5 year contract for off-site storage of United Nations audio-visual collections, management, on-demand digitization, delivery and pickup services
Closing Date for Receipt of EOI: 6 August 2021
The Contractor will be able to provide the following services:
– Storage and management of audio-visual archives in a wide variety of formats and sizes within minimum standards of temperature and relative humidity, security control, and cleanliness for both accessibility and long-term preservation;
– Conversion and transfers of a variety of audio-visual formats of audio, video, film recordings, as well as photographic slides and negatives;
– Digitization of audio-visual materials in a wide range of formats in accordance with UN requirements and industry standards for preservation and access;
– Selective disposal using ecologically sound and secure standards of items that have already been digitized and whose original analog versions are considered by DGC of low value to the Organization, as well as duplicate items and versions that have no value, as well as damaged records beyond repair.
– Delivery of the final digital output to UN Headquarters in New York in the most cost-effective way possible.
– The transportation of retrieved items to and from the off-site location should be provided by the vendor.
The current analog audio-visual collections stored, managed off-site consist of:
A. Audio Collection: 1,096 acid-free archival boxes (12” W x 15” L x 10” H) containing approximately 28,000 audio items. The audio recordings are available in original magnetic analog open reel tapes (1/4”). The collection also comprises of cassette tapes (1/8”), vinyl LPs, shellac discs, and DAT
(digital audio tapes).
B. Video Collection: 1,622 acid-free archival boxes (12” W x 15” L x 10” H) containing approximately 15,000 video items. Video recordings are available in original magnetic analog and digital tapes (1 inch, Betacam, Digibeta, DVCPro, and Mini DVs).
C. Film collection: 16,214 cans of film on 16mm, 35mm, and some 8 mm.
D. Photo Collection: 169 archival boxes (12” W x 15” L x 10” H) containing selected historical (accessioned) slides and negatives of UN photographs. This number may increase by 20 boxes due to some negatives still held and stored temporarily at the UNHQ facilities.
The remainder of the UN audio-visual archives, comprising approximately 15,170 physical analog video
tapes in a wide range of formats, will be kept in the basement of the General Assembly building (GA-2B-60) for ready-reference and fast access, as well as 11,294 transcript discs containing audio recordings of DGC radio programmes, interviews, press conferences and other events, which are currently stored temporarily at the UN Headquarters in New York. These items may be eventually sent out for off-site storage and management, as well as disposed of as determined by DGC. The on-demand digitization will apply only to the remaining eligible items from the analog collection that have not yet been digitized. The estimated remaining items to be digitized is approximately 40% of the eligible items.
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