HomeMy WebLinkAboutProposal_Aero-Graphics_CityofBozeman_DigitalOrthoimagery_20210203
Aero-Graphics, Inc.
Mason Decker
40 West Oakland Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT 84115
tel: 801.487.3273
fax: 801.487.3313
email: mdecker@aero-graphics.com
City of Bozeman, Montana
Request for Proposals
Digital Orthoimagery
February 3, 2021
February 3, 2021
Jon Henderson
Strategic Services Director
City of Bozeman, MT
P.O. Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771-1230
Subject: Request for Proposals - Digital Orthoimagery
Dear Jon,
Aero-Graphics is pleased to respond with this proposal for digital imagery acquisition and
orthoimagery processing services as outlined in the above-referenced RFP. We have
assembled a team of qualified professionals with the expertise necessary to deliver high-quality
mapping and analysis on schedule at a cost-effective price.
Please consider the following strengths that uniquely qualify the Aero-Graphics team for this
contract:
• Aero-Graphics has nearly 55 years of aerial mapping experience, including a working
relationship with the City of Bozeman in 2018.
• Aero-Graphics owns and operates the best and latest equipment for aerial mapping.
Our Vexcel UltraCam Eagle digital camera system provides unsurpassed data accuracy
and quality.
• Aero-Graphics is a full-service aerial mapping company with licensed Professional Land
Surveyors on staff and a reliable Montana-licensed survey subcontractor (Robert Peccia
& Associations) who has current experience working with the City of Bozeman providing
civil engineering services.
Should you have any questions or require further information, please call me at (801) 487-3273
or email at mdecker@aero-graphics.com. Thank you for considering Aero-Graphics for this
contract.
Sincerely,
AERO-GRAPHICS, INC.
Mason Decker, Project Manager
1 | P a g e
City of Bozeman, MT
Digital Orthoimagery
Table of Contents
a. Executive Summary ..................................................................................... 2
b. Firm Profile ................................................................................................. 2
c. Description of Proposed Solution ................................................................ 3
d. Scope of Project ........................................................................................ 11
e. Related Experience with Projects Similar to the Scope of Services .............. 12
f. Statement of Qualifications ....................................................................... 16
g. References ................................................................................................ 16
h. Present and Projected Workloads .............................................................. 17
i. Key Personnel ........................................................................................... 18
j. Additional Information.............................................................................. 22
k. Affirmation of Nondiscrimination & Equal Pay ........................................... 23
l. Pricing……………………………………… ............................................................... 24
2 | P a g e
a. Executive Summary
Aero-Graphics, Inc., an SBA-registered small business, highly values this opportunity to provide the
City of Bozeman with digital orthoimagery and building footprints to support its regulatory, land
management, planning, and engineering projects.
Aero-Graphics is uniquely qualified and has demonstrated its proficiency at performing wide-area
image acquisition projects on time, on budget, and of the highest quality for numerous County
governments, regional consortiums, City governments, and Federal government agencies throughout
the United States. We were honored to have the opportunity to perform the 2018 City of Bozeman
Digital Orthoimagery and LiDAR Data Collection. We value the friendships we built during the
project and are looking forward to working with you again.
At every stage of the project, Aero-Graphics strives to add value above and beyond the minimum
requirements. Our twin engine Cessna T310R and top-of-the-line Vexcel UltraCam Eagle (UCE) digital
camera system will be assigned to the City of Bozeman Project. Along with its unmatched image
quality, its large footprint and lower number of required exposures translates into fewer required
flight lines and faster acquisition, allowing us to take advantage of critical narrow weather windows.
In addition, the Eagle’s 100mm focal length provides a greater angle of incidence and thus exhibits less
building and tree lean than competing 70mm focal length sensors.
Above all, Aero-Graphics is recognized for its superior project management, responsiveness, and
excellent communication. Weekly progress reports with clear visualizations of project status are
provided and can easily be distributed to all project stakeholders.
Aero-Graphics is confident that its strengths will ensure the success of the City of Bozeman project, as
well as the long-term success of the City of Bozeman and its partners’ future projects. We look
forward to an opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities on this contract.
b. Firm Profile
Aero-Graphics is the fastest growing geospatial company in the Intermountain West. We have been in
business for over 50 years and have had the same stable ownership for the last 40 years.
Aero-Graphics, Inc.
Mason Decker, Project Manager
40 West Oakland Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT 84115
tel: 801.487.3273
fax: 801.487.3313
www.aero-graphics.com
mdecker@aero-graphics.com
3 | P a g e
c. Description of Proposed Solution
Target Placement and Control Surveying | Prior to photography, Robert Peccia and
Associates will target and survey the quality check shots in addition to the 16 aerial
control points shown below in RED. Control will tie to both UTM Zone 12 and Montana
State Plane Coordinates. Horizontal datum shall be NAD 83 (2011); Vertical datum shall
be NAVD 1988. Working units shall be in Meters.
Horizontal and vertical control for all targets will be accurate to within 5 cm.
Aero-Graphics will provide a Survey Control Report to the City of Bozeman in XLS
format with the following information included: AGPS/IMU coordinates (XYZ OPK),
NAD83 Latitudes, NAD83 Longitudes, Project Eastings, Project Northings, Elevations,
and description of equipment and software used in processing.
Targets will be 1’ wide x 6’ arms. Targets will be in contrast with the ground and clearly
visible from the air. Monuments will be flush with the ground (or otherwise noted in
the control listing).
4 | P a g e
Aircraft | Aero-Graphics owns and operates seven (7) aircraft, all based out of Bountiful,
Skypark Airport KBTF, just minutes north of our main Salt Lake City office and processing
center. Our twin-engine Cessna T310R and UltraCam Eagle digital camera system will
be dedicated to the City of Bozeman Project to ensure proper and timely delivery. The
UC Eagle is interchangeable between all seven aircraft. In the unlikely event that the
assigned aircraft becomes unavailable, one of the others can replace it with ease.
Each aircraft is maintained and operated with strict adherence to all FAA regulations.
IFR instrumentation and other equipment necessary to operate within Class A airspace
is standard on all our aircraft, and all are equipped with survey-grade GPS for precise
acquisition over required areas.
The sensor openings on the underside of each aircraft (pictured below) have been
fabricated such that the camera lenses are open to the outside. Metal shields have
been installed that protect the camera lenses from oil and exhaust, while leaving the
camera’s field of view unobstructed.
As part of Aero-Graphics’ Risk Management System (RMS), every lift requires a pre-flight
inspection of the aircraft. This includes the following:
• Fuel Level – Instrumental and Visual
• Aileron and Control Surface freedom of
movement
• Engine Oil Level
• Propeller Condition
• Landing Gear Condition
Our aircraft are professionally maintained by Aero Services, LLC located at our home
base of Bountiful, Skypark Airport KBTF. Aero Services provides an on-the-shelf
inventory of key parts for all of our aircraft, and prioritizes our planes’ maintenance and
repairs above all others. When maintenance or repairs are required away from base, we
carefully select trustworthy maintenance providers such as Tac Air, who understand the
nature of aerial survey and will provide fast, quality service.
Our twin-engine
Cessna T310R and
UltraCam Eagle digital
camera system will be
dedicated to the City
of Bozeman Project to
ensure proper and
timely delivery.
5 | P a g e
Digital Camera System | Aero-Graphics’ state-of-the-art Vexcel UltraCam Eagle (UCE)
digital camera is noted as one of the finest digital camera systems currently available.
It delivers 260 megapixels per image and the widest cross-track image format available
in any frame-based sensor currently on the market. At 7.5cm GSD the swath covers
nearly 1 mile on the ground. This configuration provides the best image-size to image-
number balance, i.e., the larger footprint size allows a smaller number of images to
cover the project boundary, which translates into fewer images to process, QC, and
perform aerotriangulation, resulting in a faster delivery time.
The UCE sensor collects visible light and near infrared imagery simultaneously at a 16-bit
radiometric resolution and is equipped with Forward Motion Compensation (FMC). It
features automatic exposure control through our flight management system but also
allows for manual overrides when necessary.
It is installed in a gyro-stabilized mount (GSM 3000) that is regularly maintained
according to schedule and passively isolated from aircraft vibration through a series of
specially manufactured springs and viscous dampers. In concert with the pilots’ strict
training and talent in keeping the plane’s attitude as straight as possible, the GSM helps
keep roll, pitch, and yaw angles true, even in windy or turbulent conditions. It
automatically corrects up to 5° roll, 8.4° pitch, and 6.2° yaw in either direction from
zero.
The UCE is equipped with a Vexcel UltraNAV flight management system which
integrates GPS and IMU into one cooperative unit, allowing image principal point
accuracy to 3cm. It is important to note that each time the sensor is moved to a
different aircraft, and before and after large acquisition projects, a boresight calibration
is systematically performed. This enables us to measure and account for the natural
angular misalignments between the camera and IMU and is imperative to maintaining
accuracy.
Our Quality Delivery System (QDS) requires on-ground lens cleaning, proper installation
and cable/hardware inspections for the UCE and GSM, GPS/IMU statistics analysis, and
test exposures before every mission.
Flight Plan | Track’Air flight planning software is used to create flight plans for each
area. This takes into account all project requirements, including boundaries and
associated buffers, GSD, forward/sidelap, flightline orientations, etc. The plan is then
verified for project conformity by another member of the Aerial Department. Special
focus is given here to ensure that all area boundaries and buffers are stereo-covered
and that no overlap or sidelap gaps exist, especially in areas with high relief. Flight plan
coverage and specifications are displayed on the next page.
Trimble Planning software is used to determine the Positional Dilution of Precision
(PDOP) for the project location. PDOP is used as a gauge for the overall quality of the
GPS signal. A PDOP value under 3.0 is desired for the best accuracy possible, and we
strive to fly in PDOP windows below 3.0. In addition, we observe forecasts and always
fly with a Kp Index below 4.0 to minimize geomagnetic field disturbances caused by
solar particle radiation, which can negatively affect the quality of the GPS signal.
6 | P a g e
Flight Execution | Prior to take-off, a ground verification of all aviation equipment and
camera systems is performed to ensure everything is functional and safe. Once in the
air, the flight management system (FMS) provides GPS-based guidance information to
the first flight line. Calibration of all systems (FMS/GPS/IMU, as appropriate) takes place
during a 5-minute initialization period before any exposures are taken.
With the UCE, digital images are reviewed as they are collected to ensure they meet
target project tolerances (position, ground conditions, smoke, clouds, shadows, etc.).
Corrections for airplane roll, pitch, and yaw are performed automatically by the gyro-
stabilized mount, which is controlled by the IMU and UltraNAV flight management
system. All systems are constantly monitored during flight execution. With these QC
steps in place, immediate reflights are undertaken if any component falls outside of
specifications.
At the end of the day, the camera operator performs a second review of the acquisition
data en-route to that day’s base airport. Once the flight mission is complete, all data
storage media and pilot flight logs are returned to Aero-Graphics for processing.
City of Bozeman Flight Plan Specs
Aircraft Cessna 310
Sensor UltraCam Eagle
GSD 7.5cm
Altitude (ft AGL) 4,757
Forward Overlap 60%
Side Overlap 30%
Lines 31
Images 668
Digital images are
reviewed in the air as
they are collected to
ensure they meet
project requirements,
enabling immediate
reflights if necessary.
7 | P a g e
Post-Acquisition Image Inspection | Image inspection is one of the most important
parts of our Quality Delivery System. Each image is viewed and graded by a post-flight
inspector before insertion into the subsequent photogrammetric workflows.
Inspection is conducted against the following parameters:
• Proper project area coverage, buffer, flight direction, and sufficient overlap
• Acceptable atmospheric and ground conditions
• Images well-defined (free from blur)
All results of inspection are retained in the production framework.
Digital Image Processing | Vexcel UltraMap is a sophisticated application used in the
initial color balancing of digital imagery from the UCE. It utilizes camera calibration,
custom dodging, solar adjustment masks, high dynamic range, and location and date
time of data to minimize hot spots and large variations in color and brightness. The
resulting multi-lens, raw imagery (level00) is then pan-sharpened (at a 1:3 color-to-pan
ratio) and converted to useable imagery (level03). Bit-depth resolution is also chosen at
this stage (8-bit for this project).
Sometimes sunspots and other atmospheric factors beyond our control affect the
quality of the raw imagery. We have developed contrast enhancements and haze
filters that can be used as necessary to minimize these issues. Image radiometry is a
subjective process and the “ideal” can change from year to year even. Therefore Aero-
Graphics is committed to adjusting the imagery multiple times to meet our clients’
needs.
Image Radiometry | We perform statistical analysis of initial radiometry on selected
images throughout the project area to make sure all terrain types meet project
requirements. Radiometry is adjusted for certain terrain types if necessary.
Preproduction samples will be furnished to the City for approval prior to full-scale
production, and correct color balancing of the full image set will be reviewed by our
aerotriangulation specialists prior to orthorectification. Every effort will be made to
provide maximum detail in shadow areas. The imagery is checked against the clipping,
contrast, brightness, and color balance parameters as directed by the City.
GPS/IMU Data Post-Processing | After successful acquisition, and in parallel with image
processing, raw GPS/IMU data is processed using Applanix POSPac MMS 8.0. At this
stage, our Processing Manager performs QC of flight parameters (initialization, bank
angles, proximity to bases, etc.). The process combines the raw trajectory of the aircraft
with concurrently running base stations to refine the photo center (air point)
coordinates (XYZ) and angles (Omega, Phi, Kappa, or roll, pitch, and yaw) of the sensor,
and delivers up to 3cm accuracy.
Each image is viewed
and graded by a post-
flight inspector before
insertion into the
subsequent
photogrammetric
workflows.
8 | P a g e
Because the integrity and accuracy of our imagery on this project relies heavily on
control from ABGPS/IMU, it is extremely important that our Processing Manager, a
Licensed Professional Land Surveyor and Certified Photogrammetrist, conducts rigorous
QC procedures and generates several reports and charts to verify the quality and
accuracy of the data. These include PDOP, number of satellites, positional RMS, roll-
pitch-yaw, and several other quality indicators. Omega-Phi-Kappa angles and altitude
are checked at this point for conformity with project requirements.
Aero-Graphics has been performing precision ABGPS/IMU processing since 1997. Both
our Processing Manager and our AT/Ortho Manager have been formally trained in
GPS/IMU processing through in-person Applanix University education from Applanix
staff. This combination of experience and training lends strength to the efficiency and
accuracy of our results. For example, we can discern which processing mode to use and
in what situations it would yield more accurate results to process portions of a block
individually rather than all together. GPS/IMU processing is the backbone of the
accuracy for the City of Bozeman project.
Analytical Aerotriangulation | Industry-leading Trimble-Inpho Match-AT software
(Version 6.0) is utilized to perform fully analytical digital aerotriangulation for the block.
Automatic tie points and refined GPS/IMU exposure centers (air points) extend full
control for each stereo model.
In this process we assign each air point to the principal point of its corresponding image,
which gives an initial exterior orientation to each of the images. The image block is then
stitched together by generating automatic tie points. These points tie each image to its
neighbors in the same flightline and to those in adjacent flightlines. Ground control
points are identified and measured, and these along with tie points, images, and air
points are then processed together in a final bundle adjustment to refine the air points
and provide the best orientation solution that minimizes cumulative error throughout
the block.
Our QC procedures
are in place to find
erroneous points and
correct them before
the AT results are
used in subsequent
processes.
9 | P a g e
Once the AT solution is complete, we use Inpho’s DTMaster to check every model in
stereo. We ensure that all parallax is cleared and that all tie points are on the ground –
with no points floating or digging. Every control point must be on the center of the target
and fall vertically within one-quarter of the applicable contour interval, based on flight
height, of its surveyed position. The AT/Ortho Manager, a Certified Photogrammetrist and
GIS Professional (GISP), verifies the integrity of each AT solution before it moves forward
in the process. Our QC procedures are in place to find erroneous points and correct them
before the AT results are used in subsequent processes.
Orthorectification | Aero-Graphics will utilize existing DEM data from the 2018 project as
the initial rectification surface. The surface is then inspected and edited to ensure that the
resulting orthorectified imagery will be accurate and meet client specifications. The most
common surface improvements include removing points from buildings, generally
correcting surfaces, such as cliffs, that would warp the ortho, and adding breaklines where
necessary, especially on bridges and overpasses.
Upon completion of the surface modeling, each digital image
undergoes automatic orthorectification in a one-step batch
process using Trimble-Inpho’s OrthoMaster software. This
process moves each pixel into its true geographic location,
correcting for terrain relief displacement and offsets caused by
aircraft tip and tilt.
Final orthorectification and tile-to-tile color balancing is
performed in Inpho’s OrthoMaster and OrthoVista which have
proven to provide superior radiometric and seamline results.
Seamlines are placed in areas of consistent tonal balance and
between buildings and bridges.
Aero-Graphics takes advantage of Inpho’s parallel processing features that allows multiple
core processing of ortho tiles; this greatly expedites production. Orthorectified imagery is
manipulated in Inpho’s OrthoVista software to compute subtle radiometric adjustments
that compensate for visual effects within individual images.
Multiple orthophotos are then combined into one seamless and geometrically perfect
ortho mosaic for the entire project area. The ortho mosaic is then tiled according to the
provided tiling scheme resulting in pixel perfect tiles that match perfectly with no overlap.
OrthoVista then performs a tile-wide and project-wide color balance by adjusting adjacent
images to match in color and brightness, thereby allowing for maximum possible detail in
the imagery including shadow areas. Before full-scale production begins, pre-production
image samples will be submitted to the City for approval.
Imagery will be broken up into the City’s predefined tiling schemes. Ortho tiles will be
delivered in both UTM Zone 12 NAD83 (2011) meters, NAVD88 meters and Montana State
Plane NAD83 (2011) meters. Separate RGB and CIR image files will be delivered at a 7.5cm
pixel resolution in uncompressed 24-bit TIFF and MrSID formats with associated world
files. An overall MrSID mosaic will also be delivered at a 15cm (or desired) pixel size.
Inpho’s distributed
processing features
allow multiple idle
workstations to
process ortho tiles
simultaneously,
greatly expediting
turnaround time.
10 | P a g e
Planimetric Data Collection | Skilled stereocompilers will perform building footprint
updates within areas of change outlined by the City. Kevin Reid, an ASPRS Certified
Photogrammetrist, will oversee the process to ensure quality procedures are adhered
to. New or modified features will be collected and attributed according to specifications
listed in the referenced RFP. Collected features will include building footprints (updated
from 2018 dataset). Building footprints will be attributed with maximum height above
ground. All data will be delivered in a File Geodatabase Feature Class, suitable for use in
ArcGIS software.
Quality Control | Aero-Graphics prides itself on rigorous quality control procedures.
Orthoimagery and surface data is produced outside the designated digital boundary and
then cut back to the boundary to assure thorough coverage of each project area. The
orthoimagery is then inspected by a QC Inspector completely removed from the project,
where linear and above-ground features are reviewed to detect misalignment and
warping, and where final radiometry conformance is verified. In addition, the AT/Ortho
Manager, a Certified Photogrammetrist and GIS Professional (GISP), oversees the
compilation process to ensure that the surface collection and orthorectification meet
client specifications. The Project Manager and AT/Ortho Manager spot-check all
deliverables for correct color balance, accuracy, and data integrity prior to delivery.
Metadata | FGDC-compliant metadata files will be provided for all deliverables in XML
format. Metadata for orthorectified imagery will include acquisition dates.
Accuracy | All 3” orthoimagery deliverables will meet or exceed ASPRS Class I Accuracy
Standards.
Pre-Delivery Inspection | Our pre-delivery inspectors perform final quality control
before materials are submitted to the City of Bozeman. This includes verifying correct
naming convention, file formatting, correct labeling of delivery media, and packing list
accuracy.
11 | P a g e
d. Scope of Project
We understand the scope of the City of Bozeman project entails control and quality check shot
surveying, digital aerial imagery acquisition, data processing and orthoimagery production services,
building footprints, quality control, metadata, and reporting for approximately 78.7 square miles
covering the greater Bozeman area. The desired flight dates are between April 1st and April 30th, 2021.
The desired project completion date is 90 days from photo acquisition.
Deliverables/specifications include the following:
Item Description Format
Projection, Datum, Units
UTM Zone 12, NAD83 (2011), Meters
MT State Plane, NAD83 (2011), Meters
NAVD88, Meters
Flight Plan and Logs Flight lines, exposures, photo centers Feature Class
Calibration Reports Digital camera (UCE) PDF
Survey Control Report AGPS data, XYZ OPK, ground control XLS
Aerial Triangulation Report Adjustment process, coordinate list PDF or XLS
Sample Imagery
Prior to undertaking full digital orthophoto
production, Aero-Graphics will furnish the
City with sample digital images to evaluate
and accept as examples of overall image
quality.
TIF
Digital Orthoimagery 4-band (RGB and NIR), 3” pixel
Mosaic at 1-foot (or 0.5-foot) pixel resolution TIF, SID
Breaklines Breaklines used to correct bridge and
overpass distortion Feature Class
Building Footprints Extracted polygons
(updated from 2018 dataset) Feature Class
Progress Reports Weekly status emails PDF
Metadata FGDC-compliant metadata for all data. XML
Project Report Summary of processes, collection, accuracy
results, etc. PDF
12 | P a g e
e. Related Experience with Projects Similar to the Scope of Services
The following aerial acquisition and processing projects have been successfully completed by Aero-
Graphics’ production staff within the last two years:
The purpose of this project was to obtain turnkey digital geo-referenced orthophotography
for the City of Sheridan. The imagery will be utilized in ongoing GIS projects for the City of
Sheridan. Furthermore, it will aid in a project to create an updated geo-referenced map of
the Sheridan Area Water Supply’s (SAWS) active underground waterlines.
Services and Project Deliverables included:
• Digital 4-band aerial photography acquisition at a 15cm GSD.
• Digital orthorectified imagery at a 6” pixel size delivered in GeoTIFF format.
• Project-wide mosaic in MrSID format.
• Project Metadata including a comprehensive Technical Project Report detailing
acquisition, processing, and accuracy assessment processes.
Client: City of Sheridan, Wyoming
Project Name: 2019 GIS DIGITAL ORTHOPHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT
Contact: Brian Craig, Community Development Director
Email Address: bcraig@sheridanwy.net
Phone: 307.675.4248
Address: 55 Grinnell Plaza, Sheridan, WY 82801
Completion: July 2019
Total Area: 77.3 mi2
Key Personnel
Kelly Francis
Bernie Doud
Emilio Sanchez
Karl Jensen
Kevin Reid
Joe Belliston
13 | P a g e
For eight years running (2012 – 2019), Aero-Graphics has acquired and orthorectified 50
square miles of imagery covering the City of Ontario to support GIS, public works, and
other needs throughout the city. Acquisition is always performed in the winter during leaf-
off. Spatial resolutions are as follows: 2012 – 6” GSD; 2013 – 3” GSD; 2014-2019 – 2” GSD.
Services and Project Deliverables included:
• Target placement and GPS surveying for seven (7) control points.
• Digital 4-band aerial photography acquisition at varying GSDs, based on acquisition
year (see above).
• RGB orthorectified imagery in GeoTIFF format at varying GSDs, tiled according to USGS
DOQQQ scheme, delivered in California State Plane Zone 5, US Feet.
• Overall ECW and MrSID mosaics
• FGDC-compliant metadata for each ortho tile and mosaic.
Client: City of Ontario, California
Contact: Robert De Casas, Senior System Analyst
Address: 303 East B Street, Ontario, CA 91764
Phone: 909.395.2408
Project Name: Ontario Orthoimagery Updates
Completion: March 2012-2019
Total Area: 50.1 mi2
Pixel Resolution: 2”; 3”; 6” GSD
Key Personnel
Bernie Doud
Mason Decker
Emilio Sanchez
Karl Jensen
Kevin Reid
Joe Belliston
14 | P a g e
The City of Missoula GIS Services (GIS Svc) in partnership with the Missoula Redevelopment
Agency (MRA) contracted with Aero-Graphics in the spring of 2020 to gather aerial
photography and provide orthophotographic data. Prior to the contract, City staff relied on
a low-resolution data service from ESRI and aerial photography gathered from a flight
performed in 2014. A new flight was required to document the significant growth recently
experienced by Missoula. The resulting imagery was flown at an increased resolution that
captured feature details whose needs had been subsequently identified since 2014.
Services and Project Deliverables included:
• Ground control survey.
• Digital 4-band aerial photography acquisition at a 7.5cm GSD.
• Digital orthorectified imagery at a 3” pixel size delivered in TIFF and ECW formats.
• Project-wide mosaic at a 6” pixel size in MrSID format.
• Project Metadata including a comprehensive Technical Project Report detailing
acquisition, processing, and accuracy assessment processes.
Client: City of Missoula, MT
Project Name: 2020 Missoula-Area Orthophotography
Contact: Eric Anderson, GIS Analyst
Email Address: AndersenE@ci.missoula.mt.us
Phone: 406.552.6101
Address: 435 Ryman St., Missoula, MT 59802
Completion: July 2020
Total Area: 77.3 mi2
Key Personnel
Kelly Francis
Mason Decker
Emilio Sanchez
Karl Jensen
Kevin Reid
Joe Belliston
15 | P a g e
Nez Perce County Idaho; Asotin County, Washington; City of Lewiston, Idaho; City of
Clarkston, Washington; Asotin PUD, Washington; Port of Lewiston, Idaho; Lewiston
Orchards Irrigation District, Idaho; and the LC Valley MPO hired Aero-Graphics to
photograph approximately 87.4 square miles of the Cities of Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston,
Washington and surrounding vicinity with a pixel resolution of 3 inch.
Services and Project Deliverables included:
• Digital 4-band aerial photography acquisition at a 3” GSD.
• RGB orthorectified imagery in GeoTIFF and SID formats, tiled according to client-
provided tiling scheme, delivered in Idaho and Washington State Plane Zones, US
Feet.
• Overall image mosaic at a 3” pixel size in SID format.
• FGDC-compliant metadata for each ortho tile and mosaic.
Key Personnel
Bernie Doud
Mason Decker
Emilio Sanchez
Karl Jensen
Kevin Reid
Joe Belliston
Client: Nez Perce County, Idaho
Contact: Bill Reynolds, GIS Coordinator
Address: 1230 Main St., Lewiston, ID 83501
Phone: 208.750.2055
Project Name: ID/WA 2020 Aerial Photography Project
Completion: October 2020
Total Area: 87.4 mi2
Pixel Resolution: 3” GSD
16 | P a g e
f. Statement of Qualifications
Aero-Graphics is a full-service aerial mapping company with one (1) Project Management Professional, two (2)
in-house Professional Land Surveyors, seven (7) in-house Certified Photogrammetrists and two (2) GISCI
Certified GIS Professionals (GISP). We also employ fifteen (15) flight staff, including logistics managers, mission
planning managers, pilots, and sensor operators.
We have over 50 years of aerial mapping experience and 25 years of digital orthophoto compilation
experience including a working relationship with the City of Bozeman in 2018. Aero-Graphics’ project
management team offers 70 years of combined experience and takes a methodical, deliberate approach to
managing complex projects that includes risk mitigation, quality assurance and control, and dynamic
scheduling. We own and operate the best and latest equipment for aerial mapping. Our Vexcel UltraCam Eagle
digital camera system provides unsurpassed data accuracy and quality.
Aero-Graphics is ISO 9001:2015 certified, and fully recertified on March 5, 2020. We
are pleased to strengthen our contribution of quality geospatial services through this
certification, which, among important audits, includes process accountability,
continuous documented improvement on those processes, and procedural document
control. This lends increased confidence in reliable results. The full certificate is available
for viewing upon request.
Aero-Graphics’ proven project management strategy produces accurate, timely
deliverables in a cost-effective manner. This strategy includes the following key
elements:
• Clearly defined objectives
• Appropriate risk management
• Intelligent mission planning
• Adherence to project milestones
• Effective QA/QC
• Constant communication
These time-tested standard operating procedures (SOP) have created a long tradition
of exceeding clients’ expectations and we are confident they will ensure the long-term
success of City of Bozeman projects.
g. References
Organization Name Position Email Phone Number
City of Missoula, MT Eric Andersen GIS Analyst AndersenE@ci.missoula.mt.us 406.552.6101
City of Sheridan, WY Brian Craig Community Dev.
Director bcraig@sheridanwy.net 307.675.4248
Nez Perce County, ID Bill Reynolds GIS Coordinator billreynolds@co.nezperce.id.us 208.750.2055
17 | P a g e
h. Present and Projected Workloads
The Aero-Graphics Team possesses the capacity, expertise, and resources to easily meet the City’s desired
project completion date of 90 days from photo acquisition. Our approach involves resource allocation such that
parallel processing, rather than sequential processing, is the norm. We regularly manage multiple concurrent
projects, with and without subcontractors, with varying degrees of complexity. Workloads and budgets are
closely monitored daily to ensure that schedules never slip. All staff members are cross trained to perform
multiple production tasks; this allows us the flexibility to ramp up capacity in certain departments when
needed.
Our present workload for our Orthoimagery Department (pictured below) includes a total of ten (10) projects
currently in progress, most of which are projected to complete by April. Between the months of April and July,
we currently have four (4) ortho projects scheduled. Aero-Graphics will surely have sufficient capacity, staff,
and resources to meet the scheduling demands of this contract.
Figure 1: Aero-Graphics’ current ortho project listing as of Jan. 2021
Figure 2: Proposed schedule for the City of Bozeman project
Contract Item Completion By
Control Survey March 31, 2021
Aerial Imagery Acquisition April 30, 2021
Orthoimagery Production June 30, 2021
Building Footprints June 30, 2021
Final Project Report & Metadata June 30, 2021
18 | P a g e
i. Key Personnel
Aero-Graphics prides itself on employing the most intelligent and skilled professionals in the geospatial industry.
The team members listed below will supervise acquisition and production tasks and ensure that quality standards
are met for the City of Bozeman project. A Team Member Summary Table is included below followed by
personalized resumes of each key personnel.
Team Member Summary Table
Name Project Role
Years of
Experience
(w/Firm)
Education
(Year
Completed)
Certifications/
Licenses (Year
Received)
Kelly Francis Executive Oversight 25 (25) B.S. (1995) CP (2008)
PMP (2014)
Mason Decker Cost Estimation, Project
Management & Scheduling 7 (7) B.S. (2014) GIS Cert (2012)
CP (forthcoming)
Bernie Doud QA/QC Implementation,
GIS Database Creation 18 (12) B.S. (2004)
MBA (2008)
CP (2010)
GISP (2013)
Tom Stark (RPA) Ground Control Surveying 27 (20) B.S. (1990)
A.S. (1995)
MT PLS
CFedS #1175
Emilio Sanchez Flight Planning,
Flight Crew Oversight 18 (4)
Jim Hoddenbach Aircraft Operation, Pilot Oversight 31 (2)
Karl Jensen ABGPS/IMU Data Processing 20 (20) B.A. (1998)
A.S. (2009)
CP (2008)
UT PLS (2013)
Kevin Reid Photogrammetry Lead 18 (13) CP (2013)
Joe Belliston Orthoimagery Processing 12 (12) B.S. (2007) PT (2013)
Kelly Francis, CP, PMP | President
Role. Kelly Francis will apply his 25 years (all with AG) of expertise and executive
oversight to this project.
Education and Certifications. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Utah
State University. He is an ASPRS Certified Photogrammetrist (#R1372) and a Project
Management Professional (#1742748). Kelly currently serves on the Board of Directors
for MAPPS, national association of firms in the surveying, spatial data and geographic
information systems field.
Experience. Mr. Francis is an owner of Aero-Graphics and serves as its President and
Senior Project Manager. He has dedicated his career to geospatial process efficiency and
business strategy. As such, he is intimately familiar with planning, design, and execution
of LiDAR and digital aerial photography projects to support topo mapping production.
19 | P a g e
Mason Decker | Project Manager
Role. Mason Decker will apply his 7 years (all with AG) of expertise and oversight to this
project, including project management, imagery acquisition/processing design,
supervision, and progress status reporting.
Education and Certifications. Mason holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography
from the University of Utah and a GIS Certificate from Salt Lake Community College.
Experience. Mr. Decker has worked with such entities as San Bernardino County, Orange
County, City of Bakersfield, Kern County COG, City of Lubbock, TX, Nez Perce County, ID,
and City of Logan, UT to design and complete digital photography acquisition, color
orthorectified imagery projects, LiDAR acquisition and processing projects, recurring
survey and photogrammetry updates, volume calculations, and contour and DTM
mapping.
Bernie Doud, CP, GISP | Quality Manager
Role. Bernie Doud will apply his 18 years of expertise and oversight to this project,
including implementation of quality programs, audits, and procedures, project
management, and employee mentoring.
Education and Certifications. Bernie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geographic
Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration degree. He is a Certified
Photogrammetrist with ASPRS (#1449) and a GISCI Certified GISP (#52260).
Experience. Mr. Doud is a senior level technical and quality manager. He has a solid
technical background in GIS and all aspects of LiDAR and photogrammetry, which along
with his project management expertise has strengthened his ability to design, implement,
and monitor QA/QC programs customized to each project, train and direct employees in
project execution, and act as technical client liaison.
Tom Stark, PLS, CFedS | Survey Manager (RPA)
Role. Tom Stark is RPA’s Survey Group Manager and Primary Contact in Helena. He has
over 27 years of experience in OPUS Projects; GPS RTK and static networks. He has
successfully managed the execution of numerous surveying projects throughout the
United States.
Education and Licenses. Tom holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Land
Surveying and a Bachelor of Science in Business Finance. He is a registered Professional
Land Surveyor in the State of Montana (#12249) and a Certified Federal Surveyor
(#1175).
Experience. In his role as Survey Manager, Tom ensures impeccable accuracy in ground
survey control. This is critical to ensuring high-quality LiDAR and mapping services. Tom
was on the ground and collected survey data for the Boulder River Valley Wells Project
which involved surveying for 85 well casings.
20 | P a g e
Emilio Sanchez | Flight Ops Manager/UAS Pilot
Role. Mr. Sanchez will dedicate his 18 years of flight planning, airspace coordination,
and overall Flight Department management skills to this project.
Education and Certifications. Emilio completed undergraduate studies.
Experience. As Flight Manager at Aero-Graphics, Emilio manages administrative
functions within the flight department and assists Project Managers and the Flight
Coordinator with flight-related questions and planning. He has direct operation
experience with various aerial sensors, including the Optech Galaxy LiDAR sensor, the
UltraCam Eagle digital camera, and the Leica RC-30 film camera. He also serves as Aero-
Graphics’ UAS Pilot (Certificate No. 3965868).
Jim Hoddenbach | Chief Pilot
Role. Mr. Hoddenbach will serve as the Cessna 310 pilot-in-command during the data
acquisition phase.
Education and Certifications. Jim is an A&P IA Mechanic with over 31 years of
experience and has provided decades of dependable, professional, and quality work
through Aero Services to his fellow aviators at the Skypark Airport in Woods Cross, UT.
Jim is a Certified Flight Instructor, Multi Engine Instructor, fixed wing and rotorcraft
pilot.
Experience. As Chief Pilot, Mr. Hoddenbach is pilot-in-command for flight execution of
mapping projects in the company’s Cessna T310R, Cessna T206, and Piper PA-23 Aztec
aircraft. He has experience operating RC-30 film and UltraCam Eagle large format
cameras along with the accompanying computer flight management systems and
inertial measurement units. He is trained in the use of the POSTrack software that is
utilized in conjunction with these cameras and systems.
Karl Jensen, CP, PLS | Airborne Processing Lead
Role. Karl Jensen will apply his 16 years of expertise, production capacity, and oversight
to this project, including, ground control planning, ABGPS/IMU processing and analytical
aerotriangulation.
Education and Licenses. Karl holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Surveying
from Salt Lake Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University
of Utah. He is a registered Professional Land Surveyor in the State of Utah (#7643406)
and a Certified Photogrammetrist with ASPRS (#1374).
Experience. Mr. Jensen is a senior level technical and production manager with a
concrete CADD, survey, and photogrammetry background. He has successfully
coordinated production tasks for numerous orthoimagery, LiDAR, surveying, and
photogrammetric mapping projects.
21 | P a g e
Kevin Reid, CP | Photogrammetry Lead
Role. Kevin Reid will apply his 18 years of expertise, production capacity, training, and
oversight to this project by performing project preparation functions, hydro break line
compilation oversight and management, quality control, and progress reporting.
Education and Certifications. Kevin studied Computer Science in college and is an
ASPRS Certified Photogrammetrist (#1557).
Experience. Over the course of nine years, Mr. Reid has overseen photogrammetric
mapping projects of varying complexity, from 40-scale transportation projects to 200-
scale mining projects. He is well-versed in the effective utilization of VR and Inpho
photogrammetric software suites.
Joe Belliston, CPT | Lead Orthocompiler
Role. In his role as Lead Orthocompiler, Mr. Belliston is responsible for orthophoto
quality control, specification compliance and meeting demanding schedule
commitments.
Education. Joe holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah in Geography
and recently received his ASPRS Certified Photogrammetric Technologist certification.
Experience. Mr. Belliston has over ten (10) years of ortho production, GIS, editing, and
AT experience. He has successfully coordinated production tasks for numerous large
image orthorectification projects and has extensive training in Inpho and ESRI mapping
software suites. Mr. Belliston has effectively managed numerous projects of various
sizes involving digitally orthorectified imagery yielding high levels of client satisfaction.
22 | P a g e
j. Additional Information
Quality Delivery System (QDS) | QA/QC is built into each one of our processes, from planning and design to
production. Our QDS, customized for the City of Bozeman project, organizes, and lists specific, measurable
QA/QC steps for each process and assigns personal responsibility to ensure each is performed with exactness.
Quality Assurance is separated from Quality Control to make our system comprehensive. QA denotes a
preventive step or design that is performed before the associated process to avoid mistakes. QC is a task
that takes place after the associated process and aims to find and rectify mistakes that do slip through.
23 | P a g e
k. Affirmation of Nondiscrimination & Equal Pay
NONDISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL PAY AFFIRMATION
Aero-Graphics, Inc. hereby affirms it will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age,
marital status, national origin, or because of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or
disability and acknowledges and understands the eventual contract will contain a provision prohibiting
discrimination as described above and this prohibition on discrimination shall apply to the hiring and
treatments or proposer’s employees and to all subcontracts.
In addition, Aero-Graphics, Inc. hereby affirms it will abide by the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Section 39-3-
104, MCA (the Montana Equal Pay Act), and has visited the State of Montana Equal Pay for Equal Work
“best practices” website, https://equalpay.mt.gov/BestPractices/Employers, or equivalent “best practices
publication and has read the material.
Mason Decker, Project Manager
Name and title of person authorized to sign on behalf of submitter
24 | P a g e
l. Pricing
Survey Control and Quality Check Shots .................................................................. $10,285.
Digital Imagery Acquisition ....................................................................................... $14,370.
Building Footprints ..................................................................................................... $6,200.
Digital Orthoimagery (7.5cm pixels with 15cm Mosaic) ............................................ $7,735.
Project Report and Metadata ..................................................................................... $2,840.
Total Project .............. $41,430.
Pricing is valid for 90 days. Terms are Net 30 days with monthly invoices submitted for completed work.