Attachment I Statement of Work.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

TITLE: Multimedia technical illustration and graphics support for communicating research by NIST scientists

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and its Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML), require support to provide high-quality illustrative, explanatory, multimedia electronic depictions of advanced research projects and findings in the physical sciences – and the new technologies that result from them – for use in electronic dissemination of NIST/PML news reports and for use by scientists in presentations.

Needed products include animations at various levels of detail and both simple and complex illustrations for display alone or in a series. Subject matter, treatment, and degree of technical complexity for each product will be determined by the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) from the PML News/Information Office.

II. SCOPE OF WORK

a. OBJECTIVES/PURPOSE This project’s purpose is to provide high-quality illustrative, explanatory, multimedia depictions of research discoveries, experimental results, and other findings in fields including quantum physics, micro- and nanoelectronics, quantum optics and photonics, advanced physics, chemistry, telecommunications, quantum science, and related technologies for use in electronic dissemination of NIST/PML news reports and other information products for the interested public and for use by scientists in presentations.

b. GENERAL:

The Contractor shall provide all support for project oversight, administration, and technical execution of this order. The Contractor shall maintain accurate records of project activities and confer online with the COR for no more than 30 minutes at the beginning, approximate middle, and end of each project via videoconference platform as scheduled by the COR.

c. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) 0001: The Contractor shall complete the following tasks:

Task 1: The Contractor shall produce a total of twelve (12) explanatory computer-generated animations per year of lengths from 90 seconds to 180 seconds as appropriate and in no case to exceed 200 seconds, as directed by the TPOC. All completed animations must be ready for immediate display on pages in the NIST/PML website without modifications. Animations shall be in color and made at three different levels of complexity – with the appropriate level for each product to be determined by the TPOC in consultation with relevant NIST scientists – as follows:

Six Level 1 3D ray-traced animations in which three to five elements are active/in motion and perspective changes at least once during the animation (e.g., vertical or horizontal “camera” rotation);

Three Level 2 3D ray-traced animations in which three or fewer elements are in motion without perspective changes; and Three Level 3 2D animations in which four or fewer objects are in motion.

None of the animations will include an audio track. All verbal explanation shall be in the form of text in the frames and/or labels and titles as edited and approved by the TPOC.

General narrative structure and contents of the animations shall be determined prior to onset of work by email message/s or a teleconference of no more than 30 minutes between the TPOC and the Contractor’s subject-matter expert who is expected, prior to the meeting, to independently understand the research and/or technology to be depicted from reading the relevant scientific journal article/s and supplementary material previously sent to him/her by the TPOC. The subject-matter expert must fully comprehend all scientific terms, concepts, or principles involved in each project without assistance from the TPOC.

Following initial contact for each animation project, the Contractor shall produce storyboards – showing no fewer than four successive stages in the animation – for review by the TPOC and the relevant scientists, who may provide specific suggestions to the Contractor by email. As the work proceeds, the Contractor shall provide refined storyboards and/or video clips as directed for the purpose of securing successive interim approvals while proceeding from initial idea to completed product. For each animation, this may entail no more than two additional rounds of message exchange as needed to provide direction for refining and/or modifying the animation, as determined by the TPOC and relevant NIST scientists. TPOC shall determine when a product is completed.

Completed products shall be delivered in 1920 x 1080 resolution (16 x 9 aspect ratio) and in MP4 format. NIST, through the TPOC, will provide mandatory templates for introductory titles and for final credits and identification.

All animations will be the exclusive property of NIST.

Task 2: The contractor shall produce eighteen (18) electronic explanatory illustrations singly or in sets of multiple illustrations, each one of which will count toward the annual total. In each case, the initiation, review, and approval process will be the same as in Task 1 with the exception that after the initial message exchange no more than one additional meeting will be required.

Finished illustrations shall be capable of screen display at 300 pixels per inch on NIST/PML web pages without modification and submitted in one of two formats as determined by the TPOC:

vector graphics editable in Adobe Illustrator; or PNG or PSD formats editable in Adobe Photoshop.

All illustrations will be the exclusive property of NIST.

Task 3: The Contractor shall create and maintain a complete web-based online archive, organized in order by date completed, of all graphics products produced for Tasks 1 and 2 above that is fully accessible at any time by the NIST TPOC during the contract period.

OPTION LINE ITEMS: THE FOLLOWING SERVICES ARE OPTION LINE ITEMS.

PRICES QUOTED SHALL BE EFFECTIVE FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR FROM

THE DATE OF AWARD. AWARD OF OPTION LINE ITEMS IS AT THE SOLE

DISCRETION OF THE GOVERNMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FAR 52.217-9.

OPTION

CLIN 0002:

The Contractor shall perform all tasks listed under CLIN 0001 for a period of twelve (12) months after the completion of CLIN 0001’s period of performance with execution of a modification to exercise the option.

OPTION

CLIN 0003:

The Contractor shall perform all tasks listed under CLIN 0001 for a period of twelve (12) months after the completion of CLIN 0002’s period of performance with execution of a modification to exercise the option.

OPTION

CLIN 0004:

The Contractor shall perform all tasks listed under CLIN 0001 for a period of twelve (12) months after the completion of CLIN 0003’s period of performance with execution of a modification to exercise the option.

OPTION

CLIN 0005:

The Contractor shall perform all tasks listed under CLIN 0001 for a period of twelve (12) months after the completion of CLIN 0004’s period of performance with execution of a modification to exercise the option.

III. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

CLIN 0001: Performance shall take place at the Contractor’s facility and have a period of performance of one (1) year after receipt of order.

OPTION CLIN 0002: Performance shall take place at the Contractor’s facility and have a period of performance of one (1) year after the designated effective date on an issued modification to exercise the option.

OPTION CLIN 0003: Performance shall take place at the Contractor’s facility and have a period of performance of one (1) year after the designated effective date on an issued modification to exercise the option.

OPTION CLIN 0004: Performance shall take place at the Contractor’s facility and have a period of performance of one (1) year after the designated effective date on an issued modification to exercise the option.

OPTION CLIN 0005: Performance shall take place at the Contractor’s facility and have a period of performance of one (1) year after the designated effective date on an issued modification to exercise the option.

IV. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The primary place of performance is off site. There is no requirement to be on a NIST campus.

V. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY

NIST will not provide any property to the Contractor.

VI. DELIVERABLES

All deliverables generated under this requirement remain the property of the Government.

Task Description Format Quantity Due Date

1 Explanatory animations in accordance with Task 1. MP4, PNG, PSD

A total of 12 explanatory animations at one of three complexity levels

One year after award

2 Explanatory drawings and illustrations in accordance with Task 2.

MP4,

PNG,

PSD

A total of eighteen

(18) explanatory drawings and illustrations

One year after

3 An electronic archive maintained by the Contractor and readily accessible at any time to the TPOC and his designees, containing all illustrations, animations, and other multimedia work products completed during the contract period.

Web-based file storage

Within 1 month of

VII.

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY

Task Desired Output Required Service Performance Standard Monitoring Method 1 -2 Multimedia information products that clearly communicate the scope and significance of PML science and metrology to intelligent general audiences.

Example:

A 2-minute, high-quality 3D color animation depicting a new quantum technique for measurement.

Creation of still and animated graphics to explain or illustrate advanced scientific and metrological research.

Example:

Creation of original graphics in 3D animation software; output approved version with captions in a NIST-approved format such as

MP4.

Complete approval of information products by TPOC and, as needed, relevant NIST scientists.

Example:

Clear, vivid, accurate and understandable graphics with science content approved by relevant scientists. Over the past 7 years, PML has produced scores of high-quality animations and illustrations, which collectively represent a performance standard. (See https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news-updates/org/5651)The TPOC will use these examples in working with the contractor to

Continuous monitoring of products during each iteration from start to finish by TPOC and NIST scientists as appropriate. Weekly email sessions and occasional videoconferences as required.

Example:

TPOC examines and evaluates each successive iteration of the product through completion, in consultation with relevant scientists.

ensure that standards are met.

Task

An online archive, containing all graphics produced under this contract, sorted by date and at full size and resolution, that is fully accessible at any time to the

TPOC.

Creation and maintenance of a web-based library of products that is accessible in any browser on Windows and Apple OS platforms.

Graphics produced under the contract must be available in the web library immediately upon completion.

The TPOC will monitor the contents on a weekly basis and email the Contractor with any questions that arise.

Standards for Acceptance of Deliverables:

The TPOC will provide guidance on each stage of the deliverable within no more than seven (7) calendar days from receipt. The Contractor shall make any needed changes to the products within ten (10) calendar days from receipt of electronic or written comments from the TPOC.

The TPOC will provide written notification when a deliverable is accepted.

VIII. TRAVEL

None.

IX. CONTRACTOR’S MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in physical sciences from an accredited university, physics strongly preferred, and ability to read and understand the contents of scientific journal articles describing research in advanced physical sciences including quantum science, microelectronics, optics, and photonics.

Five (5) years of proven ability to communicate complex research results in advanced physical sciences, including various aspects of quantum science, to an intelligent general audience using illustrations, animations, and other multimedia information products.