ATTACHMENT_A_-_SOW.docx

ATTACHMENT A

SCOPE OF WORK

Obtaining Relevant Visual Media (Time-lapse Photography and B-Roll Video Footage) for Supporting the South Dakota Soil Health Strategy Purpose:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) South Dakota requires time-lapse photography and videography services for documenting soil health practices and conservation technology on working agricultural lands. The purpose of this proposal is to obtain the products of seasonal and relevant time-lapse photography and b-roll video footage to support the messaging, educational efforts and strategy of the NRCS South Dakota Soil Health Team.

The time-lapse photography and video footage will be obtained at pre-determined seasonal intervals at pre-selected farming operations that use soil health management practices of no-till cropping systems, diversified crop rotations, and, where applicable, use cover crops and integrate livestock to the cropping system.

Background:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service serving South Dakota conducted an Inventory of Cropping Systems for South Dakota in 2015. This inventory identified the need for increased technical information for certain soil health management practices in targeted areas of South Dakota. A strategy was developed to address the identified needs.

The managing of residue in no-till cropping systems for SD agricultural producers can be considered challenging. NRCS SD will be documenting the successful breakdown of crop residue through proper management techniques through use of time lapse photography on pre-selected fields.

The objective is to visually show the biological breakdown of crop residue into the soil over the span of a year for crop fields that have proper soil health agronomic practices. The purpose is convey the importance of diverse crop rotations, lack of disturbance and other soil health management practices for the effective decomposition of crop residue.

Scope of Work:

The contract recipient will be responsible for both Part A and Part B of this Statement of Work.

The site locations for this project are in different counties across South Dakota. The obtaining of the time-lapse photography and the b-roll video footage will be done mostly at the same sites. For clarity of the NRCS’ requirements for each type of visual media, this project Statement of Work is outlined into Part A and Part B:

Project Part A) Time-lapse photography Project Part B) B-Roll video footage

Project Part A) Objective for Time-Lapse Photos:

At each pre-selected field location, the vender will set up, monitor and obtain time-lapse photos that reflect the designated topic at that location. Each location will have a designated time frame for obtaining the seasonal photos, i.e., spring 2016 planting, crop growth, harvest, etc., through spring 2017. There are a total of 14 individual fields to be photographed and they are located in nine South Dakota Counties: Potter, Brookings, Brule, Hughes, Clark, Clay, Meade, and Jackson Counties, South Dakota.

Project Part A) The Recipient will:

The vender will install and monitor the time-lapse cameras and memory cards that will obtain high definition resolution photos at a high resolution standard formatted file.

The vender will perform time lapse photography on pre-selected fields during a specified time period lasting from planting in the spring of 2016 through planting 2017.

Provide NRCS with the images in digital format cataloged and stored on an external drive of suitable size. The vender will provide the NRCS with at least, but not limited to 125 of the best time lapse photographs separated in folders by topic location (e.g., x-farm in Potter County, SD), and where relevant, farther subdivided by subject like crop (e.g., spring, summer, after harvest, etc.).

The vender will also shoot a variety of “scenic” photographs of each of the time-lapse camera fields that show the context of the location, i.e., relevant wide, medium close-up photos of the crop and cropland. The vender will provide NRCS with at least, but not limited to 10 of the best context photos separated in folders by topic location (e.g., x-farm in Potter County, SD), and where relevant, farther subdivided by subject like crop (e.g., spring, summer, after harvest, etc.).

The NRCS will coordinate with the contractor on the initial site visit to ensure the location and specifics with the cameras will meet the objectives of the agency. Get input from the NRCS technical staff on the content and appropriate camera angles to show the particular subject.

The digital files shall be of a resolution and quality suitable for high definition NRCS public presentations, internet social media venues, and printed publications (magazines).

The contractor will deliver the time lapse photography images as electronic files to the NRCS South Dakota Public Affairs contact person:

Colette Kessler, Public Affairs USDA NRCS South Dakota 1717 North Lincoln Ave., Suite 104 Pierre, SD 57501

(605) 224-2476, Ext 5 Colette.kessler@sd.usda.gov

Project Part A) – The NRCS will:

1. Upon awarding of the project, NRCS will provide the recipient with the locations of the selected sites. Help facilitate logistics of communications and site visits with the vender and sites.

2. Collaborate with the recipient and provide input on choice of subject matter for the photos.

3. Provide input/feedback on each newly edited time-lapse product to ensure the content reflects the integrity of soil health management practices.

4. This work is performed in an outdoor setting on the agricultural land of the participating ag producer. The NRCS will obtain permissions that will also allow the vender to have permission to access the portion of land for the time lapse photography product during a specified time period lasting from planting in the spring of 2016 through planting 2017. The actual hours can be flexible as needed.

5. The NRCS may have periodic inspections of images and location set-ups.

Project Part A) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

Project Part A) Time-lapse collection Milestones:

Identify fields, locations, and set up cameras - May 2016 Time-lapse photos to be obtained Spring 2016 through spring 2017.

Deliver to NRCS SD – on or before the end of July 2017

Project Part A) Expected Accomplishments and Deliverables The final selected and categorized digital photos will be obtained and delivered on a portable external drive to the Public Affairs staff of NRCS South Dakota.

Project Part B) Objective:

At each location, the vender will obtain a variety of wide, medium, and close b-roll footage to reflect the designated topic at that location. Each location will have a designated time frame for obtaining the seasonal footage, i.e., planting, crop growth, harvest, etc. There are a total of 9 locations in Potter, Brookings, Brule, Hughes, Davison, Clark, Clay and Jackson Counties, South Dakota.

The vender will provide the NRCS with no less than 100 of the best B-roll clips separated in folders by topic (e.g., no-till, cover crops, planting, harvest), and where relevant, farther subdivided by subject like crop (e.g., corn, soybean, milo)

Project Part B) The Recipient will:

Shoot high definition resolution video at 4K standard formatted file.

Provide NRCS with the “B-roll” clips in digital format cataloged and stored on an external drive of suitable size.

Get input from the NRCS technical staff on the content and appropriate camera angles to show the relevant subject.

Project Part B) The NRCS will:

1. Provide the recipient with the locations of the selected sites. Help facilitate logistics of communications and site visits with the vender and sites.

2. Collaborate with the contract recipient and provide input on choice of subject matter the B-Roll Clips.

3. Provide input/feedback on each newly edited video segment to ensure the content reflects the integrity of soil health management practices.

Project Part B) PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE:

B-roll collection Milestones:

Identify videos and create subject matter folders April-May 2016 Video footage to be obtained Spring 2016 through Spring 2017.

Complete video b-roll collection task – end June 2017 Date of Final delivery to NRCS – on or before August 30, 2017

Expected Accomplishments and Deliverables Selected and categorized video b-roll will be obtained and delivered on a portable drive to the NRCS South Dakota. A second portable drive will be provided as a backup for the first portable drive.

Evaluation Venders are encouraged to provide information that may aid in the evaluation of successful past performance, e.g., performance evaluations, work products portfolio, or contracts or projects of similar size and type.

Solicitations will be evaluated for quality, professional work and for a fair and reasonable price.

The contract recipient shall provide an estimated project cost designed to cover the required elements of the Scope of Work (above).