PR16146906_Consolidated_Questions_and_Answers.pdf

RFQ No. PR16146906

Professional Video Production and Photography Services Page 1 of 5

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

RFQ No. PR16146906 — Professional Video Production and Photography Services

U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi — Contracting Office

Solicitation No. PR16146906

Description Professional Video Production and Photography Services

Requiring Office Public Affairs Section (PAS), U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi

Issuing Office Contracting Office, U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi

Question Period Closed July 31, 2026, 10:00 (UAE local time)

Questions Answered 22 consolidated items

Quotations Due August 10, 2026, 10:00 (UAE local time)

Submission Address AbuDhabiContracts@state.gov, copying BactadMA@state.gov

Purpose

This document sets out the Government’s responses to all questions received from prospective bidders during the question period for RFQ No. PR16146906. The question period closed on July 31, 2026, at 10:00 (UAE local time), and no further questions will be accepted.

Questions have been grouped by subject, consolidated where the same issue was raised more than once, and reproduced without attribution to any bidder. This document is posted on the U.S. Embassy Abu Dhabi website and attached to the solicitation on SAM.gov so that all prospective bidders receive identical information at the same time. No response has been or will be furnished to any bidder individually.

The responses below form part of the solicitation. Except as expressly stated in this document, all terms, conditions, requirements, and dates of RFQ No. PR16146906 remain unchanged. Quotations remain due August 10, 2026, at

10:00 (UAE local time) and must be submitted to AbuDhabiContracts@state.gov, copying BactadMA@state.gov.

Bidders are responsible for reviewing this document in full before submitting a quotation.

Consolidated Questions and Responses

No. Question RFQ

Reference Response

A. Scope and Deliverable Specifications

A.1 What is the anticipated or typical duration (in minutes/seconds) of each deliverable under CLIN 001 (full-scale video), CLIN 002 (edited video from PAS-provided assets), and CLIN 003 (small-scale video)? If duration varies by assignment, please state the expected range.

Section 1.3.1, 1.3.2, 1.3.3 Deliverables will be short-form social media products, and final duration will depend on the content and media rollout plan for each assignment. For pricing purposes, the Mission anticipates approximately 60–180 seconds for

CLINs 001 and 002 and 15–90 seconds for CLIN 003. These ranges are estimates and are not guaranteed limits.

A.2 What is the average number of production days forecast for a single CLIN 001 video?

Section

1.3.1(b) Most CLIN 001 assignments are anticipated to require one on-site production day. An assignment may require additional production time or filming dates depending on the event or program. The specific schedule will be provided with each assignment.

A.3 Are multiple filming locations common within a single

CLIN 001 deliverable?

Section

1.3.1(b);

Section 1.3.5

Yes. A CLIN 001 assignment may involve more than one filming location, although multiple locations will not be required for every assignment. Available mailto:AbuDhabiContracts@state.gov mailto:BactadMA@state.gov mailto:AbuDhabiContracts@state.gov mailto:BactadMA@state.gov

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No. Question RFQ

Reference Response location and scheduling details will be provided with the assignment.

A.4 Can the Government provide samples of similar prior productions for a CLIN 001 video?

Section 1.3.1 Bidders may visit the Mission’s social media platforms, @USAinUAE, to view samples of previous productions.

A.5 Is one photography service day (CLIN 004) based on an eight-hour workday?

Section 1.3.4 Yes. One photography service day is up to eight consecutive on-site hours, including setup, event coverage, and breakdown.

A.6 Is there an expected maximum number of photographs or edited images to be delivered per photography service day?

Section

1.3.4(d) As stated in Section 1.3.4(d), each event requires a minimum of ten professionally edited, high-resolution photographs. The actual number will depend on the event and the requested coverage.

A.7 If an event exceeds the standard photography service day, how will additional hours be handled?

Section 1.3.4;

Section 1, Pricing Table

Coverage beyond eight hours must be authorized in advance by the Contracting

Officer. When required, the Mission may order an additional photography service day under CLIN 004. No overtime or other additional charge is authorized without prior written approval from the

Contracting Officer.

B. Post-Production Requirements

B.1 Does each video CLIN include the following as part of the deliverable?

– Color correction and color grading

– Motion graphics

– English subtitles

– Arabic subtitles

– Music licensing

– Voice-over

– Closed captions

– Social-media formatting

– Thumbnail creation

Section

1.3.1(c), 1.3.2, 1.3.3(b);

Section 1.4

CLIN 001 includes color correction and grading; graphics or motion graphics as appropriate; subtitles, transcription, and

Arabic–English translation as required;

royalty-free or commissioned music;

voice-over as required; and delivery in the requested social-media formats.

CLIN 002 includes the same applicable post-production elements, using PAS-provided assets.

CLIN 003 includes color correction, audio enhancement, basic graphics, subtitles, transcription and translation as required, royalty-free music, and social-media formatting. Voice-over is not a standard CLIN 003 requirement.

Closed-caption files may be requested as the delivery method for required subtitles. Thumbnail creation is not a standard deliverable unless it is specifically identified in an assignment.

B.2 How many review and revision cycles are included in each video deliverable before final acceptance?

Section

1.3.1(e), 1.3.2(d), 1.3.3(d)

Each video deliverable includes up to six revision cycles. As stated in Section

1.3.1(e), 1.3.2(d), and 1.3.3(d), the maximum turnaround time for each revision is 24 calendar hours.

B.3 Are revisions expected to remain within the original project scope, or may revisions include significant changes to the original production concept?

Section

1.3.1(e), Revisions are expected to remain within the original assignment scope and approved production concept. A material

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Response

1.3.2(d), 1.3.3(d) change requiring a new concept, substantial new content, or additional filming is not a revision and would require a separate assignment or written contract modification, as applicable.

C. Deliverable Formats and File Delivery

C.1 Beyond the formats identified in the solicitation, are there preferred video codecs, resolutions, aspect ratios, file naming conventions, metadata standards, or file transfer methods required for final deliverables?

Section

1.3.1(d), 1.3.2(c), 1.3.3(a) and

(c)

Assignment-specific delivery requirements will be provided by the

Mission. At a minimum, the Contractor must provide the formats and versions stated in Section 1.3. CLIN 003 content will be optimized primarily for vertical

9:16 delivery. Unless otherwise directed, social-media video should be delivered as a 1080p H.264 MP4; MOV, high-resolution, alternate aspect-ratio, and

WhatsApp-optimized versions will be provided when requested. File naming, metadata, and Mission-approved transfer instructions will be communicated for each assignment. No additional universal codec or metadata standard is prescribed.

C.2 Is the Contractor required to deliver all RAW video footage, RAW photographs, editable project files, and source files with each assignment, or only upon request?

Section

1.3.4(g), 1.4.11, 1.8

Final approved deliverables are required for every assignment. Raw video footage, original or RAW photographs, editable project files, and other source files shall be provided to the Mission upon request;

they need not accompany every delivery unless requested. See Section 1.3.4(g), 1.4.11, and 1.8.

D. Personnel and Staffing

D.1 Are there a minimum number of personnel or dedicated production teams expected to be available throughout the period of performance, or may the Contractor assign personnel based on individual task requirements?

Section 1.2;

Section

1.3.1(b), 1.3.3(a), 1.3.4(a)

No standing minimum number of personnel or dedicated teams is prescribed. The Contractor may assign personnel by task, provided it meets the applicable CLIN requirements: a minimum three-person crew for CLIN

001, one videographer/content creator for

CLIN 003, and one professional photographer for CLIN 004. Staffing for

CLIN 002 is at the Contractor’s discretion. The Contractor must maintain sufficient capacity to meet all quantities, schedules, and any concurrent requirements.

D.2 Are there mandatory education, certification, years-of-experience, or portfolio requirements for videographers, photographers, editors, producers, translators, or other personnel beyond those described in the solicitation?

Section 1.11;

Section 3, A.2

No mandatory education, certification, or minimum years-of-experience requirements apply beyond those stated in the RFQ. Technical acceptability will be assessed using the required evidence of capacity, relevant past performance, and work samples.

E. Scheduling and Logistics

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Response

E.1 What is the typical advance notice provided for the following?

– Video production assignments

– Photography assignments

– Urgent or after-hours requirements

Section 1.5;

Section 1.6 Advance notice will vary with the

Mission’s event schedule. For routine assignments, the Mission generally anticipates providing approximately three to five calendar days’ notice when practicable. Urgent, after-hours, or same-day requirements may arise with less than 24 hours’ notice. These notice periods are planning estimates and are not guaranteed.

E.2 Should the Contractor anticipate multiple concurrent events requiring separate production teams on the same date or within the same timeframe?

Section 1.5;

Section 1.6 Yes. Multiple concurrent assignments may occur on the same date or within the same timeframe, although this is not guaranteed. The Contractor must maintain sufficient capacity to perform each authorized assignment in accordance with the applicable CLIN requirements.

E.3 Approximately how many on-site engagements should the

Contractor anticipate across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and other emirates during the twelve-month period of performance?

Section 1.3.5, 1.5, 1.6;

Section 1, Pricing Table

The RFQ specifies service quantities rather than a guaranteed number of unique on-site engagements or trips. For planning purposes, bidders should anticipate up to 12 CLIN 001 assignments, 24 CLIN 003 assignments, and 100 CLIN 004 photography service days. CLIN 002 generally will not require on-site filming because PAS provides the assets. Some video and photography assignments may occur at the same event, so the number of unique engagements may be lower. No distribution by emirate is guaranteed.

F. Equipment and Performance on Embassy Premises

F.1 Are there technical standards or restrictions applicable to the following while performing work on U.S. Embassy premises?

– Camera systems

– Drone operations (if applicable)

– Audio equipment

– Lighting equipment

– Data storage devices

Section 1.4.3;

Section 1.9;

Section 2

All personnel and equipment brought onto U.S. Mission premises are subject to advance access coordination, security screening, and site-specific instructions.

Professional camera, audio, and lighting equipment may be used only in approved locations. Drone operations are not part of this requirement and are prohibited on or over Mission premises. Data storage devices may be used for production but may not be connected to Mission systems. The Contractor shall follow all instructions issued by the Regional

Security Office and the facility.

G. Contractual and Administrative Matters

G.1 Does the requirement that the Contractor perform the services directly and not subcontract the work permit performance using a combination of the Contractor’s own employees, directly retained media professionals, and affiliated company partners operating under the

Contractor’s direct management and control — where the

Section 1.1;

Section 1.2 No. Section 1.1 provides: “The

Contractor shall be the direct service provider and shall not subcontract the work.”

The Contractor shall perform the work using its own employees and individual

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Response

Contractor remains solely responsible for performance, quality control, supervision, scheduling, and administration;

the Government’s contractual relationship remains exclusively with the prime; and the Contractor retains full accountability for all personnel?

media professionals it retains and pays directly, under the Contractor’s own supervision, direction, and control.

Performance of any portion of the work by a separate legal entity, including an affiliated company or partner firm, is subcontracting and is not permitted.

G.2 Do the stated quantities (12 / 12 / 24 / 100) represent estimated maximum quantities only, or is any minimum quantity guaranteed during the contract period?

Section 1.5;

Section 1, Pricing Table

The quantities stated in the Pricing Table in Section 1 are estimated maximum quantities, provided for pricing and evaluation purposes only. They are not a guarantee of any quantity, and no minimum quantity is guaranteed.

Services will be ordered as required during the period of performance, and the

Government will pay only for services actually ordered, performed, and accepted. Unit prices must remain valid for the full period of performance regardless of the quantity ordered and must not be conditioned at a minimum volume.

G.3 Would a hybrid delivery model be acceptable under the terms of the solicitation, under which the Contractor manages video and animation production remotely from outside the United Arab Emirates while using footage captured by a local troupe in the UAE together with materials provided by the Mission?

Section 1.1;

Section 1.2;

Section 3, A.2.2 and

A.2.6

No. Section 1.2 requires that all work be performed directly by the Contractor’s employees, and Section 1.1 prohibits subcontracting. Use of a separate local company to perform on-site filming or photography is not acceptable.

A bidder that itself meets Section 3, A.2.2 (established business in the UAE) and A.2.6 (valid commercial license) may perform editing, animation, and other post-production work at a location of its choosing, provided its own personnel perform all on-site work and all requirements of Section 1.3 are met at no additional cost to the Government.

Technical acceptability will be determined under Section 4.

G.4 Must pricing be submitted strictly in United Arab Emirates

Dirham (AED), or is United States Dollar (USD) acceptable?

Section 1, Pricing Table;

Section 3, A.1

Prices shall be quoted in AED. Section 1, Pricing Table: “Bidders shall complete unit and total prices for each Contract

Line-Item Number (CLIN) on the table below. Prices shall be quoted in AED.”

A quotation priced in any other currency may be determined unacceptable.

— End of Questions and Answers —