Burden Sharing Video SOW Draft 5 Aug 2026.pdf

Statement of Work (SOW) for

The Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs (SAF/IA)

Digital Media Services for SAF/IA Burden Sharing Training Video

1.0 Background

The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs (SAF/IA) develops and strengthens alliances and partnerships in support of United States national security and foreign-policy objectives.

SAF/IA communicates complex defense cooperation concepts to domestic and international audiences, including senior leaders, foreign government officials, military representatives, and other stakeholders. Previous communication methods relying primarily on static presentation materials have not consistently achieved the desired level of audience engagement or clearly demonstrated how defense cooperation initiatives operate in practice.

SAF/IA requires professional digital media services to develop concise, visually compelling training and communication video explaining the Department of the Air Force’s Burden Sharing initiative. The video will illustrate how cooperation with allies and partners contributes to collective security, strengthens partner capabilities, supports the United States and foreign

Defense Industrial Base, and provides the United States with greater strategic flexibility.

The Government anticipates that the video will incorporate a combination of two-dimensional and three-dimensional digital animation, motion graphics, narration, on-screen text, and

Government-approved imagery or footage. Any depiction of United States or foreign military systems must be technically credible, appropriate for the intended audience, and approved by the

Government before inclusion in the final product.

2.0 Objective

The objective of this contract is to produce a high-quality digital media product, with a maximum runtime of 150 seconds, that clearly and effectively explains the concept, purpose, and benefits of Burden Sharing.

The final video shall:

a. Present Burden Sharing concepts in a clear, concise, and engaging manner;

b. Use visual storytelling to demonstrate the practical application of Burden Sharing;

c. Incorporate Government-approved two-dimensional or three-dimensional representations of military systems, defense capabilities, or related scenarios, as appropriate;

d. Communicate the benefits of Burden Sharing to the United States, its allies and partners, and the United States Defense Industrial Base;

e. Be suitable for presentation to domestic and international audiences, including senior-level Government and military officials;

3.0 Scope of Work

The contractor shall provide all personnel, supervision, project management, equipment, software, materials, licenses, and services necessary to plan, design, produce, edit, and deliver the completed Burden Sharing video.

Work shall include project management, concept development, storyboard and script development, two-dimensional and three-dimensional animation, motion graphics, narration, audio production, video-editing, post-production, Government review cycles, captioning, and final delivery.

The contractor shall use only Government approved information, military system depictions, footage, graphics, and other visual materials. The Contractors shall not use classified information, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), export-controlled technical data, proprietary third-party information, or other restricted information unless its use is expressly authorized in writing by the Contracting Officer and all applicable safeguarding requirements have been established.

The contractor shall not begin work involving a specific weapons system, military capability, operational scenario, or Government-furnished asset until the Government has approved its proposed use.

4.0 Specific Tasks

The contractor shall perform the tasks described below. Government review, comment, or approval of a deliverable does not relieve the contractor of responsibility for complying with the requirements of this Statement of Work (SOW).

Only the Contracting Officer may authorize changes to the contract’s scope, price, schedule, deliverables, or other terms and conditions.

4.1 Project Management

Within 10 calendar days after contract award, the contractor shall submit a Project

Management Plan and production schedule for Government review. The plan shall include:

a. The contractor’s proposed production approach;

b. Key personnel, roles, and responsibilities;

c. Major activities, milestones, and delivery dates;

d. Government information, reviews, decisions, and approvals required to maintain the schedule;

e. Quality-control procedures; and

f. Significant production or schedule risks and proposed mitigation measures.

The contractor shall participate in a post-award kickoff meeting with the

Government and provide brief weekly status updates identifying completed work, upcoming activities, required Government actions, and issues that may affect performance.

4.2 Concept and Storyboard Development

The contractor shall develop a proposed creative treatment describing the proposed visual style, tone, narrative structure, and intended use of animation, motion graphics, footage, imagery, narration, music, and on-screen text.

Following Government review of the creative treatment, the contractor shall prepare a detailed storyboard that includes:

a. A scene-by-scene depiction of the entire video;

b. Draft narration and on-screen text;

c. Estimated scene durations;

d. Descriptions or representative images of proposed animation, graphics, footage, and transition;

e. Identification of military systems, capabilities, or scenarios proposed for depiction; and

f. Identification of Government-furnished, contractor-owned, commercially licensed, third-party, or newly created assets;

The contractor shall brief the storyboard to the Government and incorporate consolidated

Government comments. The proposed price shall include up to two storyboard review and revision cycles.

The contractor shall not begin full-scale animation or video production until the storyboard and narrative have been approved by the Government.

4.3 Content and Script Development

The contractor shall develop the narration script, on-screen text, titles, captions, and other written content necessary to communicate the approved Burden Sharing narrative within the maximum 150-second runtime.

The script and associated visual narrative shall address the following mandatory communication elements:

a. “America First” in Global Defense. Explain that “America First” does not mean America alone, but rather a commitment to being strong at home to be stronger with partners.

b. Burden Sharing Intent. Explain the goals of maintaining a technologically advanced military, fostering a dynamic Defense Industrial Base, and enhancing a robust network of allies.

c. Reforming Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and Direct Commercial Sales

(DCS). Address the need for more rapid, transparent processes that link export decisions to partner capabilities and U.S. foreign policy

d. Defense Technology. Highlight the superiority of U.S. military systems and how a reformed sales process expands the industrial base;

e. Partner Capabilities. Explain how capable allies and partners assuming a greater role in regional security can provide the United States with greater strategic flexibility;

f. Burden Sharing Principles and Examples. Illustrate Burden Sharing through

Government-approved examples, such as cooperative development, cost sharing, multinational acquisitions, training, exercises, or sustainment activities.

The contractor shall submit the draft script and on-screen text for Government review and incorporate consolidated Government comments. The Contractor shall not record final narration or begin full production until the script and on-screen text have been approved by the Government.

4.4 Video Production

Following approval of the storyboard and script, the Contractor shall perform all production and post-production activities necessary to complete the video.

Production shall include, as applicable:

a. The development and integration of two-dimensional animation, three-dimensional animation, motion graphics, imagery, footage, typography, and visual effects;

b. Creation, adaptation, or integration of Government-approved military-system models and related visual assets;

c. Narration recording, music, sound effects and audio mixing;

d. Video editing, color correction, rendering, encoding, and synchronization of visual and audio elements;

e. Integration of titles, labels, captions, and on-screen text; and

f. Preparation of the final delivery formats.

Representations of military systems shall be technically credible and limited with the level of detail approved by the Government.

The contractor shall identify any preexisting contractor-owned or third-party models, footage, music, graphics, fonts, or other materials proposed for use. The Contractor shall ensure that all incorporated materials are properly licensed for the Government’s intended use.

The Contractor shall perform an internal quality-control review before submitting each draft or final video. Submitted products shall conform to the approved storyboard and script and shall be free from material visual, audio, spelling, synchronization, and rendering defects.

The Contractor shall not publicly release, display, distribute, or use any draft or final product for promotional or portfolio purposes without prior written Government

Authorization.

4.5 Revisions and Approvals

The contractor shall support Government review at the following production stages:

a. Creative treatment;

b. Storyboard;

c. Script and on-screen text;

d. Draft video or rough cut;

e. Final-review cut; and

f. Final video and associated deliverables.

The Government will provide consolidated comments to the contractor. The contractor shall address the comments and submit revised products within the timeframes established in the approved production schedule.

Unless otherwise specified, the proposed price shall include:

a. Up to three review and revision cycles for the storyboard and script;

b. One revision cycle following Government review of the draft video or rough cut; and

c. One revision cycle following Government review of the final-review cut.

Corrections required because the contractor failed to follow the approved storyboard, script, technical requirements, or other contract requirements shall not count against the

Government’s included revision cycles.

Requests that materially change an approved concept, message, storyboard, script, military system, scenario, or production approach may constitute a change to the contract and shall not be performed unless authorized by the Contracting Officer.

Final approval of the video’s content, messaging, and suitability for official use rests with

SAF/IA. Contractual acceptance shall be performed by the Contracting Officer or an authorized Government representative acting within the limits of delegated authority.

5.0 Milestones and Deliverables

The contractor shall submit the following deliverables within 90 calendar days after contract award:

Deliverable Description Format Due Date

D1 Project

Management

Plan and

Production

Schedule

Production approach, key personnel, milestones, Government review periods, quality-control procedures, and schedule risks.

Microsoft

Word or

PDF

10 calendar days after award

D2

Storyboard and Script

Package

Approved creative treatment, scene-by-scene storyboard, narration, on-screen text, scene durations, and proposed visual assets.

PDF and

Microsoft

Word

25 calendar days after award

D3 Draft

Video Rough

Cut

Substantially complete video sufficient to evaluate content, animation, narration, pacing, graphics, and overall direction.

MP4

No later than 50 calendar days after award

D4 Final-

Review Cut

Fully rendered video incorporating consolidated Government comments on the rough cut.

MP4,

1920 x

70 calendar days after award

D5 Final

Delivery

Package

Final accepted video and all associated files and documentation required by paragraph

5.1.

As specified below

90 calendar days after award

The contractor shall brief the Storyboard and Script Package to the Government within three business days after submission, unless otherwise directed.

The contractor shall incorporate consolidated Government comments and submit revised products within the timeframes established in the approved production schedule.

The contractor shall promptly notify the Contracting Officer of any issue that may affect a contractual milestone or final delivery date. Only the Contracting Officer may change a contractual delivery date.

5.1 Final Delivery Requirements

The Final Delivery Package shall include:

a. One high-definition MP4 video at 1920 × 1080 resolution;

b. One compressed MP4 video at 1280 × 720 resolution;

d. An accurate transcript in Microsoft Word or PDF format;

e. A synchronized caption file in SRT or another Government-approved format;

f. Final approved storyboard and script;

g. Editable source or project files required by the contract for authorized future modifications;

h. An inventory of Government-furnished, contractor-owned, and Government financed materials incorporated into the final product. The final product must conform to standard Government Use rights.

The final video shall:

a. Not exceed 150 seconds;

b. Contain clear and intelligible audio;

c. Be free from material visual, audio, spelling, rendering, and synchronization defects;

d. Contain no contractor watermark, logo, advertisement, or unauthorized branding; and

e. Include only Government-approved and properly licensed information and materials.

Electronic files shall be delivered using a Government-approved transfer method and shall be complete, accessible, clearly organized, and free of malware.

6.0 Government-Furnished Information and Materials

The Government may provide information and materials necessary to support production, including:

a. Burden Sharing policy, strategy, briefing, and background materials;

b. Government-approved messages, examples, terminology, and factual information;

c. Identification of military systems, capabilities, countries, or scenarios approved for consideration;

d. Existing Government photographs, video footage, graphics, logos, or other visual materials approved for potential use;

e. Branding, captioning, and accessibility requirements;

f. Consolidated Government comments and approvals; and

g. A designated Government point of contact.

The contractor shall identify in its production schedule the Government information, materials, decisions, and approvals needed to maintain the required schedule.

The contractor shall promptly notify the Government of missing, incomplete, unusable, or restricted materials that may affect performance.

Government-furnished information and materials shall be used only for performance of this contract. The contractor shall not release, distribute, publicly display, or use Government-furnished materials or resulting products for another purpose without written Government authorization.

The contractor shall not receive, process, store, or transmit classified information, Controlled

Unclassified Information, or export-controlled technical data unless expressly authorized by the

Contracting Officer and all applicable contract, security, cybersecurity, and safeguarding requirements have been established.

7.0 Period of Performance

The period of performance shall be 90 calendar days from the date of contract award. The contractor shall complete all work and deliver all required products in accordance with the milestones and delivery dates established in Section 5.0.

8.0 Acceptance Criteria

The Government will review each deliverable for compliance with this Statement of Work and the applicable approved storyboard, script, and predecessor deliverables.

Deliverables shall:

a. Be complete and submitted in the required format by the applicable due date;

b. Conform to the approved creative treatment, storyboard, and script;

c. Include all required files and supporting documentation;

d. Meet the required runtime, resolution, captioning, accessibility, audio, and delivery requirements;

e. Be free from material factual, visual, audio, spelling, rendering, and synchronization defects;

f. Include only Government-approved and properly licensed information and materials;

g. Contain no contractor watermark, logo, advertisement, or unauthorized branding; and

h. Satisfy applicable security, foreign-disclosure, public-affairs, public-release, and information-protection requirements.

The Government may reject an incomplete or nonconforming deliverable and require correction and resubmission. Corrections resulting from contractor error or failure to comply with the contract shall be completed at no additional cost to the Government and shall not count against the included revision cycles.

Final acceptance shall occur after all required deliverables have been submitted, all material deficiencies have been corrected, and the final video has received all required Government approvals. Contractual acceptance shall be performed by the Contracting Officer or an authorized

Government representative acting within the limits of written delegated authority.