SOW_Multimedia_Repoter_2018_LatAm.docx

SECTION C

STATEMENT OF WORK

Multimedia Reporter Spanish Service, Latin America Division

C.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

The Voice of America’s Latin America Division, Spanish Service has a requirement for an Multimedia Reporter (hereinafter referred to as “Contractor”) to initiate and develop news stories and ideas independently that will appeal to Voice of America (VOA) viewers. The Contractor shall provide objective hard news, US news and features, interviews, live affiliate interactions, social media posts and live streams, B-Roll and photos in Spanish for dissemination in both broadcast and digital platforms. The Contractor shall identify and cover stories related to foreign policy, civil society, social issues, economy, technology, entrepreneurship, and entertainment; conduct interviews; prepare reports; gather information, video, and photos; shoot, write, video edit, and narrate final report. The Contractor shall establish sources with differing views both in government and outside official channels in order to report on a wide variety of subjects focusing on immigration, politics, social issues, and economics. Information must be available upon solicited deadline.

The Government will reimburse the Contractor for actual expenses incurred on a per assignment basis, related to the work performed in NYC, such as transportation expenses. The Contractor shall be responsible for meeting all obligations under the terms and conditions of this Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). The Contractor shall at all times adhere to the standards and principles in the Voice of America Journalistic Code at https://www.insidevoa.com/p/5831.html and VOA Best Practices. The Contractor shall request pre-approval before engaging in outside speaking and writing that will give rise to an actual or perceived violation of the Journalistic Code.

C.2 BACKGROUND

The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) is an Executive Branch Federal Government agency that oversees U.S. broadcasting of news and information to audiences around the world. Voice of America’s Latin American Division exists under the BBG umbrella together with the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), and grantee entities, Radio Free Asia (RFA), Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the Middle East Broadcasting Network (MBN). The BBG distributes programming in English and 42 other languages to an estimated weekly audience of 175 million people.

VOA Spanish presents reliable, authoritative, balanced and bias-free information along with fair debate and discussion about US Policy. VOA Spanish produces content that is relevant to the daily lives of the people in the western hemisphere while it explores US – Latin American relations.

C.3 TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

C.3.1 SPECIFIC KNOWLDEGE, SKILLS, & REQUIREMENTS

· Knowledge of VOA programming and Latin American target audience

· Knowledgeable about major players and newsmakers in Latin America, as well as, in the Latin American community in the US, particularly NYC.

· Journalism experience

· At least 3 years of experience working for a news agency

· Proficient in Spanish and English

· Strong Spanish writing skills

· Strong reporting skills in perfect spoken Spanish

· Balanced and Bias-Free reporting

· Strong interviewing skills

· Strong news judgement

· Experience cultivating sources

· Breaking news coverage

· Live news coverage

· Ability to work under pressure

· Proficient video shooting

· Ability to shoot video with HD video cameras

· Ability to shoot video with HD mobile phones

· Understands and applies basic principles of lighting and audio recording

· Proficient in video editing

· Proficient in the use of Adobe Premier or Final Cut X

· Ability to video edit under tight deadlines

· Basic knowledge of video editing on a mobile phone

· Proficient TV & Video Production

· Understands and applies principles of video language and syntax

· Understands and applies appropriate story-telling techniques

· Proficient in Digital Media Production

· Understands and applies differing story-telling techniques appropriate for each digital platform

· Proficient in the use of Tweeter, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Skype, CMSs

C.3.2 TASK OVERVIEW

The Contractor shall perform the following:

Shift work, as needed or determined, during weekends, evenings, holidays, and/or uncommon working hours to meet news demands

· Generate ideas for broadcast and/or digital reports and projects

· Research a given topic for a specific project, story, interview or program

· Explain complex topics in a simplified manner to Latin-American audiences, profile a major leader, personality, or newsmaker

· Tell the story of the Latin America diaspora in NYC

· Conduct interviews, cover events and prepare reports based on interviews and/or event coverage.

· Produce reports for TV, radio and/or Digital platforms, fully and independently

· Follow assigning editor and/or managing editor instructions and recommendations

· Respond quickly to breaking news

· Live interactions with affiliates as assigned

· Meet or exceed deadlines assigned of all deliverables

C.3.3 REPORT REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor’s reports shall comply with the following:

· Conforms to VOA style and follows VOA guidelines

· Delivers balanced, bias-free, objective, and comprehensive reports

· Information must follow the two source rule

· Statements are always followed by attribution

· Stories provide context and background information as warranted

· Writing

· Is clear, easy to understand and accurately conveys information,

· Adheres to Pan-American Spanish grammar rules

· Style of a report is carefully crafted to fit demands of broadcast and/or digital platforms

· TV Pkgs

· 1:30min long

· Provides at least 2 SOT

· Quick paced

· Narration delivery is authoritative and pleasing in tone

· Timely and newsworthy

· Images are pleasing to the eye -- well composed and lit.

· Images are ordered in a congruent way in accordance to the rules of visual syntax

· Images are chosen for the news value they provide

· Sound is clean and understandable. Can be the main source of information or serves to add dimension and texture to the video.

· Video clips have audible natural sound

· Delivery meets deadlines

· Radio

· Uses audio from TV reports to deliver mp3 to affiliates

· Sound must be clean and intelligible

· Reports have actualities

· Delivery meets deadlines

· Interviews

· 3 to 5 minutes in length

· One on One interviews with officials, analysts, community leaders, politicians, influential people, activists, Latin American diaspora

· Digital Media - Web and Social Media Platforms

· Short Videos

· SOTs and Broll

· Facebook Live

· Live Tweeting

· Photos

· Live Affiliate Interactions

· Uses IPhone

· Uses Skype or U Smart Apps

· Delivers balanced authoritative interactions providing information at hand that has been corroborated with more than one source.

· Good on screen presence

· Conversational, dynamic delivery

C.3.3.1 VIDEO PACKAGES HARD NEWS STORIES

· Video Packages – (Hard News)

· Hard News- Based on Current events or News derived from an investigation based on current news.

· Editorial guidance will be provided by managing editor to meet the criteria and desired angle of subject

· Topics will be varied but must always include data and facts to support the information provided, and information must be attributed

· Pacing is fast and dynamic

C.3.3.2 VIDEO PACKAGES FEATURE STORIES

· Feature Stories are based on special or current events that are of generic interest and could be used anytime.

· Story might be longer in format over 1:30 min but pace and rhythm are dynamic. Introduces creative elements in shooting and video editing.

· It is fully original in content and execution.

· Topics could be varied and are human interest driven

· Can be part of a series, or collaborative effort between VOA Spanish and its affiliates

· Editorial guidance and story focus worked in conjunction with assigned Content Editor.

C.3.3.3 SHORT VIDEO AND B-ROLL

Video material gathered and/or produced to use in during braking news, or event coverage by reporter, or as a means to support other coverage efforts in the Service by other reporters in both broadcast and digital platforms

BRoll

· Raw material for news packages and special programs

· Varies in length

· Managing editor will give editorial guidance and sometimes provide suggestions

· helps support an ongoing story

· Provides original visual content with certain immediacy to digital or broad cast platforms during breaking news, or event coverage

· Provides material to create promos of upcoming stories or events

· Quickly shared via WhatsApp or other delivery means.

· Short Video

· Self-contained, ready to use story under one minute

· Used for on scene reporting

· Provides quick turn around

· It includes stand up by reporter on location and some broll

· Used in Social Media platforms and embedded in web articles

· Quickly shared via WhatsApp

C.3.3.4 LIVE AFFILIATE INTERACTIONS

· Follows direction from Affiliate coordinator

· Able to deliver multiple live interactions back to back under tight deadlines

· Content of interaction will be determined by news of the day, and affiliate demand

· Interactions range in length between 3 and 10 min depending on affiliate and news.

· Communicates with affiliates via WhatsApp

C.3.3.5 PHOTOGRAPHS

· Accompany written web articles to support information

· Must be original

· Uses IPhone or DSLR to shoot photos

· Captions with location, subject identification, and a blurb of what we are seeing must accompany each photo

C.4 DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall provide deliverables that are responsive to the statement of work and/or specifications described in each individual task order. The Contractor shall submit all deliverables to the COR identified herein for dissemination to BBG subject matter expert(s) for review and comments. Final inspection and acceptance of all work performed and deliverables will be performed by the COR. The following deliverables are required for the successful completion of this contract. The Contractor shall submit the required deliverables to the COR in accordance with the following schedule:

C4.1 DEADLINES

All work performed under this contract shall be completed and delivered within the established due date as started in the above table or as specified in each individual task order. The Contractor shall advise the Ordering Office and COR of any anticipated delays within twenty-four (24) hours after receipt of an order.

C.5 PLACE OF DELIVERY FOR DELIVERABLES

(a) The Contractor shall submit work materials as stated in Section C.4, to meet broadcast requirements. The deliverable/tasks can be a pre-recorded package or a presentation of live content, depending on specific broadcast needs.

(b) The Contractor shall submit all deliverables to the Contracting Officer representative (COR) at the address listed below:

Item(s) to be delivered under this contract shall be delivered electronically to:

U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors Cohen Building – Room 3521-B 330 Independence Ave., SW Phone: 202-203-4295 E-mail: nardanza@voanews.com

*The COR will specify the place of delivery for items to be delivered under each task order that have not been listed in the preceding table upon their assignment.

All Contractor Deliverable shall meet the following standards:

· Clarity Deliverables and technical content shall be relevant and unambiguous, and shall adhere to accepted elements of style. Presentations, if any, shall be easy to understand and be relevant to the supporting narrative.

· Adherence to Requirements All deliverables must satisfy the requirements of this statement of work and must contribute to the overall success of the tasks.

· Format Deliverables shall be submitted in the format specified in the task order (if applicable), or as specified by the COR. If format is not specified in the task order, the Contractor shall submit all work products in formats compatible with BBG system format.

· Completeness Deliverables shall be comprehensive and entirely developed (i.e. have all required parts and elements).

· Timeliness –Deliverables shall be submitted to the COR at the time required (as specified in the task order) and generated on or before the specified the due date.

· Significant Deficiencies - Deliverables shall be free of significant deficiencies. Significant deficiencies are findings by reviewing officials of serious omissions, inaccuracies, noncompliance with contract requirements and standards.

C.6 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

C.6.1 INSPECTION OVERVIEW

The Contractor agrees that no employer-employee relationship exists between the Voice of America and the Contractor. The COR will review, for completeness and quality, all deliverables submitted by the Contractor, and will return them to the Contractor for correction, if applicable. The Contracting Officer may delegate responsibility for review to other employees with appropriate expertise. Absence of any comments by the COR will not relieve the Contractor of the responsibility for complying with the requirements of the contract. Final approval and acceptance of deliverables will be provided to the Contractor in writing by the COR. The COR will have up to two-weeks to inspect deliverables and return them to the Contractor for correction.

C.6.1.1 VOA CONTROL OF THE WORK

While VOA encourages initiative in discovering, pursuing and developing stories, etc., until VOA accepts a story, etc., VOA will not pay the Contractor for any story, etc. VOA follows Voice of America journalistic guidelines and standards available at https://www.insidevoa.com/p/5831.html and VOA Best Practices. The Contractor and those reporting stories are responsible for errors or material breaches of these journalistic guidelines. Material errors or breach are grounds for VOA to refuse to provide further work to the persons breaching these standards and can be the basis for a termination for default of this agreement in whole or part. The remedies in this clause are cumulative and do not restrict any other actions VOA may have under the agreement, at law or in equity.

Before designating a stringer to a VOA assignment (story, etc.,) VOA must have approved the use of that stringer. VOA also reserves the right to restrict use of some stringers for some VOA assignments. The Contractor shall notify VOA of the names of the designated stringers as soon as the Contractor designates the stringer. VOA has complete discretion to require the Contractor to remove stringers from VOA assignments.

VOA and stringers may communicate directly via the designated COR.

VOA has complete editorial control over the content of stories VOA publishes in any form or media. Stringers who object to VOA editorial decisions shall present their objections to the Contractor/COR who can determine whether and how to pursue the matter with VOA. Editorial decisions concerning the content or presentation of stories shall not be subject to the disputes clause. Those decisions are solely within the discretion of the Contracting Officer.

VOA is not responsible for the safety or health of the Contractor and its stringers when pursuing any story. The Contractor and the involved stringers must determine on their own the risks and are at liberty to stop and exit any story or situation when they reasonably believe they are at risk of injury, particularly if any person or persons, know or unknown, are reasonably believed to be seeking to inflict harm on journalists.

If VOA/COR does not accept a deliverable from the Contractor due to inferior quality, errors, etc., the Contractor may, depending on the type of deliverable, be entitled to resubmit the deliverable at VOA/COR’s sole discretion. For example, if the item submitted was a breaking news item and its publication is time sensitive, VOA will not accept resubmission of that breaking news item. In any event, the Contractor must obtain approval in writing from VOA/COR before resubmitting a deliverable that VOA/COR deemed unacceptable.

Copyright to all work under this Contract belongs to the Broadcasting Board of Governors and VOA.

C.6.1.2 CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Contractor’s performance shall be evaluated quarterly to ensure that the Contractor is meeting the requirements of the VOA.

C.6.2 ACCEPTABLE CRITERA

All Contractor-produced documents and documentation, in addition to the required Deliverables as referenced in Section C.4, shall meet the following general acceptance criteria. Final inspection and acceptance of all work performed, reports and other deliverables, will be performed at the place of delivery by the BBG’s COR.

(1) Accurate

(2) Verifiable, i.e. well sourced – for example, eyewitness, consistent stories from multiple perspectives (multiple perspectives requires differing ultimate sources of information)

(3) Methodical in gathering evidence to support assertions, includes supporting evidence

(4) Informs the reader/audience if the story is outside the norm

(5) Follows the VOA Journalistic Code, https://www.voanews.com/a/a-13-a-2002-07-09-12-voa-67572457/288015.html and VOA Best Practices Guide

(6) Focused and reasonably able to understand why the information is being presented

(7) Provides quality images and journalism that illustrates the order of events (well-rounded story)

(8) Seek unique perspectives that can help create an attractive narrative

(9) Provide a story to frame important/current news or events

(a) Explain why the story is relevant to the reader/viewer with as much specificity as practical

(b) Use character(s) interfacing with the issues to illustrate relevance

(i) For example, interacting with an organization or bureaucracy, or successfully completing a process

(c) Why are the rules there

(d) Why is this organization/bureaucracy necessary

(e) Identify the central point, evidence, character and/or place

(f) Ask and, when possible accurately, answer “why” questions

(g) Provide context for breaking news

(h) If the story is about the same thing as another past story, the reporter shall explain why the story needs retelling and/or how the new story adds to or changes the previous story.

C.7 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of this Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is three years consisting of a one year base period and two (2) consecutive twelve-month ordering periods.

(a) The anticipated date of award of this Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) shall be from May14, 2018 May 13, 2021 and will be contingent upon availability of funds.

(b) Additional services in excess of the estimated amount may be requested provided upon the mutual consent of the parties as indicated by the offer and acceptance of additional orders. The Government may terminate this contract within 30 calendar day’s prior notice in the event of discontinued need for the Contractor’s services or with less prior notice as may be appropriate in the event of unsatisfactory performance or improper conduct on the part of the Contractor.

C.8 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The Contractor shall perform work at the VOA’s New York office and/or in the field New York City unless otherwise mutually agreed to by the Contracting Officer.

C.8.1 GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, FACILITIES, SERVICES OR INFORMATION

Contractor will be required to undergo a security check.

C.9 PAYMENT

*Note: The Contractor shall submit invoices only for work that has been submitted to the COR, and inspected and accepted by the COR.

Expenses incurred in gathering and filing incumbent's reportage are included in the monthly payment. The Contractor will use of VOA's equipment and communications if possible. The incumbent may not enter into contracts or incur financial liabilities on behalf of VOA or the U.S. Government.

C.9.1 REIMBURSABLE ITEMS

(a) Travel and Per Diem - The terms and conditions of the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR) shall apply to all travel and travel-related matters authorized herein. The Contractor shall be reimbursed at cost for travel-related expenses upon submission of properly substantiated invoices. There shall be no profit allowed on these expenses. The Contractor, in connection with authorized travel, shall be reimbursed.

(b) The BBG will not reimburse costs associated with “Local Travel” to/from the Contractor’s office to/from or for parking during working hours.

(c) The BBG will reimburse the Contractor for costs associated with out of the Contractor’s home province, to cover stories if applicable. This reimbursement will include mileage (at JTR rates), tolls, and hourly parking.

Expenses related to travel outside the Contractor’s home province area- such as tickets, car rental, hotel, telephones and internet costs related to VOA work and per diem shall be paid separately by invoice with all supporting documentation attached. In the event VOA requests contractor travel outside of the United States or on extended travel; a travel grant may be authorized.

(d) The Contractor shall obtain prior written approval from the COR identified in the Contract before incurring any of the above reimbursable expenses.

C.11 SUBMISSION OF INVOICES

The Contractor shall submit an original monthly invoice of detailed work completed and accepted by the Government to the COR. The Contractor’s monthly invoice shall list: (a) the days for which assignments/hours are being billed for work performed, (b) the programs produced, (c) reimbursable expenses, if any, and (d) comply with 1952.232-91 Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements clause (below).

1952.232-91 Electronic Invoicing and Payment Requirements

- Invoice Payment Platform (IPP) (April 2016) Payment requests for all new awards must be submitted electronically through the U. S. Department of the Treasury's Invoice Payment Platform System (IPP). "Payment request" means any request for contract financing payment or invoice payment by the Contractor. To constitute a proper invoice, the payment request must comply with the requirements identified in FAR 32.905(b), "Payment documentation and process" and the applicable Prompt Payment clause included in this contract. The IPP website address is: https://www.ipp.gov.

PRICING SUMMARY

Base Period May 14, 2018-May 13, 2019

Year One Option Period May 14, 2019-May 13, 2020

Year Two Option Period May 14, 2020-May 13, 2021