| International Broadcasting Bureau | ||
|
|
|
Integrated Digital Audio Production System (IDAPS)
Request for Proposal (RFP) Summary
General: This summary is being furnished for illustration purposes, to provide an overview of the anticipated acquisition. The information presented herein is only meant to provide insight, as the requirement is subject to change prior to release of the pending Request for Proposal (RFP). The actual requirements for the anticipated contract will be those stated in the pending RFP.
TOP
Introduction: The United States Information Agency's (USIA), International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), is seeking proposals for the installation of an Integrated Digital Audio Production System (IDAPS) for the Voice of America (VOA) broadcasting service. This System will replace analog magnetic tape audio intake, editing, and playback equipment with digital audio file servers, connected by IBB's recently-installed high-speed Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) computer network to existing personal computer (PC) workstations, located throughout the VOA facilities. IBB/VOA requires a comprehensive system design, integration, and support of software and hardware specifically designed and intended for digital audio intake, storage, editing, and playback, in the commercial radio broadcasting market, but adapted as necessary to the particular needs of the VOA.
TOP
VOA IDAPS Operational Overview: PC workstations, associated client application software, and servers shall support the real-time collection of raw audio materials from: (i) analog audio signals of microphones, tape recorders, and telephone circuits; (ii) analog audio signals of studio production consoles and facilities; (iii) real-time digital audio streams routed from the VOA's AES/EBU digital audio routing switchers; and (iv) previously recorded digital audio files available on local and remote servers. Audio workstations and servers must support the robust availability of the resulting audio files throughout VOA work spaces, including broadcaster office desktops. Workstations shall be installed in studio and recording facilities, where they shall interface with standard analog and digital radio broadcast mixing consoles, to replace analog reel and cartridge tape machines. Some workstations and/or servers must also support the direct output of one or more digital audio streams to the VOA Master Control Air/Production routing switcher, in real time. A scheduling application must be provided for each of these specific audio workstations/servers to permit users or another application program to queue audio files for automatic recording and playback at some time in the future. Most recorded material is monaural. Retention requirements will vary by workgroup, but most recorded material should remain immediately available for at least seven (7) days. The EBU Broadcast Wave file format shall be used for audio storage, in linear PCM mode, with 48kHz sampling.
TOP
Contractor Activities: The Contractor shall be responsible for all work relating to the development, integration, installation, testing, training, and user support of the following:
The Contractor's work shall be responsive to the specific Task Descriptions identified in the forthcoming Statement of Work (SOW). Some Task requirements are not fully detailed in the solicitation and will be determined and negotiated during execution of this Contract. This will enable the Contractor and IBB/VOA to tailor the system development and features to lessons learned in earlier deployment work and ongoing technological improvements. Most on-site work will be performed at IBB/VOA Headquarters located in Washington, D.C., but some work will also be performed at VOA's three regional News Centers, located in Hong Kong, London, and New York.
TOP
IDAPS Scope and Task Sequence Overview: The Offeror shall submit with its proposal a non-binding cost estimate for the eventual overall scope of the IDAPS, which shall include, approximately:
The Offeror shall provide, in a specifically dedicated section of its Technical Proposal, a concise narrative document (and, if pertinent, associated drawings) which elucidate its understanding of the ultimate potential project scope described above and its vision for equipment, software, systems integration, and configuration to support IDAPS deployment throughout the VOA facilities. A fully detailed plan is not required. However, this section shall specifically address: (i) tentative file server architecture to serve the foregoing usage scope; (ii) tentative database management system architecture to support this scope; (iii) features to enhance system reliability and survivability; and (iv) degree of adaptation of the Offeror's existing software/systems to required meet this scope. IDAPS deployment is divided into discrete Tasks organized around VOA work units. The Tasks which will be presented in the SOW are: (i) Correspondent Report Intake Centers, (ii) Central Newsroom, (iii) Audio Services (Sound on Demand), (iv) Central Recording, (v) 20 Core Studios, and (vi-xiii) each VOA Language Division and its associated Language Area Production studios.
TOP
Tasks Fully Described in the SOW: The Offeror shall submit a firm-fixed-price proposal for the following initial phases of IDAPS deployment. The Offeror shall provide, with its proposal, a brief narrative document and associated drawings which elucidate its understanding of scope, equipment, integration, and configuration for these Tasks.
TOP
Existing PC/LAN Environment: The IDAPS must interface and interoperate with the IBB Internetwork, servers and services, and client workstations.
(a) All IDAPS data shall be transferred between clients and servers via the IBB ATM network. This network is built upon the FORE
Systems implementation of Internet Protocol over ATM, commonly referred to as Distributed LAN
Emulation (DLE) services supporting LAN Emulation (LANE) V1. LANE V1 is part of the FOREThought version 5.2 software that runs on approximately 30 FORE model ASX-1000 ATM switches and version 5.0.1 of the software that runs on 3 FORE model 7000 PowerHubs that comprise the network. The switches and PowerHubs are interconnected with OC-3 (155 Mb/s) network modules.
(b) All existing servers relevant to IDAPS will be attached to the IBB internetwork via FORE OC-3 (155Mb/s) ATM adapter cards, model SBA-200E. These servers participate as members of the emulated LAN via FORE's implementation of LANE V1 in the ForeThought version 5.0 software. These servers provide several critical services to the network. File service is provided via the Network File System (NFS) protocol Name resolution services are provided through the Network Information Service (NIS) and Domain Name Service (DNS) protocols. The IBB internetwork does not support the proprietary Windows Internet Name Service (WINS). Time service is provided through Network Time Protocol (NTP). User accounts are maintained by the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), and a single Windows NT domain. Electronic Mail Service is provided through the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).
(c) All existing workstations (DEC models PC5100 and PC5510) relevant to IDAPS run Windows
NT 4.0 Workstation, updated to Service Pack 3, and are attached to the IBB internetwork via Fore
OC-3 ATM adapter cards, model PCA-200E. These workstations participate as members of the emulated LAN via FORE's implementation of LANE V1 in the FOREThought version 5.0 software. The workstations are also members of a single Windows NT domain. ATM network architecture for VOA's Central Recording and Core Studio facilities will be optimized jointly by Contractor and IBB Computing Services personnel after contract award.
TOP
Offeror Qualifications: Interested offerors shall have substantial direct experience in either (i) the design, development, and integration of radio broadcast audio production systems based on personal computers and (ii) the integration of computing hardware and software in connection with the development of large-scale data storage and database management systems. If the Offeror does not have substantial direct experience on both of these categories, then its proposed project team must include a first-tier subcontractor having the experience that it lacks. The Offeror or first-tier subcontractor must have an existing, commercially marketed, accepted, and used radio broadcast audio production system that is available off-the-shelf. This system shall have been installed in news-oriented radio broadcast facilities where at least fifteen (15) simultaneous users have access to stored audio files. The Offeror and any audio production system subcontractor(s) shall have an established service and support presence within the continental United States or Canada.
TOP
Procurement Activity: USIA intends to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitation for this negotiated, firm-fixed-price procurement (FFP) in early January of 1999, with a proposal response date in late February 1999. Qualified firms, as noted above, may request a copy of the RFP/Solicitation or IDAPS Summary by submitting a written request via facsimile to (202) 205-5466 or by letter to: USIA, Office of Contracts, 301 4th Street, SW., Room M-22, Washington, DC 20547. All questions that are specific to this proposed RFP solicitation shall be submitted in writing or via facsimile to the above mailing addresses or facsimile number to that noted USIA Contracting Officer within ten (10) days after the RFP issue date. All responsible sources may submit a proposal to the forthcoming solicitation document, and all proposals shall be considered by the Agency. This summary is not a RFP.
TOP