Statement of Work - Historical Film Digitization (002).docx

Statement of Work Historical Film Digitization and Archival Preservation Services

1. Purpose The purpose of this Statement of Work (SOW) is to obtain professional archival services to inspect, prepare, digitize, preserve, and document historical audiovisual media from multiple legacy formats. The contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, software, and expertise necessary to safely digitize historical collections while maintaining archival best practices and preserving the integrity of the original materials.

2. Scope of Work The contractor shall perform archival digitization services for historical audiovisual media, including but not limited to:

· (85) 16mm picture film (silent and sound, where applicable)

· (44) VHS videocassettes

· (55) Betamax videocassettes

· (18) U-Matic

· (2) other Ampex and 1” Total estimated time in minutes – 5485 minutes Services shall include inspection, cleaning (when appropriate), stabilization, digitization, quality control, documentation, and return of all original materials.

3. Film Archivist Requirement A qualified Film Archivist or training learned under a film archivist shall be physically present on-site throughout all handling, inspection, preparation, and digitization activities.

The Film Archivist shall possess:

· A minimum of five (3) years of professional experience in audiovisual archival preservation and digitization.

· Demonstrated experience handling historical, rare, fragile, deteriorating, or unique audiovisual collections.

· Knowledge of archival standards and best practices for film and magnetic media preservation.

· Experience identifying film shrinkage, vinegar syndrome, mold, tape degradation, binder hydrolysis, and other preservation concerns.

· Authority to halt digitization if media conditions present a risk of damage until appropriate preservation measures are implemented.

The Film Archivist shall supervise all media handling to ensure that original materials are protected from damage throughout the project.

4. Contractor Responsibilities The contractor shall:

· Inventory all media received.

· Inspect each item prior to digitization.

· Document physical condition and note any preservation concerns.

· Perform appropriate cleaning and preparation before transfer.

· Use professional-grade playback and scanning equipment appropriate for each media type.

· Digitize materials using archival-quality capture standards.

· Perform image and audio correction only when authorized and without altering the historical authenticity of the recordings.

· Conduct quality assurance reviews of all digital files.

· Create descriptive and technical metadata for each item (File number written on asset, description, date if known)

· Return all original media in the same or better physical condition.

5. Digitization Standards Digital preservation master’s shall be created using archival-quality codecs and formats suitable for long-term preservation.

Deliverables to include:

· Mezzanine preservation Master files on LTO- 8 data back-up tapes

· MPEG 4 Access copies on external hard drives

· New canisters and bags as needed for 16mm films for preservation

6. Metadata Requirements Metadata shall include, at a minimum:

· Unique identifier (file number on film case)

· Title (if available)

· Date (if known)

· Running time

· Condition assessment Metadata shall be provided in Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) or comma-separated value (.csv) format unless otherwise specified.

7. Quality Control The contractor shall perform 100 percent quality control review of all digitized assets to verify:

· Complete image capture

· Proper audio synchronization

· Accurate color representation

· Proper aspect ratio

· No dropped frames

· Correct file naming

· Metadata accuracy

· Successful file integrity verification Any deficiencies shall be corrected prior to delivery.

8. Deliverables The contractor shall provide:

· Digital preservation master files

· Access copies

· Metadata files

· Condition assessment report

· Chain-of-custody documentation

· Final project summary

9. Security and Chain of Custody Historical media shall always remain under documented chain of custody.

The contractor shall:

· Maintain secure handling procedures.

· Prevent unauthorized duplication or distribution.

· Protect all digital files from unauthorized access.

· Comply with all applicable Government security requirements.

10. Government-Furnished Property The Government shall provide the historical audiovisual materials to be digitized and identify any known special handling requirements.

11. Acceptance Criteria The project shall be considered complete when:

· All media have been digitized.

· All required metadata have been delivered.

· Quality control has been completed.

· Original media have been returned without damage.

· All deliverables have been accepted by the project lead

12. Period of Performance The period of performance shall be 180 days from the date of award. Work shall be coordinated with the Government to minimize disruption and ensure the availability of the Film Archivist during all digitization activities.