NAIP 2018 (National Agricultural Imagery Program)

Amended to add Q&A as of October 27, 2017

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

This Request for Information (RFI) is being issued solely for information and planning purposes and does not constitute an Invitation for Bids (IFB), a Request for Proposals (RFP), a Request for Quotations (RFQ) or an indication that the Government will contract for any of the items and/or services contained in this notice. In accordance with FAR 52.215-3, Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes, the Government will not pay for any information/items submitted in response to the RFI. Information identified as proprietary will not be released. Only summaries of data provided under this RFI are releasable to the public.

Responses to, or lack of response to, this RFI will not impact consideration for award from responses to future RFP(s) issued for this or related potential requirements.
Introduction
Aerial Imagery is one of several critical geospatial datasets the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) uses to complete its mission. Imagery has been collected and used by the Agency for the last 80 years and is currently used millions of times daily by FSA in desktop, web based, and enterprise applications to support FSA's primary customers, America's farmers and ranchers. The FSA Aerial Photography Field Office (APFO) has the authority as delegated by the Secretary of Agriculture to the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services to coordinate and prevent duplication of aerial photographic work of the Department, and among other activities, to coordinate and perform procurement, inspection, and application of specifications for USDA aerial photography, and make reproductions of the photography available upon request. 7 CFR Part 2, Subpart C, §2.16, and 7 CFR 2.42.
While the general FSA mission has remained constant, major business and technological changes have impacted imagery requirements as well as requirements related to imagery delivery mechanisms.
Basic Scope and Intent of RFI
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) intends to release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) anticipating award of a single year contract for 2018 only to meet current requirements while the agency explores options for meeting future agency requirements under reduced budgets. This RFP may potentially be awarded to a single contractor with options for additional states and deliverables that may be awarded depending upon funding availability and need. The draft RFP sections that are pertinent to this RFI are attached. Please refer to the map below for the planned priority states for 2018.
The general requirements are for imagery collected during specific agriculture growing seasons, based on a three-year cycle, and delivered in 60cm resolution DOQQ (Digital Orthorectified Quarter Quadrangle) format with four meter horizontal accuracy. Compressed County Mosaics (CCM) will be included as option items that may be awarded depending upon funding availability and need.
FSA is seeking comments and responses to questions pertaining to this RFP, as well as comments and responses pertaining to acquisition strategy, deliverables, pricing, etc.

PLEASE REFER TO THE ATTACHMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION