QA for microfilm dtd 7 Aug 09.pdf

1. QUESTION . " Microfilm cartridges contain single images of document pages, each registered with blips and corresponding to frame numbers. There are also many continuous strip images of mailing lists, and each strip is associated with a single blip or frame number." Since these are to be removed and since a subsequent requirement seems to indicate that the images are to have a metadata link to their frame number, it is important to understand if the image strips are identified with a single blip AND a frame number or a single blip OR a frame number. Do they sometimes have a blip and other times not? Do they sometimes have a frame number and other times not?

ANSWER: "single blip AND a frame number"

2. QUESTION " 7. Retrievals will not be by email" Is this statement included to indicate to the vendor that any ad-hoc requests cannot be satisfied by digital means (such as file encryption and transfer over secure ftp, or by fax) and the only way a ad-hoc request can be satisfied is by returning the original microfilm, or will the agency consider high level encryption and digital delivery of document requests as an alternate solution? How often will ad-hoc requests be made?

ANSWER: "Contractor shall provide readable CD’s/DVD's after conversion from microfilm." Ad-hoc will be variable.

3. QUESTION: Since there will need to be some process in place to identify and replace strip mailing list with blank image holders, we need to understand their frequency as a percentage of the total imagery and how they will be identified.

a. What percent of the 3700 images on a reel are expected to be strip mailing lists on average?

ANSWER: Impossible to estimate.

b. Will the vendor be able to identify them by frame width as any non-mailing list will be less than a certain dimension (say less than legal or less than tabloid)?

ANSWER: Yes

c. Will the vendor need to read or view the mailing lists at full screen in order to recognize them, perhaps by a common header or easy to recognize string of text?

ANSWER: No.

4. Are the frame numbers actually imprinted at the edge of the film?

ANSWER: Yes.

5. Searchable PDF-a format. Specifically is the Agency looking for "image only with hidden text" pdf files?

ANSWER: Industry Standard for PDF-A.

6. Please confirm that you are looking for a price per reel.

ANSWER: Yes.

7. Since this is an RFQ are you looking for a response to include pricing only, or are we to submit reference and proposed procedures.

ANSWER: Price the information per the requirements in the solicitation.

8. The requirement of 100 reels at a time, when combined with a long review period could cause this project to drag out up to two years or more. Since the scanning will not be continuous, it means that the vendor must stop and start scanning, reassign staff etc. Will the agency reconsider and/or allow an alternate proposal where the vendor can have say 100 reels in their possession at any one time and deliver in lots of 50, with additional reels sent to the vendor while the delivery is in QC at the Agency? Perhaps after a pilot lot of 100 reels?

ANSWER: Yes.

9. The SOW states that the vendor can invoice monthly on work performed. If the Agency finds that they do not have the staff to review the imagery in a timely manner, will the invoices still be considered provisionally approved for payment Net30? What is the expected review period for each batch of 100 reels?

ANSWER: Yes. Review period will very based on the quality of the product.

10: Regarding "... and each strip is associated with a single blip or frame number."

Is the "strip image of mailing lists" associated with a frame number imprinted on the film or by virtue of a blip or both?

ANSWER: Both.

11. Regarding: "The Contractor must be able to return any requested source microfilm cartridges within twenty-four (24) hours of a telephone call with the exception of weekends. "

Is the intent here for the contractor to return the microfilm canister after digitizing (within 24 hours) or is the intent to have the canister returned without the need to digitize it until a later time?

ANSWER: Yes after digitizing.

12: Regarding "Contractor shall ensure that each frame number on each cartridge shall correspond with its image number in a searchable pdf-a file format. " Is your technology infrastructure organized such that a searchable .pdf file format is the only acceptable format? Is it possible that other image output formats might lend themselves to a more universally scalable solution? My thought is that it might be desirable to make all of the images on all of the canisters searchable universally via some database mechanism.

ANSWER: Industry Standard for PDF-A.

13: Regarding "Contractor shall insure digital image quality is consistent with film image quality."

It was noted that the contract stipulated 300 DPI resolution.

ANSWER: 300 DPI is correct.