A04_SOW_1.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK DEVELOP VISUAL CONTENT

BRANCH OF FIRE MANAGEMENT, USFWS

1.0 OVERVIEW

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposes to work with a contractor to develop visual content for the Branch of Fire Management and support the Bureau’s diversity and inclusion outreach and recruitment efforts. This proposal between the USFWS and the contractor will incorporate solid marketing and branding base to help with recruitment efforts across the USFWS Fire Management Program. Recruitment efforts will be designed to garner interest in wildland fire positions from qualified candidates. Additionally, the proposed project will help to target messaging and outreach to underrepresented groups to assist with diversity and inclusion efforts of wildland fire personnel.

This will be a collaborative effort with defined deliverables on the part of the contractor, with oversite by the USFWS. A contractor who is familiar with the USFWS and its mission would benefit this project greatly.

1.1 SCOPE

The purpose of this project will be to develop visual content regarding the wildland fire program. Developed content will share wildland fire operations generally unavailable for viewing by the public, as well as increase visibility of the wildland fire program within the USFWS. In association with this effort, content, including video footage and photographs, will be housed on a platform that is easily shareable for use by any refuge. Funding will also support advisory and content direction on the part of the contractor, based on prior experience with the USFWS and wildland fire.

These efforts will demonstrate the broad spectrum of environments and conservation and suppression efforts USFWS wildland firefighters encounter during the scope of their job. Content will adequately demonstrate efforts put forth within the wildland fire program to: protect and conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat; reduce the risk of unwanted catastrophic wildfires; and support the nation’s wildland fire suppression efforts across the country. The content obtained will be used to visually illustrate the attributes of the refuge system wildland firefighters in the form of film and photographic content.

Contract Justification:

This requirement is being pursued as a contract based on the deliverables that will be produced. Previous agreements with a contractor through the National Wildlife Refuge Association and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will assist in familiarity with the needs for individual film products and the specific deliverable of short films for tailored purposes. Additionally, contractors who have worked with the USFWS previously will most likely have already gathered stock footage from refuges, which can be included for distribution purposes. However, new work to supplement existing content is necessary to complete a suite of film products, as well as still images for use by the USFWS to significantly expand the awareness and relevancy of the wildland fire program.

Given that the USFWS wildland fire program expands across much of the nation, this is a much larger scale arrangement and encompasses the entire refuge system, as compared to individual and specific refuge film products done on a case-by-case basis at limited locations and refuges.

2.0 CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

Asset Management Storage:

This contract will include a full list of desired outcomes, including specific photographs and video footage to capture. The use of these visuals will include but will not be limited to national/international newspapers, magazines, outdoor industry contacts, strategic distribution outlets, social media platforms, and other wildland fire and conservation entities. Distributed content will include film products and still images created as part of current and prospective projects. Film promotions will include all contractor created products where determined appropriate and feasible.

USFWS will provide the contractor with access to fuels project, including, but not limited to, pile burning, mechanical thinning, and prescribed fire. If the opportunity arises and it is safe to do so, the contractor will also be provided access to suppression activities on a wildland fire. The contractor will also be provided access to USFWS fire personnel for purposes of capturing audio that will be included in the final project.

The contractor will provide an appropriate storage location for all visuals and video footage captured as part of this filming/photography project. The storage location selected will serve as a best selection that allows for unimpeded access by USFWS.

Content:

The contractor will provide all video and photography content to the USFWS Project Manager (branch Public Affairs Officer). Content will include:

· Copies of images and footage;

· Final product to include up to a four-minute outreach and recruitment video product, as agreed upon by the contractor and the USFWS

· An additional of at least three short 30-60 second film clips to utilize on social media platforms

Media/Outreach Management:

This contract will include the unrestricted use of photographs and video footage by the USFWS for the purpose of distributing wildland fire management content and information for the use in media and other public forums, such as social media. Captured visuals may also be used in internal and external publications, as determined appropriate by the USFWS.

Editing/Post-Production:

This requirement will include editing and post-production requirements for film and photographic content created as part of this recruitment and outreach effort for the Branch of Fire Management (USFWS). If the contractor has previously worked with the USFWS, the final product can include previously created content that has been collected via other projects that the contractor has completed, as well as newly acquired visuals.

The requirement will include allocations for equipment costs, upgrades, additional needs for locations and technical requirements.

The requirement will include allocations for voice over elements, musical composition, graphics rendering, and other technical requirements.

The requirement will include the distribution of final products to USFWS on platforms needed for broad scale availability.

Content created is unique and specific for the USFWS Fire Management Program and may include access to locations typically closed to public or otherwise restricted (i.e. aerial viewing, access to prescribed fire locations, etc.).

USFWS will have review and input authority during the editing process prior to final product creation. Created products will be of a commiserate quality and production with industry standards and high-end grade content completion.

Short film content will include, but is not limited to:

· Aerial footage/photographs of prescribed fire or wildfire;

· Close-up footage/photographs of flames burning various types of vegetation;

· Footage/photographs of USFWS firefighters performing duties on a prescribed fire or wildfire;

· Aerial footage/photographs of various refuges, showing diverse habitat;

· Footage/photographs of USFWS firefighters hiking to/from a fire/on the fireline

· Footage/photographs working a fireline;

· USFWS fire vehicles (engines, trucks, marsh masters, etc.) working a prescribed fire or wildfire;

· Footage/photographs of animals on refuges in previous burned areas, or with fire in the vicinity;

· USFWS firefighters dragging hose/lighting fire with various products, watching retardant drops, digging line, flying in helicopter, cutting trees, comradery, pile burning, etc.

This requirement will add refuge locations to existing suite of content created for the NWRS, if any exists. Specifically, unique content previously created will be combined with several new refuge locations for use in a final deliverable film referenced above. Final deliverables will be used as part of the USFWS Fire Management Branch recruitment efforts, as well as diversity and inclusion outreach efforts.

The contractor will be provided access to refuges, accommodations where necessary.

Unique Qualifications:

The contractor should be uniquely qualified for this requirement based on industry standard expertise and existing creative content and collaborative work with NWRS. For the most benefit to contribute to the Branch of Fire Management’s recruitment and outreach efforts, it is preferred that the contractor have prior experience with the NWRS and the agency within the last ten years. Ideally, the selected contractor will have previously traveled on assignment throughout the refuge system to film and photograph a host of refuges, and specifically in areas closed to the public. Any assets that have been created by the selected contractor should be authorized for USFWS use but copyright authority is retained by the contractor. The content that has been created is of industry standard quality and not available through any other context or format.

3.0 SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED BY THE CONTRACTOR

The contractor will provide still photography and videography for the agency. All contractor created visual products, in their final form, which shall include all USFWS content, will be made available for use by the USFWS for this project.

Copyright authority remains with the contractor as the creator of the images. The contractor will:

· Provide finished photographic content for the Branch of Fire Management to visually promote the wildland fire program

· Provide storage location for all visuals and video footage that allows for best access by USFWS

Any assets created prior to this contract may have use limitations based on the contractors licensing authority. Those assets will need to be discussed on a case-by-case basis for any distribution.

The contractor will provide industry standard guidance and approaches for collaboration with USFWS and contractors regarding needed visuals, standards, and vision for this project.

Services will be provided via phone, video conference, email or where applicable, in- person.

Copyright:

Copyright ownership for content created will remain with the contractor. The contractor will grant a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, non-transferable license to USFWS for government purposes such as use, reproduction and display of the content and images. USFWS may not use the images for monetary gain at any point in the future.

Image and Content Credit:

USFWS will be credited by utilization of the following credit: Name of Contractor/USFWS. Use of images by the contractor will occur with USFWS permission through the USFWS project officer as has been the customary permission structure between USFWS and other contractors. Any use by a third party outside of USFWS requires approval from the contractor and USFWS.

Images created by the contractor and containing USFWS logo or content associated with USFWS will not appear in any disparaging manner or negatively impact the mission of USFWS or the Federal government.

Content created as part of this contract requires release or permission of the authorizing party prior to any inclusion in the project. USFWS and the contractor require release documents for all subjects prior to any engagement on the project.

4.0 CONTRACTOR TRAVEL

Travel will be required for capturing visuals related to this project. Planning meetings/discussions/presentations that can occur virtually will be done so. Travel will occur as filming opportunities arise and are based on the occurrence of fuels treatments and wildfire activity.

5.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Period of performance for this contract will be one-year from date of award.

5.1 DELIVERABLES

Desired deliverables include:

· Final film product, not to exceed four minutes, to be used for recruiting purposes for the wildland fire program;

· At least three additional 30-60 second film clips to utilize on social media platforms;

· Final film product to satisfy the desire for diversity and inclusion outreach efforts, as well as recruitment efforts;

· Still photography to be used for other purposes, as desired by the Branch of Fire Management, but limited to internal and external outreach efforts and non-money-making promotion.