T -- PRESERVATION AND DUPLICATION OF CERTAIN 8MM FILMS OF THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY (A.K.A. THE ZAPRUDER FILM PRESERVATION PROJECT)

Notice Date

February 5, 2001

Contracting Office

National Archives and Records Administration, NAA, Acquisition Center, 8601 Adelphi Road, Room 3360, College Park, MD, 20740-6001

ZIP Code

20740-6001

Solicitation Number

Reference-Number-ZAP0001

Response Due

February 21, 2001

Point of Contact

Llane McGee, Contract Specialist, Phone 301-713-6755 x269, Fax 301-713-6910, Email llane.mcgee@arch2.nara.gov -- Harold Williams, Contracting Officer, Phone (301) 713-6755 XT 271, Fax (301) 713-6910, Email

E-Mail Address

Llane McGee (llane.mcgee@arch2.nara.gov)

Description

The National Archives and Records Administration is seeking information and capabilities statements from responsible small and large business firms for the preservation printing of three rolls of regular 8mm Kodachrome motion picture film of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (the _Zapruder_ film). Each roll could, but does not necessarily, contain up to 66 feet of regular 8mm film if all image footage, thread-up leader, dense or clear non-image film segments, etc., are included in the printing as intended. The printing effort must be accomplished in accordance with the information provided below: (1) Desired work products: Each of the three regular 8mm positive films must be optically printed frame-by-frame to a three strand 35mm color separation set of film elements. The full 8mm width of the original films must be printed in order to capture all of the photographic imagery between the perforations and all of the edge coding and identification numbers and letters that exist on the original 8mm film documents. From the separation negatives created, the Contractor must print a 35mm color interpositive, a 35mm-color internegative, and a color print. This work must be done on all three original films. (2) Image _restoration_ or _correction_: In the process of making the new film elements, no actions or processes must be taken to modify or change the images as they now exist. This printing effort is directed at capturing the film exactly as it is for forensic purposes, NOT for cinematic entertainment purposes. The intent is for the new film elements to capture the nature of the films as they are at the time of printing, including scratches on the original films and including the color as it now exists. There is to be NO color _correction_, no effort to _restore_ the images to what a film timer thinks they might have looked like originally. The printing from the original rolls should be essentially one _best light_ to maintain the relative contrast and color relationships of the originals in the new film elements. Further, because of concerns about the long-term effects of wet-gate chemicals on the original items, wet-gate printing must NOT be used. (It is recognized that future users of copies made from these new film elements can apply digital image _correction_ or _improvement_ techniques, as they wish at relatively low cost because of the short length of film involved.) (3) Inclusiveness: The entire length of the original films must be reproduced by the Contractor, including head and tail leaders, Zapruder family footage, the assassination footage, burned and damaged frames, long stretches of high-density or clear non-image bearing film, and sections where there is perforation damage. The new film elements shall capture images of those damaged perforations. The full width of the original regular 8mm films must be captured on the new film elements. (4) Projection speed: The Zapruder camera was tested and is known to have been photographing at approximately 18 frames per second. However, this project must not attempt to correct or otherwise change the frame rate to bring it in line with 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 50 fps or to bring it in line with any projection or video scanning system. The requirement is an accurate, frame-by-frame duplication of the original films. Subsequent users will have to deal with projection speed for their purposes. (5) Proof of concept/performance/capability: Prior to contract award, but subsequent to this request for information, candidate Contractors must demonstrate, at their own expense, their entire proposed procedure using sample 8mm color film material provided by NARA. This will include making the color separations and recombining them to an acceptable print by way of an intermediate positive and an intermediate negative. All film elements resulting from this test, including the 8mm sample provided to the Contractor by NARA will be inspected by NARA to determine acceptability of proposed work processes and end products. Contracting Officer_s Representative (COR) approval of any procedure proposed in response to this RFI does NOT constitute Government approval of the actual duplication process or the final film products. The procedures and facilities that may be proposed, subsequent to this RFI, for actual conduct of the printing operations will be inspected by the COR for acceptance prior to the conduct of printing operations. The film products produced by the Contractor will be inspected by the COR for final acceptance. (6) 8mm Film Handling Equipment: All film handling and printing equipment used in conjunction with the 8mm original films must be of highest quality and be well maintained. The Government reserves the right to inspect and test all such equipment to ensure that it is not likely to scratch the base or emulsion, distort or otherwise damage the perforations, or twist or snag the film ribbon, etc. NARA is also seeking information about potential contractors' current and past projects similar or complementary to this one, and any information such as existing contractual relationships with other Government agencies that might be of interest to NARA. NARA is also interested in obtaining non-binding rough order of magnitude estimates of the cost of performing the work. To assist in determining qualified sources for future acquisitions, all business firms responding to this synopsis may provide: (1) the name of the firm, point of contact with phone number, number of employees of the firm, and annual revenue for NAICS code 512191 with an SBA size standard of $21.5 million, (2) detailed information supporting their capabilities and qualifications to provide the required services, (3) specific relevant contracts being performed or recently completed, detailed description of the work, explanation of how work relates to NARA_s requirement, number of employees working on contract, annual and total dollar value of contracts, contract numbers, points of contact and phone number, and (4) any other pertinent information which would enable the Government to assess the firm_s capabilities. Small business firms responding to this synopsis must state that they are a small business based on the size standard above and state if they are small disadvantaged, woman-owned business, or 8(a). It is imperative that firms respond with the required information so that capabilities can be evaluated accurately. This synopsis is for information gathering and planning purposes only and does not commit the Government to pay for the information requested, issue a solicitation, or award a contract. All interested firms must submit their complete response, not to exceed 10 single sided pages.

Web Link

Visit this URL for the latest information about this (/cgi-bin/WebObjects/EPS.woa/wa/SPF?A=P&P=Reference-Number-ZAP0001&L=3445)

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20010207/TSOL002.HTM (D-036 SN50C7W2)