: Yes, as long as the sites are accessible. Please note that if the links do not work this could affect the outcome of the evaluation score for the proposal.

30. Why must portfolio examples be from the same individuals who will be assigned to this project? Team composition is determined by many factors including timing of award and timing of development efforts. Can we instead assure the Government that only personnel with comparable or superior skills will be used on the SERO IEV AR effort?

ANSWER: Yes. The Government prefers portfolio samples from actual individuals who will be assigned to the work so we can be sure of the quality we are getting, but if the potential awardee can guarantee that work will be of comparable or better quality than that provided in the portfolio, the actual individuals performing the work can be flexible.

31. RFQ evaluation section says schedules for each phase will be evaluated, indicating a contractor developed schedule should be included. Scope of Work Schedule section provides a Time and Delivery Schedule. Can the contractor schedule deviate from the time elapsed figures in the Scope of Work schedule as long as all milestones are met, and the schedule reflects final delivery is on time?

ANSWER: Yes, the contractor can propose a schedule and timeline for the project.

32. RFQ and Scope of Work state that five past performance references are required. Can the five be a combination of references from the prime and subcontractor?

ANSWER: Yes

33. For the people to be modeled for items e), f), and j) in the Scope of Work, “Work Includes section”, will the contractor need to get releases from the people depicted or their families or estates?

ANSWER: Yes. The NPS has relationships with the estates of certain persons who may be desired for this project, and when applicable, the NPS will assist with making introductions and requesting releases, however, we do not have blanket agreements or assurances from the estate of any person who might be featured in this project. This is partially why we are requesting flexibility in the final selection of featured persons to be determined by the awardee and NPS after the award is made. We understand that many factors may impact the feasibility of using individual likenesses including accurate research, authentic visual and audio reference, and estate permission. NPS will work with the awardee to select appropriate and feasible persons to feature once the award has been made. However, ultimate responsibility for ensuring legal releases are completed is the responsibility of the contractor.

34. For the pre-work orientation meeting, design charrette, and other meetings to take place in person (not including data collection at various locations), what location should we use to estimate travel for those events?

ANSWER: We do not expect these meetings to be in person. We expect the to be virtual.

35. In light of the Q&A process, will the Government consider extending the proposal due date?

ANSWER: Yes an extension will be granted and processed with this amendment

36. Would it be preferred to submit the Technical and Price proposals separately or will one proposal for all of the requested information be accepted?

ANSWER: One proposal is fine however, it may be easier to send them in different files due to the size of the proposals.

37. Is there a target budget range for this project that you can share?

ANSWER: This is a competitive solicitation. An estimate can not be provided. Cost should be inline with industry standards. Potential awardees should include price per item or service and any applicable price breaks for quantity (when applicable) so the NPS can scale the final project to their budget if necessary.

38. Other than ensuring our submission supports all evaluation criteria, is there a desired format of proposal delivery (any required templates, file types, etc.)?

ANSWER: No, there is not specific format. Just a clear and concise proposal.

39. Could you confirm the project delivery timeline — is it to finalize one year from project start, or are there specific event / launch dates in mind?

ANSWER: See timeline and delivery schedule in the solicitation. Potential awardees may include a more detailed timeline in their proposal if they wish. The awardee and NPS will finalize the project timeline during the pre-work orientation meeting.

40. We assume we should include concepts for the physical interaction of the immersive experience in our proposal, but that physical fabrication would be covered outside of this budget and / or with partner vendors once the concept is approved. Is that accurate? Are there any predetermined vendors in mind whom we would coordinate with?

ANSWER: Yes, proposals should include your recommendations/suggestions/requirements for any physical hardware, infrastructure, or devices necessary to make your proposed solution work. However, please note that the NPS prefers solutions that can be readily deployable using a phone, commercially available headset, and/or home PC without requirements for additional physical hardware or infrastructure.

41. Referencing the note: imaging should "not infringe on any third-party rights" and "research and select 12 of the SEMO marchers.” Is coordinating with and garnering consent from marchers / their families part of this scope?

ANSWER: Yes. See answer to question 33.

42. Why is this work happening now? Is it part of a larger initiative, or larger NPS goals for 2024 and beyond?

ANSWER: This work supports the DOI Strategic Plan (3.2.1 Enhance the enjoyment and appreciation of our natural and cultural Heritage), NPS Director Priorities (Advance equity, inclusion, and access in carrying out the NPS mission; Invest in the future of parks; and Create an NPS experience that meets visitor expectations into the future), and NPS Interior Region 2 Interpretation Strategy (Goal 1: Collaboratively tell inclusive, regionwide stories; and Goal 4: Leverage digital platforms for information, interpretation and education access.)

This project is designed to help solve a practical need to generate media to properly interpret America’s newest NPS sites dedicated to the preservation of America’s Civil Rights history while enhancing NPS relevance to audiences representing youth, people of color, and women.

43. Can you share the approx. daily visitor volume to the listed sites? What’s the average length of time per visit?

ANSWER: This information is not readily available.

44. Will these immersive experiences act as standalones, unique to their specific sites, or will they have some connecting threads/concepts?

ANSWER: They must have connecting threads, concepts.

45. We noted in the RFP that we’ll be able to conduct research to inform this work. Ahead of that, could we receive the latest or relevant past visitor surveys / research that exist?

ANSWER: As this project deals primarily with new NPS sites, data is limited, however, some publicly available information exists at the following sites DataStore - Visitor Survey Card Program (nps.gov) ; National Park Service - PEPC - Parks Search (nps.gov) ; Portal - Welcome to IRMA (nps.gov)

46. Are there any ADA compatibility requirements or assistive technology (hardware or software) integrations we should be aware of?

ANSWER: Yes, final deliverables must conform to the standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Any proposed structure (not anticipated to be relevant for this project) must also meet ABA Standards.

47. Is there a desire to promote the experience virtually from anywhere (not just on-site experience), and should we include promotion in our proposals? If not, how will users learn about the experience?

ANSWER: The NPS does not desire promotion for these experiences. Once complete, the NPS will leverage its own social media and traditional media programs and relationships to raise awareness of the new experiences being offered.

48. Are there any other National Park sites that have similar AR experiences through the NPS app today?

ANSWER: No. This is ground-breaking for the NPS.

49. Is the project team open to incorporating third-party SDKs or APIs? Is the project team open to cross-promotional opportunities with our platform partners like Meta, Snap or Niantic?

ANSWER: Third-party SDKs or APIs are not desirable as we cannot maintain them over time and the user interface can be difficult as we expect users to start their experience on the NPS app or website or through organic phone capability (like a VR code). Cross-promotion is unlikely as we are prohibited from paying for advertising or endorsing corporate entities. However, truthfully sharing information about the work completed is always ok.

50. What is the tech stack of the current NPS app (including its CMS)? What build tooling is used (Xcode, Android Studio, or a game engine like Unity or Unreal)? What is the composition of the team that maintains it?

ANSWER: The NPS has extremely limited organic capability to build or maintain virtual experiences. Deliverables that conform to the technical specifications of this solicitation will work with our CMS and app. The NPS CMS is called CommonSpot, and it is ColdFusion-based. The NPS app is coded natively for both iOS and Android, and project deliverables must be too. If the proposal requires more robust maintenance, the proposer should specify that and include lump pricing (for 5 years) for the maintenance of the experience.

51. Will you be conducting or are you open to post-launch testing and optimization (i.e. maintenance) once live with visitors?

ANSWER: We expect deliverables to be tested and optimized prior to launch. Any additional maintenance anticipated by the proposer should be detailed I the proposal along with lump pricing for a 5 year maintenance term.

52. We're working on getting a CAGE number and UEI set up, but saw the CAGE may take up to 10 days to receive which would put us past the 8/2 submission date — would you recommend we still submit a proposal while that registration process is in the works?

ANSWER: No, if you are not showing active the date the proposals are due, we would not be able to include your proposal for evaluations. This is because you would not be able to get the award if selected because you have to be in SAM.gov for the CO to create an award in the system.

53. Can you please clearly identify the number of individual sites for which AR is desired to be provided? Our interpretation is that there are 6 sites (SEMO, FRRI, BICR, 3 historic campgrounds).

a. The description on SAM.gov mentions “four of America’s most iconic Civil Rights Sites” but then specifically mentions only three (SEMO, FRRI, BICR).

b. Form SF 18 mentions “six Civil Rights parks”.

c. The SOW mentions four sites in the Project Description then six in the Background section.

ANSWER: See answer to questions 1 and 23.

54. Assuming that the past performance / previous work experience write-up is included with the Technical Proposal is there a total page limit for the combined Technical Proposal submittal?

ANSWER: There is no page limit however, if your file is too large to transmit and not viewable then we would not be able to evaluate the proposal.

55. Form SF18 mentions including “All Amendments Acknowledged (SF30s) with our quote. There are no documents labeled SF30 provided. There are, however, various reps and certs requiring completion in the RFQ attachment. Is this what constitutes the amendments or are there additional SF30 documents? Should the RFQ addenda be included as a separate document in the quote submittal?

ANSWER: Amendments are labeled as 0001, 0002 etc. Once these questions are posted, it will be added as the first amendment. That SF30 will need to be signed and returned in your proposal.

56. Since this is a firm fixed price (FFP) solicitation, does the breakdown of cost in the cost proposal need to Include expected hourly breakdown by staff category or is the cost of individual tasks / scope items sufficient?

ANSWER: A price breakdown is required to determine if the price is fair and reasonable. It also assists in negotiations and it helps to determine if the contractor understands the project based on how he distributes hours, materials etc. This is a fixed price contract. Fixed price means that the price will not change once the award is made. However, a breakdown is still necessary to determine if the price is reasonable.

57. If the cost proposal needs to include hourly breakdowns by staff category do hourly rates need to conform strictly to the Lowndes, Jefferson, and Calhoun county rate tables provided or can they correspond to actual commercial rates so long as the total FFP cost is deemed “fair, reasonable, affordable, and balanced” in accordance with FAR 13?

ANSWER: They can correspond with the actual rates as long as they are not less than the county rates for a specific position.

58. Is there a known budget or not-to-exceed price for this work?

ANSWER: This is a competitive solicitation. An estimate can not be provided. Cost should be inline with industry standards. Potential awardees should include price per item or service and any applicable price breaks for quantity (when applicable) so the NPS can scale the final project to their budget if necessary.

59. Is this a follow-on or new requirement? If follow-on, please provide incumbent award information.

ANSWER: New Requirement

60. Are there any specific platforms for VR that should be supported? Are there Hardware requirements?

ANSWER: See technical specifications section of the solicitation.

61. Which technology stack / rendering engine should we use for the interface?

ANSWER: The NPS CMS is called CommonSpot, and it is ColdFusion-based. The NPS app is coded natively for both iOS and Android, and project deliverables must be too.

62. Which methodologies will be used to measure and quantify feedback and level of user satisfaction?

ANSWER: This will be done through internal social science methodologies regulated by the United States Office of Management and Budget.

63. What is the preferred method for providing the work sample portfolio? Similarly, can the portfolio and past performance reference the same projects?

ANSWER: The preferred method for providing the work sample and portfolio is digital. Proposals must be accessible without special software or program access. Commercial cloud servers or e-mailed files are fine, so long as they do not require the NPS to acquire special access. (Make sure the files are publicly available, or any necessary passcode is provided in the proposal)

64. Are there any key personnel requirements? Evaluation factor d mentions “What is the experience level of key members” however providing information about key members is not included in the proposal instructions for?

ANSWER: The proposer should provide enough background information about key team members to clearly communicate to the NPS their experience level.

65. Is the primary place of performance expected to be at the contractor’s site?

ANSWER: Yes.

66. Would proposing travel to the historic locations for research purposes be viewed favorably? Similarly, would it be viewed negatively to not propose travel.

ANSWER: Travel should be minimized and consolidated in order to keep costs low, however, potential contractors should include the reasonable and necessary travel costs they anticipate to provide the quality of deliverable demonstrated in the portfolio.

67. Can you please provide details on the architecture of the NPS App and CMS Website, and your expectations for integrating these AR experiences into those online assets?

ANSWER: The NPS CMS is called CommonSpot, and it is ColdFusion-based. The NPS app is coded natively for both iOS and Android, and project deliverables must be too. AR experiences should be fully integrated into existing platforms requiring users to perform no more than one click to access the experience. If content is hosted on a third party (contractor) site, access must be guaranteed to the NPS for not less than 20 years.

68. Is there any requirement to break down costs (labor, material, overhead, G&A, profit, etc.)? Must the cost breakdowns for subcontractor line-items be itemized?

ANSWER: Yes, a cost breakdown is necessary for evaluation purposes. However, subcontracting costs do not need to be broken down. A simple line for subcontracting costs is sufficient.

69. 150 days before submission of requirements, and then the time NPS requires to review and approve them before the first invoice can be submitted, is a long time-frame to go without any payments. This is challenging for a small business to manage. Can the vendor provide a suggested milestone breakdown and related payments to accelerate and smooth the overall cost-flow for the projects?

ANSWER: Invoicing for this project can be done based on tasks being accomplished. However, the contractor can propose an invoicing schedule in their proposal as well. Final invoicing schedule will be agreed upon during the pre-work orientation meeting.

70. Is FAR 52.219.14 Limitations on Subcontracting relevant for this procurement?

ANSWER: Yes, it will be added to the clauses on this amendment

71. Time Travel - location anchored 3D graphic overlays: indoor and outdoor architectural features of two historic buildings to show visitors what the buildings looked like historically.

· Which sites?

· What buildings?

· Specifically, which locations?

· What do you mean by, “location-anchored”?

· Indoor and outdoor, or is this outdoors and the next item is the indoor element?

· What are the source images?

ANSWER: Gaston Motel (Birmingham) and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot (Freedom Riders, Anniston). “Location-anchored” means that the 3D models are anchored by GPS to show the user what a thing looked like at a different time in the same space. This would be for building interiors and exteriors. Any source images owned by the NPS will be shared with the awardee, but the awardee may need to procure their own source images through research.

72. X-ray Vision - location anchored 3D graphic overlays of the indoor architectural and decorative features of two historic buildings to show visitors what they looked like historically on the inside while they are standing on the outside.

· Which sites?

· What buildings? (same as the above?)

· Specifically, which locations?

· What are the source images?

ANSWER: Gaston Motel (Birmingham) and Anniston Greyhound Bus Depot (Freedom Riders, Anniston). Any source images owned by the NPS will be shared with the awardee, but the awardee may need to procure their own source images through research.

73. Campgrounds (3x) - location anchored 3D graphic overlays of three historic campgrounds on march from Selma to Montgomery.

· Which sites?

· Specifically, which locations (assuming outside)?

· What are the source images?

ANSWER: Places - Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) Any source images owned by the NPS will be shared with the awardee, but the awardee may need to procure their own source images through research.

74. Lowndes Tent City - location anchored 3D graphic overlays of historic tent city at Lowndes, AL.

· Which sites?

· Specifically, which locations (assuming outside)?

· What are the source images?

ANSWER: This is located near the Lowndes interpretive center. tent-city.pdf (npshistory.com) Any source images owned by the NPS will be shared with the awardee, but the awardee may need to procure their own source images through research.

75. 3D Characters (12x) - interactive experience allows users to select from a dozen historic marchers and “follow” them along the march.

· Specifically, which location(s) (assuming outside)?

· Follow them from where to where?

· Elaborate on “follow them along the march”?

· What are the source materials?

· How realistic do you want these marchers? 3D characters? 2D images?

· Are you wanting people to be able to take selfies with the marchers, or for other people to take pics of the living people with the historical marchers?

ANSWER: Places - Selma To Montgomery National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) The idea is that visitors to these multiple sites can “check-in” with a character of interest to find out what happened to them at each of these locations. If marchers are 2D, they should be represented by historical photos, or high quality artistic interpretation. If 3D, they should be high quality and realistically stylized to clearly represent the people portrayed, but do not need to get to the level of “deep fake” realism.

76. Edmund Pettus Bridge AR Moving Picture - moving picture providing AR view of protestors who marched across the Edmund Pettus Bridge marching in real-time in front of and around the viewer.

· Can you elaborate on what you mean by “moving picture” with an AR view?

· Can you elaborate on “marching in real-time in front of and around the viewer”?

· Follow the bridge march from specifically where to where?

· What are the source materials?

ANSWER: See answer to question 16.