(RFP) USDA-NRCS-2-11.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

SOLICITATION NUMBER: USDA-NRCS-2-11

ISSUE DATE: December 17, 2010

USDA SMALL AREA CONTRACT

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FARM SERVICE AGENCY

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD OFFICE

NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE OFFERORS :

This RFP is for an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), fixed-price contract. The contract covers the base year (2011) and one option year (2012).

Contract awards shall be made prior to award of any task orders. Task orders are the method by which project item areas are awarded. Task order proposals shall be submitted as a separate document from the contract RFP proposals.

Any proposal submitted in response to this solicitation must be presented in two parts, a pricing proposal and a technical proposal. See Section L for proposal preparation instructions.

This procurement for nationwide small area aerial photography is designed to promote economy and efficiency of image acquisition by providing offerors flexibility in the selection of their area of interest and quantity of sites proposed.

NOTICE TO OFFEROR

Any proposal submitted for this RFP must be identified with the following information labeled on the outside of the mailing package:

SOL.NO: USDA-NRCS-2-11

DUE DATE: 20-JAN-2011, 2:30 PM

RECEIVING OFFICE:CONTRACTING

Mail To: AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD OFFICE

CONTRACTING OFFICER

2222 WEST 2300 SOUTH

SALT LAKE CITY UTAH 84119-2020

The complete text of any or all clauses referenced herein may be obtained by submitting a request, identifying this solicitation number, to the Contracting Officer, USDA, FSA, Aerial Photography Field Office, 2222 West 2300 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119-2020. Complete copies of the FAR in loose-leaf or CFR form may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 20402.

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Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 2

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS USDA-NRCS-2-11

PART I - THE SCHEDULE

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B-1

AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES

Furnish aerial photography services and related supplies in accordance with the requirements, specifications, terms, conditions, clauses, and provisions specified herein. This is an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, effective for the periods stated in the schedule.

1.1

Contract Pricing Proposal

SMALL AREA AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

CONTRACT PRICING PROPOSAL

CONTRACT PRICING PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS:

In the spaces provided below, please insert the Total Quantity of sites, exposures, and scans, Average Unit Price, and Total Amount from your initial Base Year 2011 Task Order Pricing Proposal, Project 1 (SAC-TO-2-11-1) Page 2. This price will be used in the contract pricing evaluation for contract award purposes only. Task Order awards will be based on individual Task Orders and determined after contract award. See Section L-3, Task Order Procedures, and Section M-2.2 Price Evaluation.

TOTAL QUANTITY

UNIT

AVERAGE

UNIT PRICE

TOTAL AMOUNT

SITE

EXP

SCAN

1.2

Minimum Contract Guarantee

(a) The guaranteed minimum amount for the contract shall be a total of $2,500.00, as met through the issuance of one or more task orders within each contract performance period as defined below. See Section I-5, Order Limitations.

(b) The quantities of services and supplies specified herein are estimates only. Awarded quantities shall be made by issuance of authorized task orders in accordance with specified ordering procedures. See Section I-2, Ordering, and Section L-3, Task Order Procedures

1.3

Contract Performance Periods

(a) The contract performance period for the Base Year (2011) for issuance of task orders for the acquisition and delivery of small area aerial photography is:

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 3

Base Year: Date of Award through December 31, 2011.

The contract performance period for Option Year 1 (2012) follows in the subsequent calendar year:

Option Year 1: January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2012

(b) The Government reserves the right to exercise the option to extend the term of the contract for Option Year 1 based on the evaluation of contractor past performance on the previous task order(s) issued during the preceding contract performance period.

(See Section F, Paragraph 5.4)

1.4

Task Order Ombudsman

The Director of USDA-FSA-Aerial Photography Field Office shall serve as the Task Order Ombudsman responsible for reviewing complaints from the contractors and ensuring that all of the contractors are afforded a fair opportunity to be considered for task orders issued under this contract. To contact the task order Ombudsman please phone (801) 844-2907, or mail to: Director, APFO, 2222 West 2300 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84119.

1.5

Confidentiality Statement

It is USDA policy that site locations of the National Resources Inventory (NRI) and other small area photography programs as specified in the individual Task Orders are “for official use only” and shall remain confidential. Site locations, represented in either hardcopy or digital form, are available exclusively for use by Government authorized personnel conducting resource inventory activities or other authorized use. Before release of exact site locations, offerors must agree to, by signature

, the non-disclosure statements contained in the task order and be submitted with the task order proposal.

1.6

Intended Use of Photography

The primary use of the small area aerial photography is for photo interpretation, area and point delineation, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) measurements in support of multiple natural resource management and inventory programs.

1.7

Non-Discrimination Statement

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its program and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of Discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720- 6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 4

B-2

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS

2.1

National Resource Inventory (NRI) Description

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) National Resources Inventory (NRI) imagery shall be used by NRCS for interpretative analysis and extraction of data on samples by means of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) measurements. The NRI sample sites are generally 160 acre square parcels measuring 0.5 mile on each side, centered on a single natural color positive aerial photograph. Some sample sites are larger, exceeding 500 acres, requiring an alternate scale and higher altitude to achieve the desired result. Within each sample, NRCS collects data on land cover and use, soil erosion, prime farmland, wetlands, and characteristics of other natural resources. Sample site identification and location data shall be provided by the Government as part of each task order. The nominal photographic scale is predominately 1:7,920 with oversize sites requiring scales of 1:12,000 and 1:15,840. The approximate photographic period is March through September. Historically, NRCS requires approximately 70,000 NRI Sites located nationwide to be acquired each year. This random sample set is derived from a larger population of approximately 300,000 NRI Sites.

2.2

Stewardship Lands Imagery (SLI) Description

USDA NRCS Stewardship Lands Imagery (SLI) is the umbrella name given to several NRCS land management initiatives. The most predominant of these is the Wetland Reserve Program (WRP), a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property. The NRCS provides technical and financial support to help landowners with their wetland restoration efforts. The NRCS goal is to achieve the greatest wetland functions and values, along with optimum wildlife habitat, on every acre enrolled in the program. This program offers landowners an opportunity to establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection. The WRP imagery shall be used to monitor restoration efforts on each property enrolled. The basic unit of description for a SLI site is called an Easement. Stewardship Lands Easements are generally larger than NRI Sites in size with some requiring flight line photography. However, some SLI easements are less than one (1) acre while others may be as large as 16,000 acres. The nominal photographic scale is predominately 1:7,920 while oversize and flight line sites may require a 1:12,000 scale. The approximate photographic period is March through September. NRCS may require 19,000 exposures covering over 12,000 SLI Easements located in various states nationwide to be acquired each year.

Potential future annual quantities may increase to include over 20,000 SLI exposures (2.8 million acres).

2.3 Other Federal Government Small Area Aerial Photography Programs

Other government agency programs for small area or sample site aerial photography may utilize this contract to satisfy their program requirements. Potential annual requirements are currently unknown, but quantities may be substantial given past trends of successful programs such as the NRI program.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 5

B-3

GENERAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Nominal Photographic Scales and/or Ground Sample Distances

(a) Standard Scales (b)

: 1:4,000 to 1:15,840. Predominately 1:7,920 scale.

Non-Standard Scales

(c) : 1:24,000 to 1:40,000, as required.

Ground Sample Distance (GSD)

(d) Required scale(s) and/or ground sample distance(s) will be specified in the individual task order(s).

: 3 cm to 30 cm, as required

3.2 Approximate Photographic Periods

(a) State Photo Period

(b)

. Multiple photographic acquisition periods are designed to capture specific crop types during their prime growing season. These photo periods generally follow state boundaries and typically range between the months of March through September.

First Photo Period

(c) Required approximate photo acquisition periods will be specified in the individual task order(s).

. Early start dates may be established in various states which contain counties or areas that are not based on specific agricultural crops. These extended photo periods are designed to allow wider photo acquisition windows for non-agricultural terrain.

(d) See Section F-5, Performance of the Work

3.3 Minimum Sun Angle

: 30 Degrees, unless otherwise indicated in the individual task order(s).

3.4 Aerial Film Camera

(a) Lens Focal Length

(1) Nominal Lens Focal Length: 6 inch (153mm);

will be specified in the individual Task Order(s).

(2) Other Lens Focal Length: 8¼ inch (210mm) and 12 inch (305mm).

(b) Filter

(c) See Attachment A, : Antivignetting and additional filters specified by individual task order(s).

USDA Aerial Camera Specifications

3.5 Aerial Film

(a) Aerial Film type will be specified in the individual task order(s).

(b) See Section C-5, Aerial Film

3.6 Aerial Film Titling

(a) Every exposure shall be titled in accordance with the format and instructions specified herein.

(b) Agency Designators will be specified in individual task order(s).

(c) Site Identification Codes will be provided upon task order award.

(d) Automatic electronic titling may be permitted upon Contracting Officer's approval.

(e) See Section C-6, Titling of Aerial Photography

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 6

3.7

Aerial Film Scanning:

(a) The general requirement for film scanning is 40 microns, approximately 600 dots per inch (DPI) using a photogrammetric quality scanner.

(b) The scans are to be delivered as Tagged Image Format File(s) (.tif(s)) on media to be indicated in the individual task order(s). Refer to Section C-7, Aerial Photography

Scanning

(c) Specific scanning requirements will be indicated in the individual task order(s).

3.8 Aerial Film Based Digital Orthoimagery:

(a) The general requirement is for digital orthorectification of scanned aerial photography. If USDA supplies the control imagery, the resulting orthorectification shall match the control within an RMSE not to exceed 2.0. Otherwise, National Standards for Spatial Data Accuracy shall apply. Refer to Section C-8, Digital Orthorectification.

(b) The output resolution of the imagery shall be approximately 600 DPI unless otherwise specified in the individual task order(s). The orthorectified imagery is to be delivered in Geo-referenced, Tagged Image Format Files (GeoTiff’s; .tif) on media to be indicated in the individual task order(s).

(c) Specific orthoimagery requirements will be indicated in the individual task order(s).

3.9

Digital Camera/Sensor:

(a) Properties

(b)

: The requirements for digital cameras will be provided in the individual task order(s). The general requirement is that the footprint of the sensor shall be able to cover the width of a standard 160 acre NRI site (.5 miles), with a nominal ¼ mile buffer, in a single flight line.

Digital Camera/Sensor Acquisition: Digital sensor acquisitions require the Contractor to comply with the technical requirements and specifications of this contract and task order, and Attachment B: General Direct Digital Camera Specification

(c) which defines the essential elements in securing high quality direct digital imagery. The digital sensor system shall be a tested, stable, geometrically calibrated system with appropriate documentation, suitable for use in precision photogrammetric applications.

Sample Imagery Requirements: The Contractor shall provide sample images from the digital camera proposed for use. The sample imagery must be at the same resolution and represent similar terrain for the project that the Contractor is proposing. The digital camera sample imagery shall meet the minimum characteristics stated in Attachment B: General Direct Digital Camera Specification

(d)

Direct Digital Orthoimagery: The general requirement is for orthorectified imagery, seamlessly mosaicked as necessary, covering the specified area (including the standard ¼ mile buffer). Refer to Section C-8, Digital Orthorectification and Attachment C:

USDA Direct Digital Small Area Orthoimagery Tile Specification

. Specific direct digital orthoimagery requirements will be indicated in the individual task order(s).

4.0

Photographic Operations:

(a) Air Space Clearance

(1) The Contract Project Areas may contain controlled or restricted airspace. USDA will provide a letter describing the contract program to assist in gaining access to

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 7 any controlled or restricted airspace.

(2) It is the responsibility of the Contractor to obtain all approvals necessary to assure that specified altitudes are achieved.

(3) See Section H-1, for instructions for Permits and Clearances.

(b) Terrain Conditions

(1) Photography must be secured when neither snow nor flooding obscures the ground.

(2) See Section C-3, Photographic Conditions

(c)

Progress Reports:

(1) A Progress Report is required for each day progress is made in acquiring project photography.

(2) Progress Reports shall be transmitted by e-mail following each day of progress.

E-mail addresses are indicated on the form (See Section J, Exhibit 1).

(3) Progress reports shall be submitted in an ASCII Text format.

(4) See Sections F-5.2 and G-4 for instructions and Section J, Exhibit 1 for sample.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 8

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT USDA-NRCS-2-11

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

C–1

SCOPE OF CONTRACT

The general scope of this contract is to procure vertical, high resolution, natural color and/or color infrared aerial photography for management and inventories of natural resources and other uses by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The aerial photography and/or digital imagery shall be used by USDA agencies for interpretative analysis and extraction of data by means of photo interpretation and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technologies. The data collected includes land cover and use, soil erosion, prime farmland, forest resources, wetlands, and characteristics of other natural resources.

1.1

Introduction

The contractor is responsible for furnishing vertical, high resolution, aerial photography and related deliverables in accordance with the requirements, specifications, terms, and conditions specified herein.

(a) Technical Requirements and Specifications

The technical requirements and specifications of this contract are described in Section C which defines the essential elements in securing high quality photography. Any deviation from the specifications stated herein may cause increased time and effort in using the imagery as intended.

(b) Delivery and Performance

The delivery and performance requirements are described in Section F. All materials shall be shipped within the time limits and to the place of delivery specified herein.

Performance of the contract shall be authorized and monitored by the Contracting Officer and/or the Contracting Officer's Representative.

(c)

Quality Control.

Quality control shall be exercised by the Contractor continuously throughout the performance of the contract. Procedures shall be established to assure that all aerial photography and related materials are delivered in accordance with the delivery schedule and at the required level of accuracy and quality. The Contractor shall acquire immediate reflights of any photography where coverage or quality fails to meet minimum requirements of the contract specifications. USDA inspection and acceptance procedures are described in Section E.

(d)

Confidentiality Agreement.

It is USDA policy that site locations of the National Resources Inventory (NRI) and other identified small area photography programs are “for official use only” and shall remain confidential. Site locations, represented in either hardcopy or digital form, are available exclusively for use by government authorized personnel conducting resource inventory activities or other authorized use. Before release of exact site locations, Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 9 offerors must agree to, by signature

, the non-disclosure statements contained in the individual task orders and submitted with offer.

(e)

References

The following documents referenced in this solicitation document are considered requirements and specifications under the resulting contract(s), as applicable to the Contractor’s technical proposal:

(1) Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Specification, FGDC-STD-001-

1998 (“Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata”)

(2) Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) Title 14 (“Federal Aviation Regulations”)

(3) GeoTIFF Revision 1.0 Specification, dated December 28, 2000 (Version 1.8.2)

(4) TIFF Specification Revision 6 dated June 3, 1992 (Adobe Systems Inc.)

1.2

Location of Work

The Standard NRI Sites cover all fifty states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Pacific Trusts. Data is collected over approximately 300,000 randomly located NRI Sites.

Each year a subset of approximately 70,000 NRI Sites will be inventoried. Other program sample sites or small areas may be found in any of the fifty states, Puerto Rico, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, and Pacific Trusts. The location and number of small area sites to be photographed under this contract are described in the individual task orders.

1.3

Labor and Materials

The Contractor shall furnish all materials, equipment, transportation, superintendence, and labor as required herein. The Contractor shall execute and finish the aerial photographic services for the project specified and shall deliver to the USDA all materials called for in Section F-1, Materials to be Delivered

1.4

Size of Sample Sites

Nationally, the small area sample site sizes range from less than one acre to more than 16,000 acres (25 square miles) depending on the specific program requirements. The predominant size of a sample site (NRI Site) is approximately 160 acres (1/4 square mile).

C-2

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

Any equipment (aircraft and cameras, in addition to those submitted at the time of the offer) proposed to be used by the Contractor must be approved for use by the Contracting Officer. If the aircraft and camera proposed for use is not owned by the Contractor, a written statement of availability from the owner of the equipment shall be furnished to the Contracting Officer. Refer to Attachment A, USDA Aerial Camera Specifications

2.1

Aircraft

(a) All aircraft used in the performance of the work under this contract shall be maintained and operated in accordance with all regulations required by the U.S.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 10

Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Aircraft operated in the acquisition of imagery under this contract shall be FAA certified to a service ceiling with operating load (crew, camera, film, oxygen, and other required equipment) of not less than the highest altitude specified in the individual task order.

(b) When the flight plan and location of any item in the proposed coverage falls within positive control airspace, the aircraft must contain the appropriate equipment to operate in such positive-control areas within the purview of the Federal Aviation Regulation.

(c) The design of the aircraft shall be such that when the camera is mounted with all its parts within the outer structure, an unobstructed field of view is obtained. The field of view shall be shielded from the exhaust gases, oil, effluence, and air turbulence.

Glass, plastic, or other window material shall not be interposed between the camera or digital image system and the ground to be imaged unless authorized by the Contracting Officer.

2.2

Navigation System

The aircraft shall have an onboard, operational, and integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver with a FAA certified antenna for navigation to sample site centroids and acquisition of aerial photography over the centroid. The GPS shall be able to receive real time differential correction signals where available.

2.3

Laboratory

The Contractor’s laboratory shall be adequately equipped and staffed to facilitate the production of the specified photographic materials or the Contractor shall have access to such facilities.

C-3

PHOTOGRAPHIC CONDITIONS

Photography shall be acquired during conditions when well-defined, high detail images can be resolved. It shall be free from smoke, clouds, cloud shadows, and excessive haze. The ground shall be free from standing water (other than natural or man-made ponds and lakes), flood waters from streams which have overflowed their banks, and wet ground or snow which obscures field, soil, or crop lines.

Due to the overriding need to acquire quality imagery within the specified period, it may be necessary to acquire some images that are outside of the above requirements. Under the assumption that it may not be possible to acquire an image of the site within the required time frame because of ground conditions, weather or extensive ferry time to get back to the site, and an interpretable image can be acquired by deviation from the requirements; the Contractor is permitted to exercise judgment in acquiring images. USDA reserves the right to reject such imagery if it is deemed unusable for data collection.

3.1

Photographic Period

The official photographic acquisition periods are defined in individual task orders for each program or requirement. Generally, aerial photography acquisition is to be performed

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 11 during the agricultural growth periods when vegetation has adequate canopy and greatest contrast. The beginning and ending dates of the acquisition period will vary by individual task orders and by leaf-on vs. leaf-off requirements. Generally, the earliest beginning date is March 1, and the latest ending date is September 30. The Contracting Officer shall have the right to adjust the acquisition periods based on adverse weather, deviation of crop growth from normal planting and harvest dates, or other program requirements or factors.

3.2

Sun Angle Requirement

USDA desires that images be acquired only during the portion of the day when the sun angle exceeds the minimum of 30 degrees. However, to expedite acquisition within the photo periods, USDA may accept a sun angle of not less than 20 degrees, provided the image does not have excessive shadows that preclude interpretation and data collection.

Exceptions to this requirement shall be noted in individual task order requirements.

3.3

Priorities for Acquiring Project Areas

The Contracting Officer may direct by written order certain areas or sites to be photographed in a priority order, weather and ground conditions permitting. All reasonable effort will be directed to providing a schedule of operations favorable to both the Government and Contractor.

C-4

FLIGHT PLAN REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall obtain vertical, high resolution, natural color, color infrared or 4-band aerial photography in accordance with the following technical requirements.

4.1

Project Area(s) To Be Photographed

Each small area or site exposure station centroid(s) shall be identified by state, county, national forest, or region/area, unique site number, latitude/longitude coordinates, acreage, ground elevation, and acquisition period. USDA will furnish the above in a digital file, and if requested, as a coverage in decimal degrees compatible with Arc Map. The site locations shall be indicated by latitude and longitude coordinate system of the North American Datum of 1983. Coordinates shall be expressed in decimal degrees with five (5) decimal places of precision. (Example: latitude 35.75502, longitude -102.37502).

(a) Coverage Requirements

. Complete physical or stereoscopic photographic coverage of the site or small area shall be obtained by the Contractor. The image shall be acquired directly over the specified latitude/longitude coordinate of the exposure station centroid. In addition to complete coverage of the site, USDA requires coverage over a buffer zone beyond the actual site boundary. The minimum buffer unless otherwise specified in the individual task order(s) shall be 1,320 feet, (402 meters) or (1/4 mile).

(b) Site/Area Coverage. USDA requires most sites acquired with film to be on a single frame regardless of the size of the site. Contractor must adjust flight altitudes from the stated 1:7,920 nominal scale, to flight altitudes achieving a 1:12,000, 1:15,840, or smaller scale to ensure complete coverage of the larger sample sites or small area sites on one frame of film. Areas requiring blocked, overlapped aerial photography shall be

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 12 specified in the individual task order(s). Requirements for sites or small areas acquired with direct digital imagery shall be indicated in the respective task order(s).

(c) Flight Direction. All flights will generally be oriented in either a North-South or East-

West direction, however, the required project titling shall be at the north or most northerly edge of the image

(d) USDA will furnish flight line data derived from commercially available flight planning software package(s) for areas requiring blocked, overlapped aerial film based photography. USDA will furnish shape files and/or centroid locations, as needed, for projects requiring direct digital photography and it shall be the Contractor’s responsibility to provide such flight planning as is necessary to obtain the required coverage (including buffer) for each of the sites or areas.

4.2

Image Scale and Flight Altitude for Film Based Photography

The nominal photographic scale for a Standard NRI Site, which constitutes the majority of the base year 2011 requirements, is 1:7,920, with the nominal flight altitude above mean ground elevation being 1,207 meters (3,960 feet) with a 6” focal length lens. For other nominal scales and flight altitudes, see table below.

SCALE FLIGHT ALTITUDES

6” Lens 8 ¼” Lens 12” lens 1:4,000 N/A N/A 1,219m (4,000’) 1:7,920 1,207m (3,960’) 1,661m (5,445’) N/A

1:12,000 1,829m (6,000’) 2,515m (8,250’) 3,658m (12,000’) 1:15,840 2,414m (7,920’) 3,319m (10,890’) N/A 1:24,000 3,658m (12,000’) N/A N/A 1:40,000 6,096m (20,000’) N/A N/A

4.3

Deviation From Specified Flight Altitudes for Film Based Photography

Deviation from the specified flight altitude shall not exceed 2% low or 3% high. For deviation from specified altitudes for nominal scales, see table below.

SCALE DEVIATION FROM SPECIFIED FLIGHT ALTITUDES

2% Low 3% High

1:4,000 24 meters (80 feet) 37 meters (120 feet) 1:7,920 24 meters (80 feet) 37 meters (120 feet)

1:12,000 37 meters (120 feet) 55 meters (180 feet) 1:15,840 48 meters (157 feet) 73 meters (240 feet) 1:24,000 73 meters (240 feet) 110 meters (361 feet) 1:40,000 120 meters (394 feet) 181 meters (594 feet)

This chart uses a six (6) inch lens for all but the 1:4,000 Scale, which uses a 12 inch lens as a standard.

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4.4

Direct Digital Imagery

Flight Altitudes are determined by ground sample distance (GSD) requirements and are related to sensor optics and footprint size. The GSD for any project will be identified in the individual task order. It shall be the contractor’s requirement to determine flight altitudes based on his knowledge of the sensor assigned to the project.

4.5

Horizontal Deviation

Deviation from the specified site exposure station centroid in excess of six (6) percent of a full frame may be cause for rejection of the site.

4.6

Crab

Any photograph crabbed in excess of five degrees (5o) as measured against a North-South orientation, may be cause for rejection.

4.7

Tilt

Exposure made with the optical axis of the camera in a vertical position is desired. Tilt (departure from the vertical) of exposure station exceeding four degrees (4o) may be cause for rejection.

C-5 AERIAL FILM

All aerial film provided for any individual task order shall be from one film type and manufacturer and be purchased by the Contractor. Extreme care shall be exercised to insure proper exposure and processing of the film to minimize vignetting due to differential exposure.

This differential shall not exceed that which would result from a basic ¼ stop difference in exposure. All pertinent exposure information shall be supplied to the processing laboratory. The film shall be processed as soon as possible after exposure to avoid undesirable changes in the latent image.

5.1

Salient Film Characteristics

Only unexpired, fine grained, polyester base film of the type specified in the individual task order(s) shall be used. The film base shall have a nominal thickness of 4 mils and be 24.1cm (9.5 inches) wide. Natural color and black and white panchromatic emulsions shall be sensitive to the entire visible spectrum plus an extended red sensitivity to approximately 720 through 750 nanometers. Color infrared and black and white infrared emulsions shall be sensitive to the entire visible spectrum plus an extended red sensitivity to 900 nanometers.

5.2

Film Densities – Natural Color Positive Films

The natural color positive film will have a diffuse rms granularity value of 13 or lower (read at a net green diffuse density of 1.0 with a 48-micron aperture). Color emulsions shall be balanced for daylight exposure and the spectral sensitivity will cover the entire visible spectrum to 700 nanometers or greater.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 14

5.3

Film Densities – Natural Color Infrared Positive Films

The color infrared positive film will have a diffuse rms granularity value of 23 or lower (read at a net diffuse density of 1.0 with a 48-micron aperture). Color infrared emulsions will be sensitive to ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation to 900 nanometers or greater.

5.4

Film Densities – Black and White Film

The negative densities for panchromatic and infrared film shall be as follows:

Base plus fog density shall not exceed 0.20 units as measured between and at the edges of the negative frame.

The minimum usable density (D-min) as measured on the original aerial negatives shall be no less than 0.30 units and no greater than 0.60 units after deducting the base plus fog density. The maximum usable density (D-max) shall be no more than 1.60 units after deducting base plus fog density.

The average density range aim point should be 1.0. The minimum density range should be no less than 0.60, and maximum density range should be no more than 1.30.

5.5

Image Quality for Film

(a) All film shall be properly exposed and processed according to manufacturer’s specifications. Modified or non-standard processing is not permitted on this contract without prior approval from the Contracting Officer. The film shall be processed in a continuous roller transport processor to achieve consistent and uniform development throughout the roll.

(b) The color film positives shall be of such quality to produce sharp, natural color or color infrared images that provide maximum image detail. All film imagery, positive or negative, shall be inspected and evaluated according to established industry standards for general film quality and proper exposure and processing of film.

(c) When required by the Contracting Officer to establish contract standards for color rendition, the Contractor shall supply representative samples of his work for evaluation. If approved, these shall be used as criteria for acceptance or rejection of the contract photographs.

5.6 Physical Properties for Film

(a) All aerial film shall be free of chemicals, stains, tears, scratches, abrasions, watermarks, finger marks, lint, dirt, and other physical defects. The imagery shall be clear and sharp in detail and uniform density. It shall be free from light streaks, static marks, and other defects that would interfere with the intended purpose. Any notations or marks placed on the film or on the sleeve for titling or editing purposes shall be removed prior to shipment to APFO.

(b) All film shall be thoroughly fixed and washed to insure freedom from chemicals and shall be of archival quality.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 15

(c) Film found to contain an excess of residual chemicals, by testing in accordance with manufacturer’s procedures, may be rejected or returned to the Contractor for refixing and rewashing.

C-6 TITLING OF AERIAL FILM BASED PHOTOGRAPHY

6.1

Required Titling

Each exposure shall be clearly titled on the northern edge of the film in accordance with the following format example sketch and required project data:

+ 13:26 AZ 04001 090901B + 8 USDA-NRCS 06-12-11 +

Local Time

: The local time of the exposure, expressed in 24 hour format, using HH:MM for the hour and minute of the exposure.

State Acronym

: The two-letter acronym representing the state designation.

State and County FIPS or Forest Code

: Number identifying the state and county, or National Forest in accordance with Federal Information Process Standards (FIPS), as specified in individual task orders.

Site Identification Number

: The unique site or exposure identification number specified in the individual task order.

Scale

: Nominal photographic scale represented by one or two digits to the nearest thousand (8 = 1:7,920, 12 = 1:12,000).

Agency Designator

: The acronym of the Government agency the image is being acquired for and used by.

Date

: Month-Day-Year in standard numeric notation (MM-DD-YY).

6.2

Type and Size of Characters and Application

The characters used in titling film shall be standard block lettering 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) high. They shall be sharp, legible, and uniformly applied with non-flaking black ink. The titling shall be placed on the non-emulsion side of the film and may be applied by use of an ink drawing pen or stamp.

6.3

Location of Titling Characters

Identifying data shall be placed in a line along the northerly edge of the image. Titling shall be positioned so that the characters are 2.5 mm (1/10 inch) from the image edge and no closer than 2.5mm (1/10 inch) to the corner fiducials.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 16

6.4

Automatic Titling Option

The Government may approve the use of automatic labeling/titling systems as a replacement of the standard ink titling. Contractors are required to submit color positive film samples of “auto-labeling” with similar data indicated above including any additional data such as symbol indicating north and latitude and longitude coordinates. The Contracting Officer shall evaluate the proposed titling and notify the contractor of decision to accept or reject.

6.5

Alternate or Additional Titling Requirements

The Government reserves the right to change, alter, or modify the above required titling to include agency or program specific information on the film titling. Individual task orders will clearly specify the titling required for any given program or task order.

C-7 AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SCANNING

7.1

Image Scanning Requirements for Film Based Photography

All individual aerial photographic images shall be scanned after the film is titled and before being cut and individually sleeved where cutting and sleeving is part of the task order requirements. The scan shall include the film image from edge to edge of the film and include the data strip and all fiducial marks associated with the image. The scans shall be clear and sharp in detail with uniform density, and free from dirt and other defects in the digital imagery in accordance with the following requirements:

(a) Resolution

. Aerial photography shall be scanned such that the final product results in a 600 dots per inch (40 micron) resolution or the resolution specified in the individual task order.

(b) Accuracy

. The geometric accuracy of the scan shall be such that a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 2 or less results when registering the calibrated fiducial marks to the scanned image.

(c) Scan Orientation

. The digital scan of the aerial film exposure shall be oriented such that the north-most edge is at the top position of the computer screen when viewed with standard computer software, regardless of North-South or East-West oriented flights.

(d) Histogram

. The histogram of scanned images must represent all the pixels with the digital image without clipping highlight or shadow detail from the image.

(e) Color Requirements. Color balance is defined as balancing the color between the three primary colors and their complimentary secondary color. Red and cyan must be balanced. Green and magenta must be balanced. Blue and yellow must be balanced.

Color saturation is achieved so that minimum colors do not look like a grayscale image and the maximum colors do not bleed into another area of the image. The scanned images shall capture red, green, and blue channels for both natural color and color infrared at 8-bit per channel.

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 17

(f) File Format

. Tagged Image File Format (TIFF). Scanned files shall be submitted in accordance with the Baseline TIFF 6.0 file format as defined in the TIFF 6.0 Specifications. All baseline TIFF 6.0 files shall store data as uncompressed RGB full-color images as defined in the specification using the “little-endian” byte order and shall only contain one image file directory (IFD). All TIFF files submitted shall be readable by older applications that assume TIFF 5.0 or an earlier version of the specification. TIFFs that use designated "Extended TIFF 6.0 file" features shall not be acceptable. Features designated as "not recommended for general data interchange" are considered extensions to the Baseline TIFF 6.0 specification, and will not be acceptable. This includes TIFFs that use one of the major new extensions such as "tiled images". In the TIFF 6.0 specification, the term "tag" refers only to the identifying number, the term "field" refers to the entire field, including the value.

Tags that are defined by the TIFF specification are called public tags and shall not be modified outside of the parameters given in the latest TIFF specification. Tags numbered 32768 or higher, sometimes called private tags, are reserved and shall not be acceptable. Enumeration constants numbered 32768 or higher are reserved and shall not be acceptable. Do not choose your own tag numbers, use only those specified in the Baseline TIFF 6.0 Specification for RGB full-color. Tags numbered in the "reusable" 65000-65535 range shall not be acceptable.

(g) Media Requirements. Refer to Section D-1(d)

Media Requirements.

7.2

Scan File Naming Convention

The scan file naming convention shall be specified in individual Task Order Award(s) where the Scanning Option is exercised. The naming convention will generally follow the “Standard: Geospatial Datasets File Naming” found at:

<http://www.la.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/geotech/SPG-GeospatialDatasetFileNaming.pdf>.

A directory shall be created on the specified media named “<stnnn>” where <stnnn> is the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code for the state and county containing the images. State codes will be expressed as two-letter US Postal Office abbreviations (md, az, tx, etc.). County codes will be expressed as three-digit FIPS number (001, 015, etc.). Files shall be named “scan_<identifier>_<yyyy><sequence number>”. The identifier shall be the five-digit FIPS code and sample identification number separated by an underscore. <yyyy> is the year the photo was acquired. <sequence number> may be added if multiple photos were taken (i.e. 1, 2, 3) to give each photo a unique name. <.tif> is the file extension.

Example: Directory name: az001 File names: scan_04001_090901b_ 2011.tif scan_04001_110701r_ 2011.tif scan_04001_140501r_ 2011.tif

7.3

Contractor shall furnish a Scan Data File in ASCII comma delimited text format containing the following data. All data elements shall be included and shall be provided in the specified order. The “Number of Characters in Field” represents the MAXIMUM number of characters for any element.

Scan Data File Description http://www.la.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/geotech/SPG-GeospatialDatasetFileNaming.pdf�

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 18

Description Number of Characters in Field Scan File Name 30 Scan resolution in microns 4 Samples = Columns 4 Lines = Rows 4 Camera Number (10 characters max) 10 Lens Number (10 characters max) 10 Camera Calibration Date (ddmmyyyy) 8 Exposure Date (ddmmyyyy) 8 Time of Exposure in 24 hour format (hhmm) 4 Scanner Manufacturer and Model Number: “Free text with quotations” (50 characters max)

Example (for each line in the text file):

scan_05109_020291r_2009.tif,40,6400,5900,1234567890,1234567890,14112009,1506201 1,1326,"LHS XXXXX Photogrammetric Scanner"

The text file shall use the following naming convention:

scan_data_project_(item number).txt (i.e. scan_data_project1_item1.txt)

C-8

DIGITAL ORTHORECTIFICATION

8.1

General Requirements

The Contractor shall furnish direct digital and/or film based orthorectification services for the project item areas in accordance with the requirements and specifications specified in the individual task order(s).

8.2

Digital Orthoimagery

The Contractor shall provide digital orthorectified imagery at the scale or Ground Sample Distance (GSD) specified in the individual task order(s). The imagery shall be orthorectified, and projected in the 1983 North American Datum (NAD83) and 1988 North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88), using the corresponding native Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zone. The orthophotos shall be mosaicked as indicated in the individual task order(s) if the area of interest covers more than one image. Mosaics shall be tone balanced for a consistent and uniform image quality appearance that eliminates any checkerboard effect. The resulting mosaics must maintain the original color and appearance of the images that comprise the mosaic.

8.3

Metadata Template

(a) Metadata File. The Contractor will be furnished upon award one (1) data text file (.txt) containing a Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) compliant metadata template to be used when creating the metadata as required below. The Contractor

Part I – The Schedule P a g e | 19 shall create a FGDC compliant, per the FGDC-STD-001-1998 specification, metadata file using the Government provided template for each orthophoto generated. The metadata must parse cleanly through the USGS metadata parser “mp” version 2.8.10 without any errors. The metadata file shall have the same file name as the orthophoto but with a “.met” extension.

(b) Auxiliary File. The Contractor may be required to provide an ESRI Projection compatible “aux” file for each orthophoto where compatibility is required for earlier versions of GIS software. The file shall use the same naming convention as other files in the data set but with an “.aux” extension. This requirement will be specified in the individual task order(s).

8.4

Accuracy Requirements

This requirement will be specified in the individual task order(s) and will generally depend on the GSD specified in the task order.

8.5

Orthophoto File Naming

All USDA files shall be named according to the “Geospatial Datasets File Naming Standard”. A directory shall be created on the specified media named “<stnnn>” where <stnnn> is the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code for the state and county containing the images. State codes will be expressed as two-letter US Postal Office abbreviations (md, az, tx, etc.). County codes will be expressed as three-digit FIPS number (001, 015, etc.). Files shall be named “highres_<identifier>_<yyyy><sequence number>”.

The identifier shall be the five-digit FIPS code and sample identification number separated by an underscore. <yyyy> is the year the photo was acquired. <sequence number> may be added if multiple photographs were taken (i.e. 1, 2, 3) to give each photo a unique name.

<.tif> is the file extension.

Example: Directory name: al001

File names: highres_01001_010101b_2011.tif highres_01001_020202b_2011.tif highres_01001_020302a_2011_1.tif highres_01001_020302a_2011_2.tif highres_01001_030303b_2011.tif

8.6

Media Requirements

Refer to Section D-1(d) Media Requirements

9.0

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Additional requirements related to imagery products and acquisition may include, but are not limited to, georeferenced uncompressed digital image files; stereo block files; Airborne Global Positioning System (ABGPS) data; and Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) data.

Additional requirements will be specified in the individual task order(s).

Part I –…