NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

DIGITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

1.0 Introduction

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent federal agency that helps safeguard and preserve our nation's history by overseeing the management of all federal records. The mission is to ensure ready access to the essential evidence that documents the rights of American citizens, the actions of federal officials, and the national experience.

The purpose of this RFI is to obtain technical information about approaches and commercially available software products that can be used to manage several categories of audio-visual assets used for multiple purposes.

This RFI requests information on potential tools and price points for two related use cases. We are interested in responses that address both use cases together if feasible, or separately if the combination results in significant price and capability variations.

1. The first use case is limited to internally-accessed audiovisual business records and associated metadata. This approach has an estimated storage requirement of 120 TB over five years.

2. The second use case builds on the first, adding the maintenance and external distribution of high quality digital reproduction masters of accessioned records. This approach would require approximately 1330 TB over five years. Additionally, all users and access for this use case would need to be managed separately from the first.

NARA is a small agency with limited internal IT development and systems engineering resources, so we are interested in solutions that:

● Do not require extensive technology configuration and integration efforts

● Can support migration and ingest of approximately 65 terabytes of existing data from the current system, if limited to use case one.

● Can support ingest of an initial 400 TB of existing data from various storage solutions for use case two.

2.0 Description/Objective

NARA requires a system to efficiently manage audiovisual business records so that they remain authentic, accessible, usable, and retrievable throughout the records’ lifecycle. Any solution shall have the capability to manage working files as well as implement records schedules and associated dispositions on agency electronic photo, video, graphic design, and audio records. The system will need to migrate NARA corporate records from the current system to a new one that will maintain, store, and access all of NARA's photo, video, audio, and graphic corporate records. Current storage is 49 TB. The estimated storage requirement is 120 TB over five years.

A second use case would be to maintain, manage, and distribute high quality reproduction masters of Moving Image and Sound accessioned records. These files are currently stored on

Linear Tape Open (LTO) tape, various networked on-premise storage servers, and NARA’s Google Drive. There is no distribution solution; when files are needed they are exchanged by external hard drive. Estimated base volume is 400 TB with projected annual additions of approximately 230 TB per year. The estimated storage requirement is 1330 TB over five years.

The objectives are to:

● Ensure that authentic, accessible, and usable audiovisual records and accompanying metadata are available to all appropriate NARA staff whenever needed

● The areas of content that need to be addressed are: photos, graphics, audio and video productions, and if possible .csv, .dat, .txt, .cdf files, and proprietary formats for scientific instruments such as FTIR, XRF and GCMS.

2.1 Requirements

NARA is seeking a flexible long-term digital asset management system (DAMS) that will serve as both a continually accessible repository for audiovisual working files and high quality digital reproduction masters of accessioned holdings, as well as a reliable digital records management system for federal records prior to archival accessioning.

NARA requires a solution that has the ability to:

● Provide file storage, management, discovery, and sharing functionality for NARA’s photo, video, audio, text, graphic design, CSV, and proprietary scientific instrument data.

● Allow employees to upload, view, and download working assets as needed to accomplish their work.

● Ingest records and manage them according to their records lifecycle, and apply a full range of retention rules and other records management functionalities to the records.

● Support agency-wide audiovisual corporate records management and be available to designated users in every office, totalling at least 100 accounts.

● For the second use case, system should support an additional 10 accounts for external users.

● Incorporate policies to govern the metadata and transfer of assets, enrich the value of the assets in perpetuity, and create an organized pipeline for eligible digital assets to be transferred into the holdings of the National Archives for permanent preservation.

● Connect to Amazon Web Services S3 buckets.

● Migrate approximately 65 terabytes (TB) of existing audiovisual data currently in the system.

● Reliably manage a total of 1450-2000 TB of data over the next five years,

2.2 Functional Requirements

NARA seeks to obtain from prospective contractors how their proposed digital asset management system meets and/or exceeds the following high-level functional requirements and complies with all requirements listed as Requirement Priority “MUST” within Attachment 1: ADAMS_RVTM_v.2.0_2026Feb26.

2.2.1 Access: The solution shall provide timely, efficient, and accurate access to records, https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wJWr3GyPRrSFbbMqoIK-dHc_ORwT5QpX/edit?gid=945629798#gid=945629798 including the capability by individual or administrative users to set access permissions for actions such as preventing unauthorized access, modifying, uploading, or deleting records.

2.2.2 Administration. The solution shall provide insight into user behavior through reporting and audit trail logs and allow user account creation at varying permission levels.

Appropriate user tiers will have the ability to control, configure, and manage all records management-related features and functionalities (including the final classification of business records).

2.2.3 Upload Assets. Authorized internal and external users shall be able to upload digital special media assets and their associated metadata in the user interface, both individually and in bulk. The solution shall support secure and encrypted data transfer capabilities using a NARA-approved protocol.

2.2.4 Download Assets. Authorized internal and external users shall be able to export (download) digital special media assets in any format and file size from the system, both individually and in bulk.

2.2.5 Scheduling and Disposition. The solution shall provide the capability to schedule, manage, and retain records for the approved time frames (based on NARA Records Control Schedule and General Records Schedules) and take appropriate retention and disposition actions (such as secure deletion or transfer) at the appropriate time. This also includes the ability to retain records approved for destruction beyond the period outlined in the records schedule if the records in question pertain to a court order, executive order, law, or approved business justification.

2.2.6 Metadata. The solution shall collect and manage metadata about objects under management control (to include file extension, file size, creator name, date created, location created, unique identifier, access and use restrictions, captions, record disposition instructions, keywords, and checksum). Metadata may consist of descriptive data, structural data, administrative data, reference data, statistical data, or legal data about objects without including the content of the object itself. See NARA guidance on metadata, all of which is applicable.

2.2.7 Search. Authorized users shall be able to perform searches for digital special media assets within the system, based on keywords, associated metadata, embedded metadata, advanced search filters, file type, file name, record format, disposition status, and folder name.

2.2.8 Organization Authorized users shall be able to organize digital special media content within the system using folders or collections. The solution shall control access to folders of corporate digital special media assets separately from folders of archival digital special media assets.

2.2.9 Storage. The solution shall provide data storage and/or integration with existing cloud-based NARA data stores.

2.2.10 Integration. The solution shall integrate with existing NARA IT solutions (i.e., Google Suite, AWS, etc.).

2.2.11 Support. The provider shall support the system from development through disposition, to include (documentation, training, configuration management, business rules development and implementation, change management, security patching, and data migration).

https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/bulletins/2015/2015-04.html https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/bulletins/2015/2015-04.html https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/bulletins/2015/2015-04.html https://www.archives.gov/records-mgmt/bulletins/2015/2015-04.html

2.2.12 Data Migration. The provider shall manage the data migration from the existing DAMS.

2.2.13 Training. The provider shall fully develop, implement, and train NARA users and administrators on the selected product.

3.0 RFI Content

3.1 RFI Questions

Interested and capable vendors should respond detailing the following:

1. Describe your DAMS solution(s) and indicate ability to meet each of the functional requirements of Section 2.2 and Attachment 1, RVTM. Provide any feedback on NARA’s functional requirements and identify whether any cannot be implemented without modifying the COTS software. Identify any possible constraints or potential risks to NARA’s stated objectives.

2. Is your proposed DAMS product capable of providing the total dual-use case solution (managing both business records and separate archival holdings, with separate access and use restrictions, up to a total of 1450-2000 TB of data) without modification? If not, or if combining the two functions would result in a significant variation in pricing and functionality, please provide a separate estimated cost breakout for the different system or solution types you propose to meet these two needs individually. If your system is able to meet only one or the other use case, please explain the technical limitations that NARA should consider in addressing these related needs.

3. Describe your customary commercial practices for your DAMS solution in terms of pricing structure and approach for implementation, licensing, support, and any unique circumstances wherein those would change. Describe whether your DAMS solution has been deployed within other Federal Civilian Agencies. Describe your experience and approach to deploying and maintaining your DAMS solution (i.e., installation, configuration, customization, and enhancements, maintenance, technical support).

Provide any comments or recommendations on the most suitable acquisition approach for this type of requirement, along with a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) Cost estimate for the different components of any identified solutions to include licensing, maintenance, technical support and any professional services that should be considered as part of any new system implementation.

4. Indicate whether your product is commercially available or is on the General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule or other Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC).

5. What tools and metrics do you use to measure system performance?

6. Does the SaaS provider have Voluntary Product Accessibility Template(s) version 2 published to demonstrate how it meets the updated Section 508 accessibility requirements? If yes, please provide a link. If not, please explain how your product meets the updated Section 508 accessibility requirements.

7. Is the solution IPv6 compliant?

8. Would your firm be interested in giving an informational presentation to the government?

9. What are the common risks and issues encountered when implementing and/or integrating a DAMS?

3.1 RFI Submission Instructions

1. Responses shall include a brief description of your company, products and services, history, ownership, financial information, and other information you deem relevant. Provide points of contact, company address, phone/fax number, email, website, and business size and type (i.e., large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman owned small business, service- disabled, veteran-owned small business).

2. Each RFI response should be e-mailed to Kevin Monahan at kevin.monahan@nara.gov. The subject of the email should be " RFI Response – Digital Asset Management System". Responses to this RFI should be received by 1:00 PM ET on May 1, 2026.

3. DISCLAIMER: This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for information received in response to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked “Proprietary” will be handled accordingly.

Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Information provided in response to this RFI will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for determining how to proceed in the acquisition process and may lead to the development of a work statement. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. NARA may choose to engage with responders. However, such engagement is intended to clarify aspects of the response.