Q

This is a Questions and Answers summary document related to RFP 202601003 issued by the State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection Division of Environmental Assessment for low-tide aerial photography acquisition and orthorectification services. The project encompasses the Downeast Region from Jonesport to Calais and requires digital aerial photography of coastal Maine's supratidal, intertidal, and shallow subtidal zones extending to approximately -20 feet Mean Lower Low Water. The selected Bidder must provide all survey equipment including aircraft, GPS equipment, and Inertial Measurement Unit or Digital Elevation Model technology. Imagery acquisition must occur during the June 1 through August 31 seasonal window, with deliverables including orthorectified seamless mosaics in GeoTIFF or agreed-upon lossless compressed format featuring a Ground Sample Distance of 0.30 meters or less, horizontal positional accuracy of 0.62 meters or less Root Mean Square Error, and at least four spectral bands including RGB and NIR coverage. Questions from prospective bidders were required by January 26, 2026, with proposal submissions due February 11, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The Department anticipates making one award for an initial contract period from May 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, with potential renewal for four additional annual periods through December 31, 2030.

The RFP indicates that vendors typically invoice on a monthly basis for work performed in the preceding month, with the State of Maine processing invoices as received. Periodic payments are available upon completion and delivery of data sections over the contract period, with payment amounts and timing varying based on environmental conditions affecting aerial survey work during flight windows. If environmental conditions during flight windows do not allow for capture of the entire survey area during seasonal limits, a contract extension would be sought to acquire remaining imagery the following year. A shapefile defining the project area is provided as an embedded zip folder in Appendix G of the RFP document. The specific budget or award value is not disclosed in the available documentation, and no incumbent vendor or current contractor information was provided.