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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAyres_Bozeman Ortho and Lidar 2024www.AyresAssociates.com Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. City of Bozeman, MT November 30, 2023 Digital Orthoimagery and Lidar Acquisition 608.443.1200 | 5201 E. Terrace Drive, Suite 200 | Madison, WI 53718 www.AyresAssociates.com November 30, 2023 Mike Maas, City Clerk Gail Jorgenson, GIS Progam Manager City of Bozeman 121 N. Rouse Ave., Suite 202 Bozeman, MT 59715 Re: Digital Orthoimagery and Lidar Acquisition Dear Mr. Maas, Ms. Jorgenson, and Selection Committee members: Ayres is pleased to provide this proposal for aerial digital orthoimagery and lidar services. Ayres has a long history of services to counties and municipalities throughout the country and looks forward to bringing our expertise and experience to the City of Bozeman on this project. Ayres has a proven track record of providing high-quality aerial imagery and mapping in the Western U.S., and we hope this proposal exemplifies our unrivaled approach to your important project. We bring an experienced team of professional land surveyors, geographers, remote sensing experts, project managers, and engineers who are accustomed to completing complex, large-scale aerial mapping projects around the country. Our proven track record of successful aerial mapping projects, completed on time and on budget, has been a platform for our success in this industry over the past 45 years. Our approach to developing high-accuracy lidar, imagery, and mapping products is cost-effective and supports expedited production schedules. Ayres is very familiar with the area; we have offices in Wyoming and Colorado and recently completed a similar project for the City of Loveland, Colorado, and are currently performing land use and land cover mapping for the City of Bozeman. For your project we plan to have 95West as our flight partner and KLJ Engineering and Planning as our survey partner. We understand that the City of Bozeman is interested in acquiring updated aerial imagery and lidar, along with enhanced lidar derivatives for the 78.7 square mile City planning boundary, and sidewalk centerlines within the City limits of 21 square miles. We understand the importance of meeting the needs of multiple departments when designing cost-effective solutions, and we’ll certainly do the same for the City. It’s important to note that all the work we do for this project will occur within the United States. Our team of talented survey staff, orthoimagery and lidar technicians, remote sensing specialists, mapping and GIS specialists have completed thousands of square miles of orthoimagery and lidar processing and planimetric mapping in the past couple of years. We believe our dynamic, client-focused approach will result in a successful orthoimagery and lidar project for the City of Bozeman. www.AyresAssociates.com 608.443.1200 | 5201 E. Terrace Drive, Suite 200 | Madison, WI 53718 City of Bozeman November 30, 2023 Page 2 of 2 We are dedicated to providing the City of Bozeman with high-quality service and custom solutions in imagery, classification and mapping. Our team can provide the full complement of expertise needed for your project and will take the time to consult with you to ensure the best approach is taken, not only for this project but with your overall goals in mind. When we are done, we will meet with your staff to walk through the data to answer your questions and ensure you hit the ground running. Completing projects means more than just delivering final products. We are committed to understanding your spatial data needs and hope to further discuss how we can meet your goals. In the meantime, please contact me if you have questions or would like additional information. Sincerely, Ayres Associates Inc Tyler Kaebisch Project Manager – Geospatial Services 414.467.8891 I KaebischT@AyresAssociates.com “Services from Ayres have been excellent. Every time I’ve had a problem, they’ve offered solutions for us to look at. A lot of the issues have been more with our own software, but they’ve given us ideas to look at and avenues to go down.” Scott Hand Supervisor of GIS Services, Wisconsin Public Service 4AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Since beginning to provide aerial imagery services in 1978, Ayres’ Geospatial Division has completed thousands of projects, from film-based imagery to rectification of historical imagery to today’s digital imagery (including data outside the visible spectrum) with advanced sensors and processing techniques. Lidar has also long been an area of Ayres’ expertise – in 2024, Ayres will have been offering airborne lidar services for 20 years. Regardless of the medium or content, Ayres’ project planning and performance are built on two elements: selecting the best approach for the client’s needs and problems, and expert understanding and application of the principles of orthophotography and photogrammetry. Ayres’ proposed approach relies on both. For example, meeting your needs includes working within the City’s budget and schedule requirements; Ayres is comfortable that we will be able to perform the necessary work for the budgeted amount and within the City’s time frame. Furthermore, Ayres will provide effective communication throughout the life- cycle of the project and will be available to answer any questions or concerns along the way. Project Team and Key Personnel The Ayres team is led by Ayres Associates Inc, a national engineering and geospatial firm with a large presence in the Rocky Mountain region. Ayres will serve as the prime consultant, responsible for project management; direct communication with City personnel; quality process definition, tracking, and enforcement; project planning and scheduling; all imagery, lidar, planimetric and hydrographic processing; and delivery of all products. Ayres’ project manager will be Tyler Kaebisch, a geospatial data expert with deep experience in the western U.S. in both private and public sector work and a reputation for innovative approaches to aerial mapping projects. Tyler also has extensive previous experience as a remote sensing specialist for the USDA Forest Service, the US Bureau of Reclamation, and Minnesota DNR. Ayres has over 60 people in its Geospatial Division. Approximately half of these are in the Aerial Mapping group, and include GISPs, certified photogrammetrists, and certified mapping scientists. Many of them have worked on the Bozeman Land Use/Land Cover project. This means Ayres has the knowledge, capacity and broad expertise to complete the project on-time and with excellent quality. Most of the remaining personnel within Ayres’ Geospatial Division are land surveyors. Ayres holds Montana land survey licensure at the individual and firm levels. This means that we are qualified to provide expert project management for the survey portion of this project. KLJ, a national engineering firm with four locations in Montana, including Bozeman, will serve as our subconsultant responsible for survey control and aerial control targeting. They have provided similar services on other Ayres projects in the past, including the City of Bozeman’s Land Use/Land Cover project and the Montana DOT’s Bridge Scour Study. Justin Stefanik, the survey lead for KLJ, has spent his entire career in Montana and has worked in Bozeman. 95West of Grand Forks, North Dakota, will perform aerial lidar and imagery data acquisition. Through its predecessor firm, KBM Geospatial, 95West has been offering aerial data acquisition for nearly 60 years. They specialize in simultaneous acquisition of lidar and imagery and performed precisely that service as a subconsultant to Ayres for the Rapid City (South Dakota) MPO project performed in 2023. Their experience and familiarity with working in the western U.S. makes them an ideal partner for the Bozeman project. Miles Strain, the project lead for 95West, is well known in the aerial mapping industry and has led projects for municipalities throughout the Upper Midwest and West Project Understanding and Overview The City requires updated aerial imagery and lidar along with planimetric and hydrographic data to support the operation of various City departments as well as making available a common, accurate set of geospatial data to businesses and members of the public. As a fast-growing community in the Rocky Mountain region, Bozeman is subject to continuous change created by human and natural forces. For example, in the past 12 months, Ayres has identified 14 new subdivision plats recorded with Gallatin County. Developed areas, drainage, the street network, and land cover are all changing, and the City government and the community require current, accurate data to inform plans and budgeting, to assess and manage growth, and to best display the attractions of Bozeman to businesses, travelers, and prospective residents. A) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. In the Request for Proposal, the City has listed several government functions that the data created under this contract will support. Ayres understands the benefits that will be gained by these groups, including: • Regulatory: confirm and quantify compliance or non-compliance with regulations and permits such as building height, vegetation or other encroachments, impervious surfaces, setbacks from water or roadways, and zoning.• Land Management: identify conflicting uses; use landform and hydrography data to predict fire and flood risk and behavior; assess appropriateness of land for use restrictions, reservation, or withdrawal; and support acquisition and sale of properties.• Planning: assess transportation system and service changes needed due to planned development, imagery and data for grant application support, multimodal transportation planning, parking analysis, update land use plan, route and time analyses, determine viewsheds and the impact of new construction.• Engineering: high-level design, maintenance planning and estimating, supporting data for proposers and bidders, drainage around and within projects. Ayres proposes to provide 3-inch pixel resolution, 4-band digital orthoimagery collected simultaneously with QL1 lidar for the 78.7 square mile project area defined by the City. 3D building footprints, 2D sidewalk centerlines, 1-foot contours and hydrographic data will be produced from the newly acquired lidar and imagery. The lidar-derived DEM, Hydro-enforced DEM, DTM, and Hillshade layers will be produced at a 1-foot pixel resolution. Double lined hydro-breaklines will be created for streams greater than 2 meters wide and ponded water greater than ¼ acre in size. A culvert and bridge breakline dataset will be created as part of the hydro-breaklines process, which will allow for a streamlined Elevation Derived Hydrography (EDH) stream centerline network to be created for the project area. The imagery and lidar will be collected under leaf-off, snow- free conditions when the sun angle is at least 45 degrees above the horizon. Using a minimum sun angle of 45 degrees rather than the RFP’s requirement of 40 degrees will both improve image quality by reducing shadows and will save time and money by eliminating the need to organize flights to have a larger minimum sun angle in those areas of the city where tall trees, buildings, or steeper terrain occur. The imagery will meet National Map Accuracy standards for 1” = 50’ mapping throughout the project. The QL1 lidar will meet a vertical accuracy of 10cm RMSEz on hard surfaces. To meet these accuracy standards, all survey control will be established by KLJ, using existing control locations to the maximum extent possible. KLJ will confirm that all existing control is still acceptable for use, and will create new control points if it is not. KLJ will also establish additional control points as directed by Ayres to meet the promised accuracy across the entire project area. In addition, KLJ will establish quality check points to be used to verify the accuracy of the imagery and lidar. To comply with the FEMA Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners vertical accuracy assessment procedures, KLJ will collect 30 NVA/VVA check shots to assess the lidar vertical accuracy across terrain types. These check points will be independent and will not be used to perform aerotriangulation (AT) or calibration computations. The raw lidar data with be calibrated to the control points, and the imagery will be orthorectified based on the control points and a lidar derived DEM surface. Lidar will be classified to the standard USGS base specification. After the compliance of the AT solution has been verified, Ayres’ imagery analysts will review, and correct as needed, each image for tone balance between adjacent images and across the project. They will also perform manual correction of radial displacement of bridges and overpasses. Data will be tiled using the City’s tiling scheme and will be created from the completed images and fully classified lidar point cloud. As extra enhancement, Ayres will prepare three orthomosaic files for the City: the original source 3-inch pixel resolution for maximum quality and accuracy, and both 6-inch and 12-inch resolutions for ease of use for City staff and community members. Providing mosaics at the various resolutions will maximize the accessibility of the mosaic to the City’s user base, allowing selection of the most appropriate resolution based on user requirements and their available processing and rendering capabilities. The full list of proposed deliverables is shown in section D of this proposal, “Scope of Project.” 6AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Ayres is a nationwide professional consulting firm providing services in photogrammetry, orthoimagery, lidar, and digital mapping; GIS; survey; civil, structural, transportation, river, levee, and water resources engineering; environmental science; planning; mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering; and architecture. Incorporated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Ayres now employs over 375 people who provide services from a network of offices around the country. Geospatial Services Ayres’ geospatial services division is based in Madison, Wisconsin. The geospatial division originated as Alster & Associates Photogrammetric Engineering (founded in 1951) and merged with Ayres in 1978. The geospatial division consists of certified photogrammetrists, highly trained technicians, and project managers, all of whom have formal education in the discipline of geography. Nationally recognized for our skill and experience in aerial mapping, land surveying, and GIS, we deliver efficient and intelligent solutions. Our geospatial division provides a diverse range of mapping services to clients around the country: Aerial lidar (fixed wing, UAS, and helicopter) Ground-based lidar (Mobile and HD Scanning) Aerial imagery acquisition Digital orthoimagery Planimetric and topographic mapping GIS consulting, training, and development GPS and conventional survey Remote sensing Oblique aerial imagery Digital terrain modeling (DTM) Vendor Contact Information Company’s Full Legal Name Ayres Associates Inc Location of Principal Office Responsible for Contract Implementation 5201 E. Terrace Drive, Suite 200 Madison, WI 53718 Website AyresAssociates.com Contact Person’s Information Tyler Kaebisch, GISP T: 414.467.8891 KaebischT@AyresAssociates.com Year Established 1959 Type of Ownership Employee-owned corporation B) FIRM PROFILE AYRES OFFICE LOCATIONS 7AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. “All staff that GMRC had contact with were most accommodating. Anything we needed or asked for were supplied without question.” Faith Jones Director of Information Services, Georgia Mountains Regional Commission Production Based in the United States All of your work will be performed in the United States. Ayres possesses more than enough resources to accomplish this project with skilled professionals based in the United States. For reasons of efficient production, quality control, and security of data about critical infrastructure, it is important that the production is directly under the control of Ayres personnel at all times. There remain only a few geospatial firms that have their entire production staff within the country; Ayres is proud to be among them. Each member of our team is dedicated to quality products and services and has a personal stake in the satisfaction of our clients. Experienced Staff Ayres’ geospatial division includes certified photogrammetrists (CP) and certified mapping specialists (CMS). In addition, all of our mapping technicians have bachelor’s degrees in the discipline of geography and also have training in the latest photogrammetric equipment and software. Qualifications like these result in accurate, quality mapping products that follow project specifications closely. Commitment to Quality We respect our clients and understand that success is earned through cooperation and understanding the needs of our valued clients. Our technical and management staff make every effort to listen to clients and prepare mapping that meets client expectations. These efforts start at the receipt of the RFP and continue on to final delivery – and beyond. Project Manager Our approach to managing your project begins with a dedication to understanding your needs and designing solutions that address them. Too often firms propose technical approaches that fit the contractor better than they fit the client. We will commit ample management resources to the project, led by Project Manager Tyler Kaebisch. Tyler is experienced in project management and has a strong history of involvement in the West with over 14 years of experience in GIS, remote sensing, and other geospatial disciplines. As project manager, Tyler will update City of Bozeman personnel during the course of the project to discuss pertinent project issues as needed. Additionally, he will participate in weekly internal meetings with supervisors to assess the status of the project and address key technical issues, thereby maintaining high standards for product specifications and keeping the project on track to meet the timeframe agreed upon. 8AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. The City of Bozeman, Montana, requires the development of new lidar, orthoimagery, planimetric, and hydrographic mapping. These critical datasets will be used for land management, planning, zoning, and engineering. The aerial imagery will meet 3-inch resolution, and will support the development of updated planimetric mapping of sidewalk centerlines. The lidar data will be collected to USGS QL1 specifications, collected at a minimum of 8 pulses per square meter (ppsm). Lidar data will be processed to derive 1-foot contours, building footprints, hydro and culvert breaklines, DEM, hydro-enforced DEM, DTM and hillshade models. Along with lidar and orthimagery products, updated ground control survey, reports and metadata will also be provided. Our unique approach uses simultaneous lidar and imagery data acquisition, which will allow for consistency throughout all deliverables produced for this project. Our approach will also focus the collection efforts when the sun angle is not less than 45 degrees, throughout the project area, which will ensure minimal shadows in areas with tall trees or buildings greater than three stories tall. We are confident we have a dynamic, well-planned approach to work with the City to complete your project successfully. We have carefully estimated the capacity and resources needed – with a focus on maintaining the necessary resources to complete the project on schedule. Please note that all work for the City will be performed within the United States by the Ayres Associates team. Project Management Our approach to managing the project begins with a dedication to understanding your needs and designing solutions that address them. Too often, firms propose technical approaches that fit the contractor better than they fit the client. We will commit ample management resources to the project, led by our project manager, Tyler Kaebisch, who brings proven experience in managing projects involving aerial mapping, GIS, survey, and other geospatial disciplines. Tyler will update the City’s personnel during the project to discuss pertinent project issues as needed. Additionally, he will participate in weekly internal meetings with team supervisors to assess the status of the project and address key technical issues, thereby maintaining high standards for product specifications and keeping the project on track to meet the timeframe agreed upon. Initial Coordination Meeting. Before project initiation, we propose that Tyler and key staff from the City participate in a coordination meeting. During this meeting, we will review and refine the project schedule and scope, discuss the acquisition conditions and schedule, and establish a pilot project area. Quality Assurance and Quality Control Procedures. Ayres’ quality program defines quality as meeting client expectations. Therefore, quality performance requires consensus between the City and project team members regarding the requirements of the project and design of project strategies based on those requirements. Ayres’ quality program is dynamic and promotes continual improvement based on feedback from our clients, from our own project operations, and from opportunities created by changing technologies. Ayres and Tyler Kaebisch are ultimately responsible for the successful completion of quality products and services for each project. Tyler establishes the philosophy, organization, and policy that set Ayres’ quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program in place. Project managers or their designated project QA officers implement the QA/QC program on individual projects. We understand that only through consistent implementation of quality procedures can we complete projects to our clients’ satisfaction. Ayres and our partner 95West have formal, co-developed QA/QC checks in place and standard operating procedures designed so that all required information is collected accurately and that products meet or exceed project standards and specifications. Task-Specific QA/QC Procedures. QA/QC procedures and the supervisors responsible for their implementation C) PROPOSED SOLUTION 9AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. are included in the production phases outlined in this technical approach. Ayres will work with the City to develop additional QA/QC procedures tailored to the participants’ needs during this phase. Quality Monitoring. A QA/QC team will be assigned for each aspect of the project and will consist of photogrammetric, mapping, survey, and GIS specialists. The QA/QC reviews will include reviews of results and weekly progress meetings with each project group. Issues brought to the attention of the project manager will be addressed immediately. The project manager will coordinate the subcontractor’s efforts to ensure consistent results and ensure that all procedures implemented will be incorporated into QA/QC documentation. Ground Control Survey ABGPS. Our primary method of control for the project will be by Airborne GPS (ABGPS). All airborne cameras and sensors used for this project will use highly accurate geodetic-grade ABGPS systems. Location accuracy of the ABGPS capture points will range between .02 and .05 meter. To reduce control costs for the project, Ayres will use a combination of ground control points and ABGPS control. Ayres understands that we’ll be responsible for establishing ground control points for this project. Our survey partner, KLJ, is well known in the Montana survey community and has extensive experience with control networks and specifically around Bozeman. With its professional land surveyor crew based in Bozeman, the firm has local knowledge to give the ground survey the attention it deserves. Upon receiving the previously established control, KLJ will locate and determine if they are acceptable for use in the aerial flights. If KLJ determines any of the previously established points are compromised it will be reset or moved to a more ideal location. New control points will be monumented in locations determined by Ayres as optimal for the flight. The material used by the newly established control will be a 2-inch aluminum cap on a 5/8”x24” rebar, stamped with corresponding point naming convention. Sketches, ties, and photos of the new points will be documented for use in future flights. Each of the previously and newly established control points will be observed using static baselines from high accuracy reference networks (HARN). Each mark will be observed a minimum of two times, adjusting the height of the instrument to eliminate errors in measurements to the GPS unit. The static baselines will be imported in Trimble Business Center for a least square adjustment constrained to the HARN point coordinates. The coordinate values of the control will be in UTM Zone 12 and Montana State Plane Coordinates, both in meters. The resultant vectors establish the final coordinates of the ground control points. Targets will be placed at the center of the control point for identification during the flight. Photo-identifiable Targets. In addition to any established control points, Ayres will use photo- identifiable ground control targets; this does not require establishing and removing panels. Photo-identifiable targets will consist of easily distinguished ground features such as ends of paint lines, sidewalk corners, and corners where driveways meet road edge. Independent Vertical Accuracy Check Shots. KLJ will also establish additional control points as directed by Ayres to meet the promised accuracy across the entire project area. In addition, KLJ will establish quality check points to be used to verify the accuracy of the imagery and lidar. In order to comply with the FEMA Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners vertical accuracy assessment procedures, KLJ will collect 30 NVA/VVA check shots to assess the lidar vertical accuracy across terrain types. These check points will be independent and will not be used to perform aerotriangulation (AT) or calibration computations. 10AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Aerial Imagery and Lidar Acquisition Ayres and our flight partner in this project, 95West, propose a simultaneous collection of lidar and imagery using the 1560ii-s lidar sensor and the UltraCam Eagle digital mapping camera. This system is versatile in its design, allowing for maximum efficiency for medium- and small- scale mapping projects. We have worked extensively with the staff at 95West over the years on projects both large and small, which will provide a seamless workflow for the City of Bozeman’s project. Details concerning the imagery and lidar acquisition technology are provided below. Digital Aerial Imagery. The UltraCam sensor supports aerial photogrammetric missions for the broadest range of GIS and remote sensing applications. The complete data acquisition system delivers small scale or large- scale images with high-quality resolution at engineering- scale accuracy, capable of supplying images with ground resolutions of less than 2.5cm. Designed with break- through technologies, the modular system consists of state-of-the-art components, centered on frame sensor technology, to advance all aspects of the digital workflow. The following are features and benefits associated with 95West’s UltraCam Eagle and peripheral equipment:• Simultaneous collection of panchromatic, true color (RGB), and near infrared bands (RGBIR).• Ground resolution of 13,080 pixels along track and 20,010 pixels across track• 12-bit radiometric resolution• FMC forward motion compensation • Gyro-stabilized mount• Applanix 510 POS/AV system with Litton 200 Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)• Computer controlled navigation system Lidar Specifications We understand that the City’s current objective is to acquire updated lidar data for this project. Ayres has worked with tribes, municipalities, counties, utilities, and state and federal agencies on their lidar and topographic needs for years. Ayres’ work with the USGS 3-DEP program includes grant writing, federal data acceptance, and production of additional derivative products, such as culverts and feature extraction. Aerial lidar will be acquired simultaneously with the orthoimagery in the Spring of 2024. Aggregate nominal pulse density (ANPD) for the QL1 lidar acquisition will be ≥ 8 pulses per square meter (ppsm). Lidar acquisition will be conducted by 95West when the ground is free of snow and ice, and when the atmospheric conditions between the aircraft and the ground are free of clouds and fog. The calibrated lidar point cloud will support the development of a bare earth surface model (DEM) to meet the following vertical accuracy requirements: • RMSEz (non-vegetated) ≤ 10 cm (point cloud and DEM). • NVA ≤ 19.6 cm at 95% confidence level (point cloud and DEM). • VVA ≤ 30 cm at 95th percentile level (DEM only). Lidar Sensors. Not all lidar sensors are the same. Even when using current technology, different sensors may provide different results. Some sensors can be flown higher and faster, some can provide a higher pulse rate, some can provide more returns, and some can provide less noise. Ayres has been producing lidar data since the early 2000s, and we dedicate significant time to understand the benefits of each new generation of sensor on the market and modify our project planning and production workflow to adopt the benefits of new technologies to the appropriate projects. Given the large size and high-density requirement for the City of Bozeman’s project, Ayres recommends using Riegl’s 1560II. Among other benefits this system offers: • High laser pulse repetition rate up to 800 kHz. • Unrivaled scan pattern for best point spacing on the ground. • Innovative forward/backward looking capability for collecting data of vertical structures. 11AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. • Offers highly efficient data acquisition at a wide range of point densities. • Digitization electronics for full waveform data. • Enables Multiple-Time-Around (MTA) processing for resolving range ambiguities automatically. • Excellent suppression of atmospheric clutter. • Integrated inertial measurement unit and GNSS receiver. Additionally, this sensor is capable of collecting seven or more returns from each lidar pulse, allowing for better penetration of vegetation, less data voids, and better data for feature extraction. It is known to produce very little noise in the data. Flight Planning Quality Assurance. Ayres will take special care in designing an optimal flight plan that will achieve maximum coverage and efficiency for the QL1 lidar and the 3-inch orthoimagery. Upon notice to proceed, Ayres will present the flight plan to the City of Bozeman prior to any flights. For the imagery acquisition, there will be a total of 648 images over the 18 flight lines. For reference, the proposed simultaneous QL1 lidar and the 3-inch imagery flight plan is shown below. Data for the geographic extents of the project will be acquired using the correct mission profiles for the desired final products. Proper planning of flight lines promotes the success of this project (with minimal rework) – and proper planning optimizes lidar performance versus cost. Mission planning consists of several steps for proper flight preparation. First and foremost, the project boundaries are imported into the flight planning software. Following this, we review available information, such as elevation data, vegetation coverage data, and cultural feature extents of the area. General assessments are made by certified photogrammetrists to determine the proper lidar system settings, such as FOV (field of view) and GSD (ground sample distance). All lidar flight lines will be flown to ensure no data void exists between lines. Conditions During Acquisition. Imagery and lidar will be collected in stable weather conditions, e.i., cloud-free, low- moisture, leaf-off, snow-and-ice-free. Photography and lidar will not be captured when the ground is obscured by snow, haze, fog, dust, or cloud shadows in any one photo. Data will not be collected until all bodies of water in the project area are free of ice. Flight Management System. The aircraft is guided by a GPS-controlled flight management system. During the mission, the crew will monitor all functions involving the operations and guidance systems, allowing for continuous onboard QA. Freshwater Surface Hydrography Conditions. The lidar collection will target low-flow discharge conditions throughout the project area. No unusual flooding or water inundation will be present during the acquisition. Ayres will work closely with the City and local experts to determine the most suitable ground conditions for the flight mission. FAA Certification. All aircraft used in the performance of this contract will be maintained and operated in accordance with all regulations required by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Positive Control Airspace. It will be Ayres’ responsibility to obtain all approvals necessary to ensure that required clearances are achieved for the flight missions. When the flight plan and location of any project area coverage fall within positive-control airspace, the aircraft must BOZEMAN FLIGHT PLAN 12AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. contain the appropriate equipment to operate in such positive-control areas within the purview of the federal aviation regulations. In addition to all FAA requirements, all flights requesting clearance in the vicinity of “VIP” type airspace with temporary flight restrictions (TFR) will notify the contracting officer before receiving FAA clearance for instructions. Acquisition Date. Imagery will be flown when deciduous foliage is under leaf-off conditions. The target flight window will be between April 1 and April 30, 2024, or as weather permits. Sun Angle. The sun angle for all flights will be at least 45 degrees above horizon. Stereoscopic Coverage. The entire area of the project will be stereoscopically covered by successive and adjacent overlaps of photographs within the usable portion of the field of the lens. Four Band Imagery. The UltraCam Eagle collects imagery in the standard three RGB color bands, as well as a fourth band for near infrared. Ayres will provide the City with all four-color bands at no additional cost to the City. Crab. Average crab for any flight line will not exceed 3 degrees. Crab will not exceed 3 degrees between any two consecutive flights. Tilt. Imagery collected with the optical axis of the aerial sensor in a vertical position is desired. Tilt is angular departure of the aerial sensor axis from a vertical line at the instant of exposure. Tilt will not average more than 1 degree for the entire project. End Lap/Side Lap. The end lap will average not less than 55% or more than 65%. End lap of less than 55% or more than 65% in one or more images will be cause for rejection. The side lap will average 30%. Any image having side lap less than 25% or more than 35% will be rejected. Reflights. Lack of acceptable imagery or gaps in swaths will be corrected by reflights, with no additional cost to the City. All reflights will be centered on the plotted flight lines and will be taken with the same camera system. Image Review. Immediately upon completion of the acquisition, the imagery will be forwarded for inspection to our digital orthoimagery supervisor, Aaron Sale. Once we confirm successful acquisition and image quality, the City will be notified. If any imagery does not meet the acceptance criteria, a reflight will be scheduled and the City notified. Digital Orthophotography Production As aerial data collection missions are completed, orthoimagery production will begin. Ayres has significant digital orthoimagery production capability and capacity. We invest heavily in our staff and hardware. Our production methodology is specifically designed to consistently produce high-quality products. Specialists at Ayres will be responsible for all orthoimagery production components of the project. Advancements in production software and our investments in infrastructure favor an increasingly aggressive schedule for the upcoming project; we are committed to meeting the City’s schedule expectations for this project. Ayres has trained and experienced staff running fully equipped Z/I Imaging digital workstations, NT orthoimagery workstations, and dedicated image editing stations. We’ve designed our complementary production methodologies to facilitate a completely digital workflow using all Z/I hardware and software environments, resulting in a consistent approach to orthoimagery production and a high-quality product. 13AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Analytical Aerotriangulation (AT). To maintain an aggressive schedule, it will be critical to prepare for AT immediately upon the successful completion of each imagery mission. This is the first step in the orthoimagery production process and must be completed in efficiently for the rest of the ortho process to proceed on schedule. Planning for sufficient capacity in this area is critical to the project. Several important factors will contribute to the efficient AT processing under our approach. The first is the use of ABGPS and IMU data, which provide image orientation information to streamline AT production. The orientation data significantly reduces processing time and allows us to process large blocks of image data at a rapid rate. AT Solution. Although orientation data will be supplied from the IMU, we will still complete an AT solution to verify the ABGPS and IMU data. We will prepare the AT solution on a Z/I Imaging digital photogrammetric workstation using Z/I Imaging ISAT software. ISAT offers a complete softcopy aerotriangulation software suite that includes interior orientation, point mensuration, relative orientation, and a fully analytical simultaneous least squares adjustment with robust error detection. ISAT incorporates the capability to weigh control points on an individual basis and to correct for image deformation, atmospheric refraction, earth curvature, and lens distortion. Aerotriangulation QA/QC. When a block of aerotriangulation has been completed, all reports and supporting documentation will be examined for compliance with project specifications. This testing will include, at a minimum, the following: ‹Inspect ABGPS positions against AT-derived exposure coordinates ‹Compare AT-derived coordinates of independent QA points against ground survey ‹Inspect measurements, residuals, weights, RMSE in AT listings ‹Verify all AT support and measurement files are in archive ‹Verify metadata is complete and in proper format Rectification Type. We will use a cubic convolution resampling method for all orthoimagery rectification. This method preserves fine detail better than the common bilinear algorithm. Our imagery specialist will take extra caution around overpasses and bridges to ensure the correct horizontal location of these features holds true. Tone Balancing. Digital orthoimagery is subject to tonal imbalances due to several factors, including source photography (sun angle, illumination, atmospheric conditions, and date and time of exposure), image characteristics, and image processing. Our ortho specialists will not only tonal balance the individual images, but also will use tonal balancing techniques to the project. This process will eliminate the flight line effect and individual photo effect. Digital Terrain Model (DTM) A newly acquired lidar digital terrain model (DTM) will be employed to orthorectify the imagery. The data will be thoroughly reviewed by Aaron Sale, our orthoimagery supervisor, and he will report any inconsistencies to the lead lidar specialist, Adam Campbell. Radial Displacement. Our ortho production staff will also manually correct radial displacement and distortion of bridges and overpasses through a series of pre-rectification measures and post-processing edits. A thorough examination of these features will be conducted during the interim and final QA/QC checks. Mosaicking. To achieve consistent tone across the project area and to address the overlap between tiles, we will seamlessly mosaic the images. We will select imagery 14AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. in a way to use the most advantageous area of each photo to maximize color, tone, and contrast, and at the same time reduce building lean and “ghosting,” as well as glare in water bodies. Image mosaicking will be accomplished by a combination of automated tools and manual methods. All seam lines will be placed manually to eliminate the issues of noticeable seam lines through buildings, bridges, and other features. Following the completion of imagery production, a shapefile of seam line locations will be provided to the City. We will use manual editing procedures to provide QA/QC for every tile for visible seam lines in water bodies, warped bridges, and any anomalies that may affect the accuracy or aesthetics of the imagery. We will use photogrammetric software products such as Z/I Imaging’s Digital Ortho- Production Suite: ImageStation OrthoPro, PixelQue, IRAS/c, and Digital Image Analyst. Orthomosaics. Ayres will prepare the project wide mosaic imagery at the original 3-inch pixel resolution for maximum quality and accuracy. In addition to the 3-inch mosaic, both 6-inch and 12-inch resolution orthomosaics will be provided for ease of use for City staff and community members. Providing mosaics at the various resolutions will maximize the accessibility of the mosaic to the City’s user base, allowing selection of the most appropriate resolution based on user requirements and their available processing and rendering capabilities. The 3-inch and 6-inch resolution mosaics will be provided as additional deliverables at no added cost to the City. Accuracy. Resultant orthoimagery will be 3-inch orthos that will conform to National Map Accuracy Standards (NMAS) for 1”=50’ scale mapping; this translates to a horizontal accuracy of +/- 1.7 feet. Orthoimagery Tiling Scheme. Ayres will use the City- provided tiling scheme to deliver edge-matched, non- overlapping tiles. The same tile scheme will be used for the orthoimagery and the lidar. Should the City want to use a different scheme for their 2023 project, Ayres will work with the City to accommodate that request. Digital Orthoimagery Pilot Projects. Early in the imagery production phase, a pilot area consisting of geo-referenced TIF images can be provided to the City for review and feedback. We propose further discussion concerning the best area for review during the project kick-off meeting. Coordinate System/Datum. All mapping products associated with this project will be prepared and delivered in both Montana State Plane NAD83 (2011) meters, NAVD88 meters and UTM Zone 12 NAD83 (2011) meters, or another agreed upon coordinate system. Orthophotography Quality Control Project manager Tyler Kaebisch will be responsible for coordinating the final QA/QC of the orthoimagery. Our highly trained technicians will visually scour the imagery looking for anomalies or potential errors. If further editing is needed, a detailed edit call report will be returned to Ayres to perform corrections as needed. If the data meets specifications, the orthoimagery will be prepared for the final battery of checks. While overseeing the QA/QC, Tyler will work with the City to develop a check-in process for the imagery and a method by which edit calls can be recorded. If the City determines that the data needs further editing, Tyler will determine what action needs to be taken in the orthoimagery process. The Ayres team will conduct the following QC procedures: 1. Create an overview of each deliverable and combine the overviews to inspect overall radiometry, geographic accuracy, and complete coverage. 2. Orthoimagery QA technicians will perform QC on each image. QC forms will be submitted with the Project Planning Manual. 15AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. A thorough inspection of every ortho image tile will be conducted with an evaluation criteria based on: ‹Seamless geometry ‹Seamless radiometry ‹Appropriate dynamic range ‹Appropriate mean intensity ‹Appropriate contrast ‹Detection of data dropouts ‹Complete coverage ‹Appropriate resolution ‹Shadows, clouds, low sun angle ‹Bridge, overpass distortion Lidar Data Processing Ayres has extensive experience processing lidar data to meet strict specifications over large areas. Our technicians will use several software packages specifically designed for lidar processing. These software packages include GeoCue and the TerraSolid suite of processing components. The GeoCue software is a database management system for housing the lidar dataset (usually multiple gigabytes to terabytes in size). Additionally, the GeoCue program incorporates a thorough checklist of processing steps and QA/QC procedures that assist the technicians in the lidar workflow. Hydro-flattening Breaklines. We will collect new breaklines in a 3-D environment to support appropriate modeling and hydro-flattening of contours along water bodies. Whereas some geospatial firms take the approach of using existing hydro vectors or heads-up digitized “breaklines” as a means of cutting processing cost, our team collects new breaklines in a 3-D environment. Our approach will ultimately result in a much truer horizontal and vertical position of hydrographic features and will more accurately reflect conditions at the time of lidar acquisition. The result will be a more accurate surface model and cleaner contour generation across the entire project. Hydro breaklines are collected using lidargrammetry. This process involves manipulating the lidar data’s intensity information to create a metrically sound stereo environment. From this generated “imagery,” dependable breaklines can be photogrammetrically compiled. This capability allows us to offer high-accuracy terrain data from lidar without supplemental aerial imagery. Breakline polygons are formed to represent open water bodies, including lakes, and streams. While the current USGS 3-DEP base project standards call for hydro breaklines to be created for streams wider than 100 feet and ponded water of two (2) acres or greater, it is important to note that for the City of Bozeman project, we will be collecting hydro breaklines according to the following specifications:• Double-lined breaklines for streams and ditches greater than 2 meters wide• Water bodies (ponds, lakes, reservoirs) greater than ¼ acre in size Additional breaklines will be collected for bridges, culverts, and streams and ditches less than 2 meters wide for production of a hydro-enforced DEM and Elevation Derived Hydrography (EDH). Additional details for the below in the Hydrographic Mapping Services sections. Point Cloud Automated Classification. The TerraSolid suite of software is used to automate the initial classification of the lidar point cloud based on a set of predetermined parameters. It is at this point that we will refer to the ground cover research (natural and cultural features) within the project area. This will be very useful in determining the algorithms most appropriate for the initial automated lidar classification. (Some algorithms/filters recognize the ground in forests well, while others have greater capability in urban areas.) During this process each point is given an initial classification based on the point’s coordinates and its relation to its neighbors. The initial values offer a coarse and inexact dataset but are a good starting point. It is during this step that “overlap” points are automatically classified (those originating from neighboring flight lines). 16AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. This classification is based on information gathered from the AGPS and IMU data. Point Cloud Manual Classification. TerraSolid is also used for the subsequent manual classification of the lidar points. This software permits technicians to view the point cloud in a number of ways and within a number of contexts provided by other available datasets such as orthos or road centerline files. This combination of automated and manual processes provides a cost-effective approach to the tedious practice of point classification, while still allowing our talented technicians to review and confirm the results of automation. Current USGS base specifications require delivered point cloud in LAS v1.4 format. Classification includes: • Class 1: Processed, but unclassified • Class 2: Bare-earth ground • Class 6: Buildings (automated & manual, if necessary) • Class 7: Low noise • Class 9: Water • Class 17: Bridge decks • Class 18: High noise • Class 20: Ignored ground (breakline proximity) Surface Models. Once the hydro-breakines and point cloud classification are complete, Ayres will derive the following surface models:• 1-foot pixel resolution Digital Terrain Model (DTM): Elevation data points will be delivered as either a regular or irregular DTM in esri geodatabase compatible format• 1-foot pixel resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM): Gridded raster representation in esri geodatabase compatible format • 1-foot pixel resolution Hillshade: Grayscale 3D representation of the bare-earth surface in esri geodatabase compatible format Contours. Ayres can deliver 1-foot contours processed from the lidar surface. After the DTM processing is complete, our GIS technicians will generate the final contours using Boeing-Autometric KDMS software, a TIN-based system. The index contours, intermediate contours, index depressions, and intermediate depressions will be clipped to the tile boundaries. Each contour line will be attributed with the elevation value. The contours will then be topologically cleaned to ensure a seamless dataset across the project area and translated to an .esri geodatabase. Lidar-Specific QC Quality control of lidar is a system of routine technical activities to measure and control the quality of the mapping deliverables and services as they are being performed. The QC system is designed to: • Provide routine and consistent checks to ensure data integrity, correctness, and completeness • Identify and address errors and omissions • Document and archive inventory material and record all QC activities Ayres’ lidar QA/QC specialist, Adam Campbell, CMS-Lidar, GISP; will lead the lidar QA/QC process. In that capacity, he will work with project manager Tyler Kaebisch, to fulfill our team’s commitment to providing quality products and services. In his supervisory role, Adam has a number of specific technical workflows at his disposal. The following highlights the primary steps in a lidar QC plan: 17AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. a. Review mission logs and examine mission parameters b. Vertical accuracy validation c. Automated edit of the raw data d. Visual inspection of data e. QC of lidar classification f. Systematic review of point clouds g. Surface model verification (a) Review Mission Logs and Parameters. The first step in the QC process is to review the mission parameters against the statement of work and the overall project objectives. Once the flight specifications are confirmed, the base station data sheets and AGPS data will be reviewed to determine that they meet required tolerance and minimum requirement for operation. Additionally, the raw data will be reviewed to verify project area coverage, individual swath overlap parameters, and appropriate point density. (b) Vertical Accuracy Validation. Using a “Z-probe” methodology, the lidar supervisor will compare surveyed ground control, independent check points, and published monuments against the lidar bare-earth surface. This statistical test will verify that the lidar acquisition and calibration has been completed to meet the accuracy objective of the project. (c) Automated Edits. This process will ensure the removal of extraneous points and artifacts. Additionally, it will determine that all desired features have been retained within the dataset. Filtered and edited data are subjected to semi-automated algorithms defined within our internal production manuals. (d) Visual Inspection. A series of quantitative and visual procedures is employed to validate the accuracy and consistency of the filtered and edited data. Importantly, human eyes will review every square mile of the project. A rigorous peer-to-peer system, in addition to the overall QA/QC process, results in a substantial focus on quality and precision. (e) QC of Lidar Classification. After querying specific tiles into their workspace, our technicians will begin scanning through the tile, searching for areas where the automated classification routine erred. They will view the datasets from numerous angles, generate triangulated irregular networks (TINs) or contours, and consult shaded relief models to fully understand the data model at each point of their analysis. Using this information and technical experience, our technicians will detect, investigate, and correct any areas that display anomalies – i.e., areas where the automated classifications show weakness. (f) Systematic Review of Point Clouds. The technicians will systematically work their way through anomalous areas – taking narrow swaths of data, viewing the swath from isometric and profile viewpoints, and reclassifying each point in accordance with their expertise. Technicians focus on eligible classifications, which include “unclassified” (buildings, vegetation, and other non-terrain/non-noise features), “ground,” and “noise.” Points falling under the “water” and “overlap” categories are weeded out effectively during automated procedures. (g) Surface Model Verification. After this process is complete for the area, the technician will generate new TINs and contours to determine that the anomaly has been fully addressed. If it has, the technician will continue scanning the tile for other anomalies. This procedure will continue until the tile has been determined to meet or exceed project specifications. At this point, the technician will query the adjacent tile and continue working. Planimetric Mapping Services We understand there is a need for new planimetric mapping features for the project area. New planimetric mapping of Sidewalk Centerlines will be collected for the 21 square mile City Limits project area, while Building Footprints with heights will be collected for the entire 78.7 square miles project area. Our process ensures feature alignment is congruent with coinciding features for provision of a seamless dataset. The final product for all planimetric features will be consistent with National Map Accuracy Standards for 1” = 50’ horizontal map scale. 18AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Building Footprints. Ayres will collect 2D building footprints for the entire project area derived from the Lidar buildings classification collected for this project. Building footprints will be digitized at the building roof edge (drip line) for structures with a minimum size of 100’ x 100’. Buildings will be topologically structured and delivered as 2D flattened polygons in ESRI geodatabase format. In areas where buildings meet either pavement edge or impervious surface features, a topology will be run to ensure seamless line work between different feature types. Buildings will have a maximum height above ground as at attribute within the attribute table. Sidewalk Centerlines. Ayres will stereo-graphically compile all sidewalk centerlines within the City limits. All public sidewalk centerlines will be captured. Ayres will review any existing City polygon sidewalk inventories to aid in identifying potential areas of change. Sidewalk centerlines will be captured and prepared as polylines. The mapping will be delivered in ESRI geodatabase format. Hydrographic Mapping Services We understand there is a need for new hydrographic mapping features for the project area. Updating watercourse hydrography for the 78.7 square mile project area will greatly benefit any potential drainage and storm water studies the City intends to perform in the future. In order to correctly capture all drainage and depressions along the landscape, Ayres recommends collecting a culvert inventory dataset from the lidar and imagery to ensure water modeling will replicate the true flow of water within the project area. If the City already possesses a recent culvert inventory database, Ayres will use it to ensure proper representation of water flow. By using the lidar DEM surface and the culvert inventory, a hydro-enforced DEM will be created allowing all water conveyance features across the landscape to be captured. 3D Hydrographic Mapping from lidar. Ayres uses the ArcHydro toolset to derive intermediate lidar raster products and ultimately polylines representative of accumulated flow across the landscape. Using the hydro- modified DEM, an interative process of creating flow directions, contributing areas, and stream raster grids will be generated as part of hydrography processing. Elevation Derived Hydrography will replicate the flow of water at a 1 : 2,400 scale. Ayres will work with the City to determine the level of detail needed to capture the river, streams, drainages, and ditches within the project area. The following hyrdographic features will be captured: Culverts and Bridges• Breaklines will cut through culverts and bridges and will allow water to flow from the tops of hills all the way down through the stream network. A hydro- enforced DEM will be produced with the lidar DEM and culvert and bridge breakline datasets. Ponds and Lakes• Ponded water of 1/4 acre and larger will be captured as part of the hydrobreakline process within the standard lidar processing deliverables. Rivers, Streams, and Ditches• Rivers, streams, and ditches 2 meters and wider will be captured as part of the hydrobreakline process within the standard lidar processing deliverables.• Rivers, streams, and ditches less than 2 meters in width will be captured as polylines with the ArcHydro 3D Hydro mapping tools. 19AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Deliverables D) SCOPE OF PROJECT • Project plan• Sample imagery for pilot area review• 4-band orthoimages by tile, GeoTIFF format• 4-band Orthomosaic for entire City provided at 3-inch, 6-inch and 12-inch resolution, MrSID format• Bridge and Overpass Breaklines, esri shapefile format• Raw and Classified Lidar Point Coulds, LAS version 1.4 format• Hydro-Breaklines, esri shapefile format• Culvert and Bridge Breaklines, esri shapefile format• Elevation Derived Hydrography Breaklines, esri shapefile format• Lidar DEM, DTM, Hillshade, Hydro-enforced DEM, 1-foot pixel, geotif or esri geodatabase compatible format • 1-foot Contours, esri shapefile format• Planimetric Mapping Features ‹Sidewalk Centerlines, within City Limits, esri shapefile format ‹ 2D Building footprints with height attributes, esri shapefile format• Reports ‹Flight plan and logs ‹Calibration report ‹Survey control report, with quality check shots ‹Aerial triangulation report ‹FGDC metadata, .xml format ‹Progress reports ‹Final project report Data Delivery An external hard drive will be delivered to the City with all of the deliverables available to upload into the City GIS. Ownership Ayres has always assigned ownership and copyright to our clients at the completion of a project and will do the same with this project. Schedule Ayres proposes the following schedule to complete the City’s project successfully. We are open to adjustments to this schedule based on input from the City of Bozeman, including expedited delivery of pilot areas and final deliverables. MILESTONE DATE Ground control survey April 1 to 30, 2024 Aerial imagery acquisition April 1 to 30, 2024 (as conditions permit) Lidar acquisition April 1 to 30, 2024 (as conditions permit) Delivery of pilot area June 1, 2024 Initial delivery of orthoimagery and lidar July 15, 2024 City review period of lidar and imagery July 15 to July 30, 2024 Final delivery of lidar and imagery products Approximately July 31, 2024 Initial delivery of building footprints, sidewalk centerlines, and hydrography products August 15, 2024 City review period of building footprints, sidewalk centerlines, and hydrography products August 15 to August 30, 2024 Final delivery of all product Approximately August 30, 2024 20AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. E) RELATED EXPERIENCE Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium – Imagery and Lidar The WROC is a multi-entity group whose goal is to build and sustain a multiparticipant program to acquire elevation data and digital orthoimagery throughout Wisconsin for use in tasks ranging from tax assessment to emergency management. WROC 2020 marked the sixth time since 1995 that a regional consortium in Wisconsin has worked together with this goal. Ayres was selected to manage and facilitate again for the 2025 edition. During the 2020 cycle, 11,000 square miles of aerial lidar and 56,000 square miles of aerial imagery was acquired, with the Ayres team delivering customized datasets to more than 100 separate entities. In 2014 and 2015, this program resulted high-accuracy lidar for topographic mapping in 17 counties. The public has gained access to statewide aerial imagery coverage through this program. Over the years public and private partners have contributed significant funds toward imagery and lidar projects in exchange for access to these high-quality spatial datasets. Partners include utilities, electric cooperatives, tribes, municipalities, private industry, and state and federal agencies. Examples of diverse products within the WROC program include: • Lidar with 1-foot and 2-foot contours for floodplain studies • Detailed planimetric mapping for GIS • Multispectral imagery for environmental analysis and forestry• 6-inch or 12-inch resolution orthoimagery for countywide projects • 3-inch resolution for municipalities • 18-inch resolution derivative regional datasets To facilitate a cooperative approach for orthoimagery data acquisition, WROC and Ayres worked with the Wisconsin land information community to strengthen relationships among local, regional, state, and federal entities, as well as tribes and utilities. The program is designed to allow all participants to receive products and services tailored to their individual geospatial needs. Participants were given a range of orthoimagery options from 3-inch up to 12-inch resolution in addition to specialized formatting and coordinate system outputs. Customized photogrammetric and lidar services also make up a significant part of the WROC program. We collected countywide lidar in conjunction with new aerial imagery. Ayres was able to use the surveyed lidar data to process the orthoimagery to meet and exceed ASPRS Class 2 horizontal accuracy specifications. Lidar data was also collected in conjunction with an NSSDA survey to check its accuracy. Client Information North Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission 210 McClellan Street, Suite 210 Wausau, WI 54403 21AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Bismark-Mandan MPO Orthoimagery and Lidar, 2020 The Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) kicked off its partnership with Ayres in 2009 to collect aerial imagery and lidar to modernize its base mapping data. The MPO has since acquired 6-inch imagery and 1-foot contours derived from lidar in 2013 and 2016. In 2020, Ayres provided the MPO with higher resolution data products, including 3-inch pixel orthos and lidar to support 1-foot contours and high accuracy surface modeling and change detection. At Ayres we’re big supporters of both formal and informal regional organizations banding together for aerial mapping services. Through programs such as this one, we’re able to facilitate collaboration among organizations in need of similar services, which becomes a mutually beneficial relationship. This approach is not only extremely cost effective but also allows for the growth of standardized, high-quality geospatial datasets across regional borders. Project Details (March to November 2020):• 395 square miles of high-resolution 3” orthoimagery• 395 square miles of lidar to support 1-foot contours Idaho Transportation Department Payette River Highway 21 Bridge Mapping 2019 Ayres acquired 20 ppsm aerial lidar and 3-inch imagery and provided a digital elevation model (DEM), InRoads digital terrain model (DTM), and orthoimagery for approximately 1 square mile surrounding the Highway 21 Bridge over the Payette River in Lowman, Idaho. Client Information Bismark-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization 221 N. 5th Street Bismark, ND 58506 Client Information Idaho Transportation Department 3311 W. State Street Boise, ID 83707 22AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Schweitzer Mountain Resort Lidar, Orthoimagery, and Planimetric Mapping 2021 Ayres was retained by Schweitzer Mountain Properties and construction management agent OAC services of Seattle to acquire aerial imagery and high density lidar and to provide survey and mapping of the Schweitzer Mountain Resort near Sandpoint, Idaho. The 7,000-acre resort in the rugged Selkirk Mountains of the northern Idaho panhandle is considered to be one of the best family-friendly ski resorts in the Pacific Northwest. This mapping will support the initial planning and design stages of a 10-year expansion effort for the resort. Ayres performed the ground control targeting survey and acquired 3-inch color aerial imagery and high-density 20 ppsm lidar with a simultaneous collection aerial mission and provided our client with digital orthoimagery including large scale laminated color wall maps, colorized lidar point clouds, digital elevation model, contour mapping, and 50 scale planimetric mapping of roads, buildings and other pertinent infrastructure. City of Laramie, Wyoming, Aerial Imagery and Lidar 2017 The City of Laramie selected Ayres to provide aerial imagery, lidar, and planimetric mapping services through a quality-based selection process during spring 2017. The City wanted to collect a total of 97 square miles of data that not only covered the City but also some surrounding rural areas and a ranch property owned by the City. The City planned to update imagery and topographic data collected in 2009, which is widely used by City Engineering, Planning, Streets, Utilities, Parks, and GIS Departments. Included in the 2017 project was a combination of 3-inch and 6-inch imagery for urban and rural areas respectively, as well as the provision of lidar for the generation of 1-foot contours and a new surface model. The City also requested planimetric mapping for all hydrographic features and pavement striping throughout the project area. Client Information OAC 2200 1st Avenue South, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98134 Client Information City of Laramie 406 Ivinson Street Laramie, WY 82070 23AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. City of Loveland Lidar and Orthoimagery In the spring of 2021, Ayres was selected to provide lidar and orthoimagery mapping services for the City of Loveland located in southeastern Larimer County, Colorado. For this project, Ayres used a calibrated lidar sensor and digital photogrammetric camera for a simultaneous collection of high-density aerial lidar and 3-inch photography to derive orthoimagery, 1-foot contours, and a detailed surface model. Lidar and aerial imagery were collected and processed for 70 square miles, which included the City of Loveland Growth Management Area and the Loveland Water Storage Area. Quality Level 1 lidar was collected at 8 pulses per square meter, and the calibrated lidar point cloud supports a bare earth surface model meeting a vertical accuracy of RMSEz of <= 10 cm, and NVA of <= 19.6 cm at the 95% confidence interval for the point cloud and digital elevation model (DEM). The 3-inch digital orthoimagery meets ASPRS Level 2 horizontal accuracy standards of 0.7 feet RMSE, which equates to 1.2 feet at the 95% confidence interval according to NSSDA standards. The calibrated lidar point cloud was classified to the USGS standardized base classification scheme. A DEM consisting of bare-earth ground points was also derived to support the interpolation of 1-foot interval contours to National Map Accuracy Standards. Additionally, Ayres complied hydro-flattened breaklines for ponded water that is two acres or greater and double line streams that are 20-feet in width or greater, which were used in the creation of the bare earth DEM and contours. Ayres collected all ground control survey points required to complete this project. Final deliverables to the City of Loveland included: ‹Raw and classified lidar point clouds in .Las format ‹A DEM surface in GeoTIFF format ‹1-foot contours in Esri file Geodatabase ‹3-inch color orthoimagery tiles in GeoTIFF and MrSID format ‹City-wide orthomosaics in GeoTIFF and MrSID format ‹FGDC-compliant metadata ‹Survey, control, and vertical accuracy reports The City again selected Ayres for work in the fall of 2022 using the stereo pairs from the digital aerial imagery to derive detailed planimetric mapping of the edge of asphalt for all streets within City of Loveland’s growth management area, approximately 66 square miles. The planimetric mapping features identified from the imagery are being mapped to 1” = 50’ scale mapping (1.0 feet RMSE using the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy [NSSDA] testing procedures). Client Information City of Loveland 500 E. 3rd Street Loveland, CO 80537 24AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Illinois GIS Consortium: Lidar, Aerial Imagery, and Planimetric Mapping The Illinois-based GIS Consortium (GISC) represents one of Ayres’ most complex geospatial programs and exemplifies our background in performing large-scale mapping in urban environments. The GISC is a group of more than 30 communities in the Chicago region that work together to develop GIS solutions to support a wide range of applications, including municipal engineering, planning, forestry, and public safety. Ayres has been providing high-accuracy mapping and surveying services to member communities since the 1990s. The GISC continues to work with Ayres year after year; we are completing the 2023 mapping projects and are currently planning for the 2024 data collections and mapping initiatives.   The mapping performed for the GISC is designed primarily for daily use in municipal engineering. Annual aerial missions maintain up-to-date base mapping data, consisting of 3-inch resolution orthoimagery, 1” = 50’ scale planimetrics, and 1-foot interval contours derived from high-resolution lidar. Ancillary products have included leaf-on aerial imagery for urban forestry applications, 3-D modeling of structures, and tall building-lean mitigation in business districts. Most of the GISC falls within a 10-nautical-mile radius of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. This is one of the most difficult airspace environments in the United States and presents unique challenges during each flying season. Ayres has built strong relationships with the Federal Aviation Administration, Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities, and the O’Hare Air Traffic Control Tower. Recurring temporary flight restrictions add another dimension to security restrictions in the area. Client Information GIS Consortium 188 A Skokie Valley Road Highland Park, IL 60035 25AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. MDT Bridge Scour Study, Multiple Locations in Montana This Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) project was a bridge scour study of 13 different bridge sites located throughout the state. KLJ worked with Ayres as a subconsultant providing surveying and hydrologic analysis support. A hydrological study of each site included surveying the bridge structure and river channel both directions for two-thirds of a mile. Two of the sites along the Yellowstone River required aerial lidar surveys for the upland areas. The first site was located in Livingston and the second near Custer. These locations did not have publicly available lidar to analyze the upland areas. KLJ laid ground control points and ground proofing points for each of these locations. For every site KLJ established MDT approved control points using static bases lines and network adjustments. Perma Curves (MT-200) STTP-F 6-1(36)83, Paradise, MT This MDT project is the design of a five-mile stretch of Highway 200 along the Flathead River east of Paradise. The highway traverses a dangerous corridor between rock cliff faces and the Flathead River. A portion of the project lies on the Flathead Indian Reservation and includes culturally sensitive areas to CSKT. The project corridor was flown with a helicopter enabled with a lidar sensor. Ground control panels were placed along the corridor. The crews coordinated access to private land to place that targets and operated GPS base stations during the flight. Cross-sections of the corridor were used to ground truthing the flights. Aeronautical Survey and Airport Airspace Analysis, Laurel, MT This Aeronautical Survey with Vertical Guidance for an Airport Layout Plan developed Instrument Procedure Development for the airport serving Laurel, Montana. Ground survey included establishing control points using GPS baselines, tie in photogrammetry control features, identify/measure vertical obstructions, and topographical survey of the runway and air traffic control apparatus. Using NGS established GPS control points and KLJ established aerial targets, photogrammetry and lidar was used to yield two-foot contour intervals. All the survey data was then transferred to AGIS as part of the final project report. Client Information Montana Department of Transportation 2701 Prospect Avenue Helena, MT 59620 KLJ PROJECT EXPERIENCE 26AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. City of Bozeman Experience (KLJ) NEURD Roadway Design and Construction Projects, Bozeman, MT – KLJ provided design and construction of more than 5,000 linear feet of street and utility reconstruction projects through the City of Bozeman’s Northeast Urban Renewal District (NEURD). The projects consist of complete removal and replacement of all public sanitary sewer and storm drain systems within the project corridor, removal and replacement of public water systems, and full-depth reconstruction of new urban street sections. Street reconstruction consisted of dedicated vehicular travel lanes with on-street parking, as well as shared-use travel lanes and dedicated bike lanes, traffic calming elements consisting of intersection bulb-outs, traffic circle, and a section of center-raised median. Construction also consisted of numerous drive approaches and pedestrian and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) facility improvements. KLJ led multiple neighborhood meetings to communicate construction requirements and schedules and coordinate resident concerns and business requirements. Permitting acquisition for these projects was required to secure six separate permits from four separate regulatory agencies. We also provided construction administration services and assisted with RPR services. North Wallace Avenue – The North Wallace Avenue project required a significant amount of coordination to minimize impacts to mature street trees and existing utilities. Design included 5,000 linear feet of new roadway pavement; new curbs and gutters; ADA facilities; an upsized 18-, 24-, and 30-inch storm drain trunk main and curb inlets; a storm retention pond; new stormwater pre-treatment structure; replacement of existing water and sanitary sewer systems, including upsizing Front Street interceptor sewer to a 24-inch main with 36-inch jack and bored cased crossing of Bozeman Creek; and a new concrete wingwall for the East Tamarack Street Bridge over Bozeman Creek. Extensive utility relocations were required with many undocumented and abandoned utilities dating back to the turn of the century. East Tamarack Street Reconstruction – KLJ provided roadway and sanitary sewer main improvements for a 0.20- mile urban roadway reconstruction project. KLJ was hired to design the reconstruction of one of the oldest streets in Bozeman. Included in the design are 0.20 miles of roadway reconstruction, upsizing the existing sanitary sewer main to a new 24-inch diameter sanitary sewer, storm drain improvements, new five-foot sidewalk on both sides of the street, numerous ADA facilities, a new dedicated bicycle lane, new roadway signage, new pavement markings, and utility coordination. East Peach Street Reconstruction – The project was a 0.25- mile urban roadway reconstruction project. KLJ designed reconstruction of one of the oldest streets in Bozeman. Included in the design were 0.25 miles of roadway reconstruction, new eight-inch water main, new eight-inch sanitary sewer main, storm drain improvements, new sidewalk, numerous ADA facilities, new roadway signage, new pavement markings, and utility coordination. 27AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Ayres is a nationwide professional consulting firm providing services in photogrammetry, lidar, and digital mapping; GIS; survey; civil, structural, transportation, river, and water resources engineering; environmental science; planning; architecture; landscape architecture; and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering. Our employee-owned firm was founded in 1959 by Owen Ayres, an engineer who instituted many of the practices we follow: working with clients as a partner; offering smart, creative solutions; conducting business with the utmost integrity; and providing employees challenges and the opportunity to advance and invest in their company. Incorporated in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Ayres now employs over 350 people. Ayres has 11 offices in Wisconsin, Colorado, Wyoming, Florida, Minnesota, and California. Ayres’ geospatial division is based in Madison, Wisconsin. The geospatial division originated as Alster & Associates Photogrammetric Engineering (founded in 1951), who merged with Ayres in 1978. The geospatial division has over 60 people. Credentials held by these employees include multiple Certified Photogrammetrists, GISPs, Certified Mapping Scientists in several specialties, and Professional Land Surveyors. There are also many highly trained technicians and project managers, all of whom have formal education in the discipline of geography. As shown in the Related Experience section, Ayres’ staff has brought unparalleled experience providing geospatial and survey to municipalities throughout the nation. This breadth of expertise and deep capacity means that Ayres can simultaneously perform and complete a variety of projects on schedule and meeting or exceeding client needs and expectations. Ayres’ geospatial division provides a diverse range of mapping services to clients in the West and nationally, including: • Digital orthoimagery • Planimetric and topographic mapping • Digital terrain modeling (DTM) • Remote sensing • GIS consulting, training, and development • GPS and conventional survey • Aerial lidar (fixed wing and helicopter) • Oblique aerial imagery • Ground-based lidar (mobile and HD scanning) Ayres has been providing aerial imagery to local governments for over 25 years. Ayres helped launch and develop what is now known as the Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium (WROC). Beginning in 1995 with one regional planning organization covering a handful of counties, Ayres helped recruit members and partners, manage funding participation and contracts, and grow the available products and services until WROC is now a statewide program that includes state agencies, county and municipal governments, utilities, and more. Ayres is the only firm that has ever held the contract throughout WROC’s history, delivering imagery, lidar, and related mapping products. In the past five years Ayres has completed nearly 700 aerial mapping projects. These projects took place in 24 states, including Montana and all its surrounding states. Ayres’ approach to managing the City of Bozeman’s project will begin with a dedication to understanding your needs and designing solutions that address them. For example, Bozeman is a very attractive area for relocation, ranking first in the Policom Economic Strength Rankings for Micropolitan Areas in 2023 for the fifth consecutive year. Due to the rapid rate of growth, there will be substantial updates to the building footprints and changes to the imagery. Ayres has designated a project manager who is experienced with municipalities experiencing rapid growth. Ayres’ proposed project manager, Tyler Kaebisch, will coordinate the data collection and processing efforts for the City of Bozeman project. Tyler has experience managing geospatial projects throughout the country, with a focus on the western United States. Tyler is experienced in project management and has a strong history of involvement in geospatial projects, with over 14 years of experience in GIS, remote sensing and project F) STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS 28AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. management. Prior to joining Ayres, Tyler servced as a remote sensing specialist and an inventory and monitoring GIS specialist for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Forest Service in the Rocky Mountain region. He has also been involved in numerous projects using aerial mapping to support mitigation and recovery after natural disasters. As project manager, Tyler will update City of Bozeman personnel during the project to discuss pertinent project issues as needed. Additionally, he will participate in weekly internal meetings with Ayres supervisors to assess the status of the project and address key technical issues, thereby maintaining high standards for product specifications and keeping the project on track to meet the timeframe agreed upon. One important difference about Ayres compared to some geospatial firms is that all work is performed in the United States. Ayres possesses more than enough resources and uses efficient processes to allow us to accomplish this project with skilled professionals based in the United States. There remain only a few geospatial firms that have their entire production staff within the country; Ayres is proud to be among them. Ayres’ subconsultants are KLJ for control survey and 95West for aerial imagery acquisition. Ayres has a successful history with both firms. KLJ has four offices in Montana, including one in Bozeman, and has five surveyors who hold Professional Land Surveyor licensure with the State of Montana. KLJ’s survey lead, Justin Stefanik, began his surveying career in Bozeman and is familiar with the City’s requirements. KLJ has performed a number of projects for the City and served as a sub to Ayres on a contract with the Montana Department of Transportation to perform scour studies on 13 bridges. Under this project, KLJ provided survey control for aerial lidar data. 95West is a wholly owned subsidiary of Widseth Smith Nolting and Associates, Inc., which is incorporated under the State of Minnesota. For nearly 60 years 95West (formally KBM Geospatial) has been providing professional consulting services in aerial photography, geospatial mapping, civil and electrical engineering, orthophotography, GIS, lidar, and photogrammetric mapping services. 95West’s equipment positions them to provide the best leading-edge technology available in the geospatial industry. With a recent purchase of a Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft equipped with a Vexcel UltraCam Eagle Mark 3 imaging sensor and a Riegl VQ-1560 II-S Lidar scanning system, this allows 95West to offer high- resolution imagery and the highest density lidar data capture on the Riegl fixed-wing market. The UltraCam Eagle is a large format, frame-based imaging sensor capable of collecting four-band imagery. What sets 95West apart from other fixed-wing providers is they are the first company in the United States to offer large-format imagery and high-density lidar solutions to be acquired simultaneously. The plane and equipment are based in a hangar located at the Grand Forks International Airport in Grand Forks, ND. All services performed and products produced for the proposed contract will be performed under the direct supervision of an active ASPRS Certified Photogrammetrist or Certified Mapping Scientist. In addition, 95West acknowledges that all mapping will meet or exceed ASPRS Positional Accuracy Standards for Digital Geospatial Data. 95West provides aerial acquisition and geospatial services throughout North America. They are committed to offering unique solutions using cutting-edge equipment to deliver services that are tailored to the client’s needs. Detailed information on the key members of the Ayres team – and their availability during relevant time periods to the City of Bozeman’s project – can be found in the Key Personnel section of this submittal. 29AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Our experience has shown us that close and open communication with our clients is the foundation for a successful working relationship. We place a high priority on understanding our clients’ needs, openly addressing issues, involving clients in decision-making, and resolving project concerns. In every project we undertake, our goal is always client satisfaction. We invite you to contact the references listed below – for whom our firm has provided similar services – for a firsthand account of our work. City of Loveland – Lidar, Aerial Imagery, and Planimetric Mapping Client: City of Loveland Address: 500 E. Third St., Loveland, CO 80537 Contact: Chris Carlson Phone: 970.962.2774 Email: Chris.Carlson@CityofLoveland.org Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization Client: Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization Address: 221 N. 5th Street, Bismarck, ND 58501 Contact: Rachel Lukaszewski Phone: 701.355.1852 Email: rlukaszewski@bismarcknd.gov Illinois GIS Consortium – Lidar, Aerial Imagery, and Planimetric Mapping Client: Municipal GIS Partners (MGP) Address: 701 Lee Street #1020, Des Plaines, IL 60016 Contact: Andrew Shuman Phone: 224.369.0635 Email: ashuman@mgpinc.com G) REFERENCES “I had really high expectations from the start because I knew we had an incredible team of professionals working on this project, and yet (Ayres) still exceeded my expectations.” Mark Sears Natural Areas Program Manager City of Fort Collins, CO 30AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. H) PRESENT & PROJECTED WORKLOADS The following table and chart represent our current capacity and workload projections to assist the City of Bozeman on its digital orthoimagery and lidar acquisition project. NAME % EST. CAPACITY % TIME TO PROJECT Tyler Kaebisch 80%15% Aaron Sale 40%25% Adam Campbell 40%30% Burt Lindquist 45%30% Amber Tomaras 60%30% Imagery Technicians 70%20% KLJ Survey Staff 40%25% 95West Flight Staff 30%15% “Ayres has consistently produced quality work in a timely manner, and with the highest degree of professionalism. They work closely with me ... to resolve issues and discuss ideas, and are always available when needed.” Jennifer Spinelli Assistant Planner City of Montrose, CO AYRES WORKLOAD PROJECTIONS 2024 March April May June July August September October CDOT Lidar Processing GISC: IL Lidar, Orthoimagery, & Plannimetric Mapping WROC: Wisconsin Lidar and Orthoimagery 31AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. “Ayres is a trusted commodity in our community. They’ve been very good to work with; they’ve provided everything they said they would and usually a little bit more.” Steve Tilton Former Assistant Village Manager, Village of Tinley Park, IL We know that every project we complete is really about people. That’s why we have assigned our best people to work with the City of Bozeman staff and project stakeholders to make sure your project meets your needs. Our team will be led by Tyler Kaebisch, a geospatial project manager with extensive experience in digital mapping. Tyler is proactive in identifying and addressing challenges to keep the project on schedule and is committed to keeping major stakeholders informed throughout the course of the project. Ayres’ staff members approach each project knowing the services we provide bring noticeable improvements for the communities for which we work and improve lives in the process. Through years of successful projects, we know that assigning qualified staff to your project and providing good communication are vital for maintaining trust and confidence. Resumes for key members of our team are included on the following pages. I) KEY PERSONNEL 32AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Tyler Kaebisch Geospatial Project Manager Tyler joined Ayres in 2019 as a project manager in the aerial mapping group. He has used his communication and organizational skills to manage large-scale statewide projects that apply remote sensing techniques to analyze features across the landscape. Tyler has worked in the federal and state agency sectors, where he has more than 14 years of experience with resource inventory and monitoring programs, working side by side with federal, state, county, and private sector partners. Tyler’s focus as a remote sensing specialist has included object-based image analysis, wetland flora and fauna, hydrography, aerial photography, and lidar (light detection and ranging). Tyler will seek opportunities to solve mapping problems for clients in sectors including local government, utilities, and telecom in the Midwest and West. Select Experience • Land Cover Dataset and Turf Layer, Bozeman, MT• Water Supply and Storage Company Ditch Mapping 2020, CO• Larimer County Fairgrounds Orthoimagery and Topographic/Planimetric Mapping 2020, Larimer County, CO• Greeley-Loveland Irrigation Canal Lake Drive Stabilization/UAS Aerial Orthophotography and Lidar, Loveland, CO• Larimer County Landfill Aerial Mapping 2020, Larimer County, CO• Estes Park Building Mapping 2021, Town of Estes Park, CO • City of Loveland Lidar and Orthoimagery 2021, Loveland, CO• Bismarck-Mandan Metropolitan Planning Organization 2020 Orthoimagery & Topographic Mapping, ND• Goodhue County Orthoimagery 2022, MN• 3-DEP QL0 Lidar 2020, Goodhue County, MN• Grand Forks - East Grand Forks MPO Ortho and Lidar 2021, MN• Grand Forks, ND Building Footprints• Lidar and Orthoimagery 2021, Loveland, CO• Georgia Site Lidar and Orthos 2021, Warrenton, GA• GISC Topo Lidar Mapping 2022, Northfield, IL• LA County UAS Lidar 2021, Los Angeles, CA• Lidar Processing 2021, Madison, WI• Mobile Lidar 2022, Davenport, IA• Washington State King County Lidar Processing, Sheboygan Falls, WI• GISC Lidar 2019, Wilmette, IL• WROC 2020 Waupaca County Lidar, WI• GISC Lidar 2020, Des Plaines, IL Total Experience 14 Years Education MS, Geospatial Information Science, University of Minnesota BS, Fisheries and Water Resources Management, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point 33AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Adam Campbell, CMS-Lidar, GISP Lidar Lead Adam joined the Aerial Mapping Group in 2023, bringing 15 years of professional experience in the private sector geospatial industry. His ease in working with people has tuned him in to the needs of local and state government, utilities, and state departments of transportation. Adam has devoted his career to lidar projects, and he provides leadership in Ayres’ efforts to grow its lidar service offerings nationally. Adam has extensive knowledge of national lidar standards and specifications, along with developing industry trends. His lidar experience includes flight planning and execution, ground control layout, calibration, processing workflows, and quality assurance/ quality control oversight. Adam has experience in large national and statewide lidar programs, multi-county projects, and corridor mapping projects. Adam’s specializations include volumetric mapping, change detection, building footprint generation, utility vectorization and encroachment, hydrographic mapping, and forestry and biomass analysis. Select Experience• Montana State Library Lidar Classification 2023, Helena, MT• Rapid City, SD MPO Lidar & Ortho 2023, Rapid City, SD• GISC Lidar 2023, Oak Brook, IL• MNDOT Waseca Co 2023, Austin, MN Total Experience 15 Years Registrations Certified Mapping Scientist, Lidar, ASPRS, US Certified GIS Professional, US Education BA, Environmental Geography, University of Northern Iowa Aaron Sale Imagery Supervisor Aaron joined Ayres in 1996 as a digital orthophotography technician. His experience with Ayres is in the use and production of digital orthophotography and flight planning for geospatial projects. Aaron has led imagery development for major orthoimagery projects around the nation. His experience includes the award-winning Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium project, which was the first statewide, leaf-off orthoimagery project in the state and included the development of 12-inch resolution imagery of the entire state as well as higher resolution imagery for a range of public and private entities. Select Experience • Land Cover Dataset and Turf Layer, Bozeman, MT• Schweitzer Mountain Resort Lidar, Orthoimagery, and Planimetric Mapping 2021, Sandpoint, ID• Idaho Transportation Department Payette River Highway 21 Bridge Mapping 2019, Boise, ID• Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium (WROC), Statewide, WI• Northern Colorado Geospatial Consortium Lidar and Orthoimagery, Various Locations, CO• Colorado Department of Transportation US 34 Canyon Mapping Revision Lidar, Larimer County, CO• Bismarck-Mandan MPO Orthos and Topographic Mapping, Bismarck, ND Years of Experience 28 Years Education BS, Geography/Earth Sciences, University of Wisconsin- La Crosse 34AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Burton Lindquist Analytical Aerotriangulation Specialist Burton joined Ayres in 1989, bringing three years of experience in stereo plotter operation and analytical aerotriangulation, as well as additional skills in orthophoto production and digital file editing. Since 1998, Burton has been in charge of overseeing all phases of analytical aerotriangulation. He has an extensive background in conventional analytical aerotriangulation (AT) and is trained and experienced in the use of Z/I ISAT softcopy AT software. Select Experience • Land Cover Dataset and Turf Layer, Bozeman, MT• Schweitzer Mountain Resort Lidar, Orthoimagery, and Planimetric Mapping 2021, Sandpoint, ID• Idaho Transportation Department Payette River Highway 21 Bridge Mapping 2019, Boise, ID• Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium (WROC), Statewide, WI• Lidar and Orthoimagery 2021, Loveland, CO • Colorado Department of Transportation US 34 Canyon Mapping Revision Lidar• MnDOT Spring 2019 Imagery, St. Paul, MN• CDOT US 85 & WCR44 Roadway Drainage Lidar & Imagery 2018, Various Locations, CO• Landfill Aerial Mapping 2020, Larimer County, CO• Larimer County Fairgrounds 2020, CO Amber Tomaras Planimetric Mapping Specialist Amber joined Ayres in 2001 as a stereo compilation technician. Her responsibilities include stereo compilation of planimetric and topographic map features on first order analytical and digital photogrammetric stereo compilation systems. Select Experience • Wisconsin Regional Orthoimagery Consortium (WROC), Statewide, WI• Bismarck-Mandan MPO 2020 Orthos and Topo Mapping, Bismarck, ND• GIS Consortium Mapping, Illinois• Texas Lidar Editing QSI 2015, Various Locations, Texas• Schweitzer Mountain Resort Lidar, Orthoimagery, and Planimetric Mapping 2021• Idaho Transportation Department Payette River Highway 21 Bridge Mapping 2019• Landfill Aerial Mapping 2020, Larimer County, CO• Larimer County Fairgrounds 2020, CO• Loveland Plan Mapping 2021, Loveland, CO• Planimetric Mapping 2020, Brookfield, WI• Lidar Enhancements 2020, Goodhue County, MN Total Experience 36 Years Education BS, Cartography/Geography, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Total Experience 22 Years Education BS, Geography, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh 35AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Justin Stefanik Professional Land Surveyor, Certified Federal Surveyor, Engineering Intern – Helena, MT Justin is a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) in Montana, a Certified Federal Surveyor (CFedS), and an Engineering Intern (EI). He has extensive experience providing cadastral, private land retracement, corridor, utility, and control surveys to public and private clients. Justin completes General Land Office (GLO) retracement surveys, section breakdowns, Certificate of Survey, topographical surveys, bathymetric surveys, construction stakeout, drafting, writing legal descriptions, courthouse research, data downloads and manipulations. His supervision of field surveys crews for more than 14 years brings an understanding of the correct procedures to provide an accurate survey and has completed surveys meeting the City of Bozeman protocols. Justin’s role for this project will be the planning and execution ground control and ground truthing surveys. Justin started his career in Bozeman, after finishing his Construction Engineering Technology from Montana State University he worked at a local engineering and surveying crew for two years before moving back to Helena. Justin has completed multiple ground control surveys on manned aerial flights throughout Montana. Chantry Myers Crew Chief, Drone Pilot – Helena, MT Chantry is a crew chief with experience involving GLO retracement surveys, section breakdowns, COS drafting, topographical surveys, construction stakeout, writing legal descriptions, and courthouse research. He has gained experience working on these types of projects for the last 3 years with KLJ and is knowledgeable in both survey field work and AutoCAD Civil 3D. Chanty is also a licensed drone pilot, passing his part 107 certification a year ago. He has operated drones on four different sites in Bozeman in the last 6 months. He planned, laid out the ground control, flew and processed the aerial flights for these four sites and multiple others around Montana. Chantry is Construction Engineering Technology graduate from Montana State University that started his survey career in Bozeman working for a contractor staking grades on heavy civil projects. Robert Hofer Crew Chief, Drone Pilot – Billings, MT Robert is a crew chief with experience involving General Land Office (GLO) retracement surveys, hydrologic surveys, section breakdowns, Certificate of Survey (COS) drafting, topographical surveys, construction stakeout, writing legal descriptions, and courthouse research, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPP). He has gained experience working on these types of projects for the last four years. Robert is knowledgeable in both survey field work and AutoCAD Civil 3D. Robert is a licensed drone pilot that passed his part 107 certificate 18 months ago. Robert is a Civil Engineering graduate from Montana Tech and has performed ground control surveys on four different projects. He is currently laying ground control for a large power line project from Colstrip to the Montana/North Dakota state line. 36AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Miles Strain, CP, RPP, VP Aerial Services Manager / Vice President Miles brings decades of experience in the geospatial industry, working the past 35 years in supervisory and various management levels. Miles has extensive experience working on projects throughout the United States, ranging in size from 10 acres up to statewide programs. Miles’s project experience covers hundreds of corridor projects for transportation departments, various projects for natural resources departments, many large and small scale mining operations, and a wide range of state and local governments such as the cities of Duluth and Fargo, Grand Forks/East Grand Forks MPO, and rural and urban counties. His duties have included project management, account management, production management, estimating, planning, scheduling, QA/QC, personnel supervision, and reporting. Miles has managed numerous projects utilizing various imagery and lidar sensors from platforms such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter, mobile mapping units, and UAS. Select Experience • Managed multiple corridors totaling over 70 linear miles in 2020 for MnDOT requiring both Imagery and Lidar fixed-wing acquisition and complete downstream processing. Tasks included project management, estimating, flight planning, coordination, target layout, planimetric compilation, lidar breakline collection and draping, hydro flattening, digital orthos, terrain assembly and finalization, Final Graphics and Standards Review for compliance.• Managed over 30,000 square miles on a single task order for MNGEO requiring 50cm and 30cm imagery acquisition and digital ortho processing. Tasks included overall project management including sub-consultant acquisition management with strategic partners. Independent contracts were also initiated and managed for stakeholders requiring buy-ups to 15cm.• Oversight and management of numerous county-wide digital orthophotography projects throughout the Upper Midwest over the past 20 plus years. Tasks included account and project management, estimating, planning and preparation of work plans, flight layout, scheduling, staff supervision, ortho processing and final QC, and meta data preparation Andrew Werle Chief Pilot / Certified UAS Operator Andrew is a Commercial Pilot and Unmanned Aircraft Systems operator who has worked for 95West since graduating from the University of North Dakota in 2017. He is responsible for planning and executing manned and unmanned flight missions. Andrew manages the aircraft and equipment operated by 95West and assists with stereo compilation of planimetric features. He also specializes in Bentley MicroStation and AutoCAD (Civil 3D) platforms. Select Experience Certifications Certified Photogrammetrist American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) Registered Professional Photogrammetrist Education Coursework, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD BS, Geography, UW-River Falls Certifications Remote Pilot Certification Commercial Pilot Certification Flight Instructor Certification Education BS, Aeronautics, University of North Dakota • Aerial and Visualization Survey (PCN 21841/21843) — Grand Forks, ND• Ground Survey-Intersections Curb Ramp (PCN 21842) — Grand Forks, ND • Aerial Survey — Mahnomen, MN• Aerial Survey — Providence, RI• Falkirk Mining Company Aerotriangulation — Underwood, ND • 2020 Aerial – lidar NDDOT New England N to 9th St — Dickinson, ND• City Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey — Grand Forks, ND • University of North Dakota Aerial Photography — Grand Forks, ND• City Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey — Fosston, MN Andrew piloted the fixed wing aircraft and also assisted with producing the planimetric features for the projects listed below. Aerial photography and lidar data were acquired simultaneously to later produce planimetric features from the aerial photography along with a lidar-derived surface from the 20 points per square meter lidar data. 37AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Casey Olstad Lidar Technician / Sensor Operator As a Lidar Technician/Sensor Operator, Casey’s responsibilities include working on specialized lidar surveys, digital orthophotography, and photogrammetry projects. Other tasks include assisting with data processing such as calibration, cleaning and classification, and producing highly accurate mapping for engineering and transportation design applications. Select Experience • City Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey — Brookings, SD• University of North Dakota Aerial Photography — Grand Forks, ND• Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey — NDDOT ND 14• City Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey — International Falls, MN• Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey, Fargo Landfill — Fargo, ND• Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey — MNDOT TH 38• Aerial Photography and Lidar Survey — NDDOT US 52• City Aerial Photography — Fosston, MN• Coteau Properties — Beulah, ND• Falkirk, Annual Orthophotography — Underwood, ND• Tabor Substation — East Grand Forks, ND• Fargo Landfill — Fargo, ND• Hudson Lidar Site — Hudson, WI Education Associate in Applied Science, Geospatial Intelligence Analysis, Northland Community and Technical College – Thief River Falls, “Ayres exhibits exceptional customer service and responsiveness. During the City’s hour of need, Ayres staff worked nights and weekends to assist in condition assessments, field solutions, and coordination of resources.” Chris Matkins Water Utilities Manager City of Loveland, CO 38AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Ayres Advantages to the City of Bozeman Ayres’ is able to offer the City a unique combination of applicable experience and innovative approaches: 9 Project approach and understanding: Ayres has been providing lidar and imagery together to local governments for nearly 20 years. We have proven ourselves in hundreds of projects, and have brought new approaches and products such as Elevation Derived Hydrography (EDH). EDH makes use of lidar data and asset information, such as culverts and roads, to provide more accurate understanding of the expected behavior of water across the landscape 9 Personnel qualifications: Ayres’ key personnel have been with Ayres for many years – some for decades – and have personal knowledge of how the process of the creation of data products has evolved. They understand the reasons for the data specifications and how the data will be used. Ayres lead project personnel and the subconsultants all have significant Western experience, and the subconsultants have worked with Ayres in the past. 9 Ability to meet timeline and budget: The City’s budget aligns with recent Ayres projects that are comparable in size and complexity, so we are comfortable that we can perform the work within budget. In addition, the majority of aerial mapping is done in the spring every year, so Ayres has over 45 years of experience performing and delivering during periods of high demand. We make use of cross- trained personnel who can work on lidar or imagery as the workflow requires. 9 Location relative to project: Although headquartered in Wisconsin, Ayres is a national company, with approximately 60 employees in the Rocky Mountain region. Ayres is listed as a GIS contractor on the Montana Association of Geographic Information Professionals (MAGIP), and Ayres personnel holds membership in the organization. Ayres has performed aerial mapping work in Montana as well as Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Additionally, KLJ, who is performing the control survey work, has an office in Bozeman, and 95 West, who is performing the aerial data acquisition, will be mobilizing from Grand Forks, ND, and has experience in the Western United States. Ayres is currently providing aerial mapping and processing services for both the City of Bozeman and the Montana State Library, and has completed work for the Montana DOT, so we are able to successfully perform work for Montana clients. 9 Related experience on similar projects: In the past five years, Ayres has performed 39 aerial mapping projects that used both lidar and imagery. During that same period, we have completed 81 aerial mapping projects for municipal governments, or approximately one project for a municipality every three weeks, year-round. We have the capacity and experience to successfully complete the City’s orthoimagery and lidar projects. 9 Recent and current work for the City: Ayres is nearing completion of the City’s Land Use/Land Cover mapping project, which was contracted in July, 2023. Ayres also worked with the City in 2018 to support an EPA brownfield grant application. J) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Additional Options Ayres understands that the City of Bozeman is asking for cost-effective datasets, which we have responded to on the preceding pages. Ayres works with many municipalities on similar projects and has found several products that help increase the return on investment for these projects. We are excited to recommend several options to the City to help increase the value of your project. Ayres Lidar Online Ayres Lidar Online is a 3D, browser-based application used by a number of local governments to make lidar data publicly accessible. Users can take measurements between two points and see the separate horizontal and vertical distances, they can generate contours and select the contour interval, and they can view the point cloud to see features such as buildings and trees. 39AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. Optional data creation and hosting of layers can include:• Slope shade bare earth layer • Shaded relief bare earth layer • Hillshade bare earth layer • Elevation surface layer from lidar DEM • Ground lidar point cloud • High vegetation lidar point cloud layer colorized with imagery • High vegetation lidar point cloud layer colorized with 2021 NAIP imagery • Building lidar point cloud layer (includes bridge decks) colorized with imagery • 1-foot topographic contour layer • RGB Orthoimagery layer• NIR Orthoimagery layer • Base map streets layer • County boundaries • Municipal boundaries • Tax Parcels Additional Planimetric Mapping. Ayres can also extract a wide range of additional features from the aerial imagery. Below are some common features that can be extracted in addition to those listed above:• Gravel, dirt, and paved surfaces• Medians• Paths• Parks• Parking lots• Patios• Driveways• Pools• Railroad surfaces• Bridges• Walls• Curb and gutter• Utilities (manholes, vaults, etc.) Lidar Derived Enhancements. Ayres has derived a number of other data products from lidar for local governments. These can be added to the contract as possible, or provided in the future as the City is able to utilize them. A few examples of additional products are:• closed depressions where standing water may occur• road profiles for drainage and repair• slope of ditch banks to assess stability and erodibility• low points in pavement for potential standing water• slope of road banks for safety and stability assessment Ayres would welcome the chance to discuss and demonstrate these additional data products to the City. For Bozeman’s specific needs, the City needs to be confident in the ability of the consultant to perform to the highest quality standards, be responsive to its cost and timeline needs, and be accountable for the results. Through previous projects that Ayres completed for a number of cities, counties, and municipalities, our team has demonstrated that we are not only reliable, but that we are also professional in how we manage your projects. Because our projects start with education and communication, you can be assured that our team understands the goals of the City and know that we appreciate the importance of communication with all stakeholders throughout the life cycle of our projects. Ayres has an experienced team of professionals to address your project goals, including stakeholder outreach and education, grant writing, project planning, data processing, and delivery of enhanced products for specialized uses such as culverts and hydro-modified DEMs. We have a long history of project success and are able to handle projects of any size. Ayres handles thousands of square miles of lidar processing yearly, with a high degree of expertise. 40AYRES | DIGITAL ORTHOIMAGERY AND LIDAR ACQUISITION | CITY OF BOZEMAN, MT Ingenuity, Integrity, and Intelligence. K) NONDISCRIMINATION & EQUAL PAY Attachment 1 NONDISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL PAY AFFIRMATION Ayres Associates Inc (name of entity submitting) 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, Ayres Associates Inc (name of entity submitting) 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. HR Director Name and title of person authorized to sign on behalf of submitter