R -- Recording Engineer

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in FAR subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is issued as a Request for Proposal (RFP) No, FA7012-07-T-0027. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC) 05-17. This is set aside for 100% small business. The North American Industry Classification System code (NAICS) is 512210, with a size standard of $27.0 million. CONTRACT LINE ITEM: 0001: NON-PERSONAL SERVICES for RECORDING Session Per SOW Date 16 July through 20 July 2007. QTY: 1 each, UNIT Price: $______________, Extended Price: $____________. CONTRACT LINE ITEM: 0002: NON-PERSONAL SERVICES for RECORDING Session Per SOW Date 20 Aug through 24 Aug 2007. QTY: 1 each, UNIT Price: $______________, Extended Price: $____________. CONTRACT LINE ITEM: 0003: NON-PERSONAL SERVICES for RECORDING Session Per SOW Date 27 Aug through 31 Aug 2007. QTY: 1 each, UNIT Price: $______________, Extended Price: $____________. DESCRIPTION OF NON-PERSONAL SERVICES The contractor shall provide all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, transportation, and other services necessary to perform the audio and video services of a USAF Band musical broadcast. RECORDING. The vendor shall engineer recording sessions for the USAF Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Ceremonial Brass, Airmen of Note, Singing Sergeants, Silver Wings and Max Impact or any combination of these groups. The vendor shall be knowledgeable and utilize all recording equipment provided by the government. See Appendix 1 for equipment list.MIXING. The Vendor shall mix all audio feeds of the recording session using best commercial practices. The finished product shall be ready for editing.EDITING. The Vendor shall edit all audio captured to tape and or hard drive using best commercial practices. The final edited product shall be ready for mastering. Edits will be subject to approval by a representative of the USAF Band.MASTERING. The vendor shall master .the final edited product from each session into a product that meets best commercial practices for replication.The vendor shall use all equipment provided by the Government. The Government shall be responsible for the maintenance and repair of equipment leased/rented by the Government and provided to the contractor except that in the case of loss or damage due to negligence on the part of the contractor.Vendor is required to have equipment at place of business.GENERAL INFORMATION Unless otherwise notified, all recordings shall take place at Hangar 2 on Bolling AFB. Minimum Qualifications of Personnel. The contractor shall meet the minimum qualifications as identified below.Vendor shall have at the minimum 8 to 13 years consistent major label recording experience of world-class large and small ensembles and historic reissue remastering/producing.Vendor shall be familiar with both Pyramix and ProTools workstation platforms and the most current restoration and signal processing platforms: ReNovator and Audiocube. Vendor shall have appropriate degrees from an accredited institution such as M.A., M.F.A., M.M. with a specialty area in Recording. Vendor shall be familiar with both multi-microphone (24 microphones or more) and minimal miking (five microphones or fewer) recording techniques and latest recording technologies such as DSD (SACD). Vendor shall have experience with historic recording media and formats (lacquer, lp, analog tape, PCM digital). Vendor shall have experience with content preparation and encoding for digital delivery. Vendor?s previous recordings shall have been nominated and/or awarded for both international and national awards (Grammy's etc) in both large and small ensemble formats.Vendor shall have experience with professional concert band recording production requirements.Vendor shall have experience as a recording engineer of large ensembles, such as symphony orchestras or concert bands, to include ?pops?-style orchestras. A large ensemble is defined as an ensemble with fifty (50) or more musicians.Vendor shall have between four and six years professional experience working on an AMS-Neve-brand, model 88R recording console, to include comprehensive use of Encore automation software; OR have completed no less than forty (40) professional tracking and/or mixing projects on an AMS-Neve-brand, model 88R recording. Vendor shall have between six and 12 months of professional experience using Digidesign?s ProTools HD audio recording and editing software, version seven (7.0) or higher.Vendor shall have between two and four years of professional experience working with Pyramix audio recording and editing software, version four (4.0) or higher. Vendor shall provide a minimum of three examples of their professional work, in the form of audio CDs of their recording projects. These projects should be recordings of large ensembles, such as symphony orchestras or concert bands. These materials shall be evaluated to determine the recording engineer?s ability to accurately reproduce the sound of the ensemble in the areas of balance, color, sound stage, and timbre. If the vendor has previously submitted recordings to the USAF Band and said recordings are still representative of the vendor?s work, then the vendor does not need to submit additional recordings.Vendor shall provide a resume and a minimum of three references to demonstrate competent, artistic, and thorough knowledge of the recording process, to include pre-production, tracking, overdubbing, editing, mixing, and mastering, and competent and thorough knowledge of all acoustic, electrical, and mechanical equipment to be used.Vendor shall only provide qualified professional recording engineers, specially trained for recording, editing, mixing, and mastering a large-ensemble symphony orchestra or concert band, shall perform services as required. Soliciting professional recording engineers must meet the above minimum qualifications to be considered.COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS. The service provider shall be knowledgeable of and shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, permits, Department of Defense (DoD), AF, and base requirements and instructions required for the performance of the duties in this SOW. The service provider shall ensure policies and procedures are established that protect the safety and welfare of customers, employees, and the community to minimize or eliminate safety or environmental pollution risks. INDEMNIFICATION: The contractor agrees to indemnify and hold the Government and the Department of the Air Force harmless, whether in tort or in contract, for any and all loss or liability for injury to or death of service provider personnel in transit to, from or during the period of attendance at any of the required locations in support of this production. The contractor shall ensure compliance with all federal, DoD, AF, and Bolling AFB vehicle identification policies for contractor-owned vehicles.The contractor shall obtain proper identification badges for access to Bolling AFB, for the duration of the contract.TRAVEL, MEALS, LODGING AND INCIDENTAL EXPENSES. The vendor shall be responsible for making all travel and lodging arrangements. Government transportation and lodging will not be made available. The vendor is responsible for all associated expenses.RIGHTS AND ROYALTIES: All rights and royalties resulting from the production of recordings shall become the property of the United States Air Force and the United States Air Force Band. The contractor shall not have any rights to potential royalties, now or in the future, as a result of their performance under the terms and conditions of this contract. Appendix 1 Microphones: AKG C12 VR, 414, 451, D12 DPA 4003, 4006, 4011 Neumann U67, M150, TLM170, KM184 Schoeps MK2S, MK2H, MK21, MK4 Sennheiser 421, 441, MK40 Others: Various Audio-Technica, Coles, Geffell, Royer, Shure, AEA/RCA Consoles: Neve 88R/S 60-channel console Encore automation software Yamaha DM2000 console Preamplifiers & DI Inboard: 60 channels of pre on 88 RS Outboard: 16 ch Grace/remote, 30 ch Neve 801R/remote, 16 ch Millennia, 3 ch Avalon DI Computer Recording System: ProTools/HD 7.3 minimum 56 channels I/O Mac G5 Digidesign 192 I/O & Sync Prism Dream ADA-8 Glyph drivebays Rosendahl nanosync master clock ToastTitanium ProControl with 16-channel surface Monitoring: Small: K&H O110, Genelec 8040A Mid: B&W 802-D, with Chord amplification Large: Genelec 1039A and 7071A Outboard Gear: Lexicon 960-L, 300, PrimeTime Urei 1176LN, LA-4 Millennia SST-1 Avalon 737 BSS quad gate Masterlink 9600 Production Intercom HEARBus personal monitoring systems Other: LARES/Lexicon virtual acoustic system in main tracking room (80 x 40 x 25 ft) This list subject to change without notice. 6.0 HOURS OF OPERATION/SCHEDULE: The recording session schedule is as follows:Recording Sessions: (1)16 July through 20 July 2007 (2) 20 August through 24 2007 (3) 27 August through 31 August 2007. RECORDING SESSIONS Typically, recording sessions take place Monday through Friday between the hours of 0900 and 1600. The vendor may be asked to work on Sunday and Saturdays and hours earlier or later than the aforementioned example.EDITING. Editing session primarily take place Monday through Friday between the hours of 0800 and 1700. While most editing will take place in Hangar 2 on Bolling AFB, the vendor shall be prepared to edit material at their place of business using their own equipment.QUALITY ASSURANCE. In accordance with FAR 52.212-4(a) Inspection /Acceptance, the government will evaluate the contractors performance under this contract. GOVERNMENT REMEDIES. The contracting officer shall follow FAR 52.212.4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items (FEB 2002), for contractors failure to perform satisfactory services or failure to correct nonconforming services. INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE TERMS: Supplies will be inspected and accepted at destination/government. FAR PROVISIONS: The provisions at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors-Commercial Items are hereby incorporated. Addendum to FAR Provision 52.212-1 applies to this acquisition is as follows: 52.237-1, 52.252-1: 52.252-5: (b) DFARS (Chapter 2). In accordance with 52.212-1 (h) multiple awards will be considered if determined to be most advantageous to the Government. EVALUATION PROCEDURES: The Government will select the best overall offer based on technical capability, past performance and price. Technical capability will be evaluated from the submitted examples. Examples should display creativity and flexibility needed to properly capture and edit both the audio and video product of a live musical. Proposals shall be rated as follows: ?Exceptional?, exceeds specified minimum performance or capability necessary for acceptable contract performance, ?Acceptable?, meets specified minimum performance or capability necessary for acceptable contract performance, ?Marginal?, does not clearly meet some specified minimum performance requirements necessary for acceptable contract performance or ?Unacceptable?, fails to meet specified minimum performance or capability requirements. Past performance will be evaluated using the reference questionnaires. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer, conforming to the solicitation; will be the most advantageous to the Government in accordance with the requirement. Only those offerors determined to be in compliance with the requirements as stated in this solicitation will be considered for award. If additional information is required to support price reasonableness, each offeror may be requested to provide a hard copy of their price break-down. Non-conformance with this requirement may result in offeror?s quote being determined unacceptable. Offeror must include, with its offer, a completed copy of provision FAR 52.212- 3, Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items in full text. FAR 52.212-3 can be obtained from http://farsite.hill.af.mil or from http://orca.bpn.gov if registered in ORCA (online Representation and Certifications application). FAR CLAUSES: The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items is hereby incorporated. Addendum to FAR Clause 52.212-4 applies to this acquisition, specifically the following cited clauses: 52.204-9, 52.209-6, 52.223-5, 52.223-6, 52.224-1, 52.224-2, 52.232-1, 52.252-2: http://farsite.hill.af.mil , 52.252-6: (b) DFARS (Chapter 2), 52.253-1, 252.204-7003, 252.204-7004 ALT A, 252.212-7001, 252.223-7006, 252.232-7003, 252.232-7010, 252.243-7001, 5352.223-9001, 5352.242-9000, 5352.201-9101 and 5352.223-9001. FAR Clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Status of Executive Orders-Commercial Items apply to this acquisition, specifically, the following cited clauses: 52.219-6, 52.222-3, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.222-41, 52.225-3, 52.232-33, 52.233-3, and 52.233-4. All responses (proposals or offers) must be received by mail, email, or facsimile no later than 3:00 P.M. EST on 11 July 2007 to 11th CONS/LGCO, 110 Luke Ave, Bldg 5681, Bolling AFB, DC 20032. An official authorized person to bind your company shall sign the offer. To be eligible for an award, all contractors must be registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). A contractor can contact the CCR by calling 1-888-227-2423. Questions concerning this solicitation should be addressed to Vivienne Clarke, Contract Specialist, Phone (202) 767-8039, FAX (202) 767-7887, E-mail to [email protected] or Capt Richard Jacobs, Contracting Officer, Phone (202) 767-7978, FAX (202) 767-7887, E-mail to:[email protected].