Brian R. Leahy Director Edmund G. Brown Jr. Governor Request for Information Request for Information School Integrated Pest Management Video Series This document is a Request for Information (RFI) for the development of video training modules or a series of education videos on integrated pest management (IPM) in schools. The (DPR) is seeking to encourage innovative approaches by qualified providers to meet important program objectives. This RFI is non-binding. DPR will have no obligation under it and no contract will be awarded based on it. A response to the RFI is optional and not a requirement of any subsequent procurement. Responses may be used to structure a Request for Proposal (RFP), which may serve as the basis of a contract award. If DPR decides to issue an RFP, the RFP will be distributed to all respondents to this RFI in addition to other public business opportunity postings. I. INTRODUCTION The California Healthy Schools Act requires DPR to promote school IPM and provide assistance to California school districts that voluntarily adopt IPM practices. IPM is a pest management strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pest problems by stopping pest entry into buildings, improving sanitation, monitoring pest presence, and using non-chemical pest management practices. Pesticides that pose the least possible hazard are used only after careful monitoring indicates they are needed. This RFI offers you the opportunity to present your ideas on how you would work with DPR to produce videos that promote IPM in schools and educate school staff on IPM principles and techniques. Additionally, you can describe the scope of your experience and capabilities to develop educational videos. II. BACKGROUND The Healthy Schools Act requires schools to follow certain rules about posting signs, informing parents and staff, and keeping records when pesticides are used. While these important requirements make pesticide use at schools more transparent, they do not require schools to use less hazardous pesticides, fewer pesticides, or IPM. Since 2003, DPR s school IPM program has been providing full-day, hands-on training workshops on landscape and structural school IPM. Fifty training workshops have been completed at locations throughout the state. The workshops take place on an actual school 1001 I Street P.O. Box 4015 Sacramento, California 95812-4015 www.cdpr.ca.gov Printed on recycled paper, 100% post-consumer--processed chlorine-free. A Department of the California Environmental Protection Agency
Page 2 of 6 campus and are directed at operation, maintenance and landscaping school district staff. See workshops photos here: http://apps.cdpr.ca.gov/schoolipm/training/schoolipm_training_ppt.pdf To supplement the in-person training, DPR also created a comprehensive guidebook to help schools implement IPM programs and maintains an extensive school IPM internet site (http://apps.cdpr.ca.gov/schoolipm/). Representatives from 84% of California s school districts have attended a DPR school IPM workshop. These 808 districts that have at least one staff person trained in IPM account for 97% of the students enrolled in K-12 public schools. Many districts can only afford to send one staff member to a DPR workshop and those districts that have not sent anyone to a DPR workshop are usually located in remote areas, or are very small districts with minimal staff and training budgets. The main challenge the School IPM program faces is that there are over 10,000 schools in California and a successful IPM program requires the entire school site staff to understand the district s pest prevention and management strategy. III. GOALS The goal of this video series is to provide an effective training tool (short, interesting videos) that promotes and educates school district personnel about IPM. We want to: Engage the school district operations, maintenance, grounds and landscape staff who deal with pest issues and may currently use pesticides. Teach this group the basics of school IPM with technical accuracy. Persuade this group to use IPM practices (Especially targeting those who have not attended our school IPM workshop and who are not using IPM). Use contemporary video techniques (editing, interactive, multimedia). Have videos that can be web-based and on DVD. The video series should entice school districts to use IPM, encourage them to seek more training, and educate them as to how to begin or expand their practice of IPM. IV. PROJECT CONCEPT This video series will consist of 11 videos covering various topics on school IPM. The length of each video will vary from approximately 5-15 minutes. The videos need to be catchy, motivational and technically informative. The videos should be in a format that can be easily accessed through various media outlets and devices such as YouTube, Facebook and mobile devices. For most of this video series, the target audience will be school district maintenance, operations grounds, and landscape staff (typically males between the ages of 25-50). However, the videos
Page 3 of 6 should not be so technical that they are inaccessible to other district staff and the larger school community. Videos 2 and 3 will focus on the California Healthy Schools Act. Video 2 will target executive level school district staff (e.g. superintendent, principal, business officers). Videos 5-11 will have minimal or no California specific references and focus on IPM practices. Videos 5-11 will be appropriate for other states use. Topics of videos 1. Introduction to DPR and School IPM Video Series (1-3 minutes) 2. Introduction to the Healthy Schools Act and IPM for School Administrators and Directors (3-5 minutes) 3. California Healthy Schools Act Compliance (3-5 minutes) 4. Contracting a Pest Control Company to do School IPM (5-7 minutes) 5. Prevention of Pests in Schools (5-7 minutes) 6. Inspection and Monitoring of Pests in Schools (5-7 minutes) 7. IPM for Ants in Schools (10-15 minutes) 8. IPM for Cockroaches in Schools (10-15 minutes) (See Attachment 1 for a draft outline of this video). 9. IPM for Mice and Rats in Schools (10-15 minutes) 10. IPM for Gophers at Schools (10-15 minutes) 11. IPM for Landscape and Turf Grass Weeds at Schools (10-15 minutes) Locations The videos will be filmed on at least two California school campuses, indoors and outdoors. School campus scenes will represent different demographics and show regional related IPM problems (urban vs. rural, inland vs. coastal, etc.). We anticipate some filming will also take place at the film studio. Scene ideas Settings for scenes will likely include radically different lighting, such as under the sink in the kitchen; in classrooms and administrative offices; and outside scenes such as on athletic fields and blacktop areas, and playgrounds. Scene ideas include: IPM professionals, DPR staff, or actors demonstrating IPM techniques on school sites video of key school pests (or photos, if video is unavailable) video of problems associated with pests computer animation to emphasize pest issue or management technique (if within budget) video of brief (30 second) conversations between two people video of students, teachers, etc. in routine activities that relate to IPM (eg. using covered trash can, placing classroom or cafeteria food items in sealed containers).
Page 4 of 6 computer animation in beginning and/or end using some or all of the following: DPR School IPM program logo, DPR logo, US EPA logo, and California Department of Education logo. Individual Shots Producing the scenes above, especially demonstrating IPM techniques in a real school setting, will necessitate many different shots with lighting and camera changes. Budget The total budget for this project has not been finalized but will likely be between $75,000 and $125,000. V. OBJECTIVE DPR wishes to explore the engagement of a professional producer/production team with significant expertise and experience in production of educational outreach videos. Response administration Any information you provide will be appreciated. Responding to each item below, while valued, isn t required. A. Responses requested: (1) Provide information on the skills and level of expertise needed to produce the entire video series (including script writing, filming, editing, etc.). (2) Provide planning details and rough cost estimates for the various stages of production including: initial research, script consultation/writing, hiring and direction of actors or IPM practitioners, shooting schedules/locations, production crew size and logistics, taping and post production, reproduction/distribution options. (3) How would you incorporate DPR staff into your scripting and filming processes? How would you incorporate DPR review and feedback into your end product, schedule and budget? What would be the mechanism for adapting if the video does not seem to be meeting DPR s vision? (4) Suggest quickest possible completion time for each phase of the project and the entire video project. (5) What specific methods would you employ to make the videos catch a person s interest and engage them, making the videos appealing and memorable?
Page 5 of 6 (6) What methods would you employ to convince schools to do IPM? How would you change the tone of the videos when the audience is a high level school administrator level (e.g. Superintendent) versus a technician (e.g. groundskeeper)? (7) Do you think the suggested lengths for the videos are realistic for teaching the material and yet short enough to keep audience interest for the entire video? (8) Have you ever filmed small insects or something similar? Do you have ideas of how to use animation or other techniques to portray pest identification and behaviors such as a cockroach running into a crevice before a human approaches or a mouse flattening itself to fit through a small gap under a door? What kind of budget would be needed to portray the two scenarios outlined above? (9) Provide specific recommendations on scripting, casting, filming, and editing for the production of a single 10-15 minute video focused on cockroach IPM at school sites. See the included Attachment 1 for the draft outline of concepts for the video. (10) Provide 3 sample videos you have made with examples of techniques you would recommend using for this video series. Add written description if necessary. (11) Any other information or suggestions you may have in providing services designed to meet the stated project goals. B. Questions regarding the RFI Questions regarding the RFI may be addressed in writing to Laurie Brajkovich at Laurie.Brajkovich@cdpr.ca.gov. Respondents may be invited to a conference call to discuss questions they have about the project. C. Responses Due Please submit your response with information no later than 5 PM on October 4, 2013. To: Mitzi Spatz P.O. Box 4015, MS 4A Sacramento, CA 95812-4015 Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Unless otherwise required by law, DPR will treat as confidential those confidential materials clearly marked as such. DPR reserves the right to cancel or reissue this RFI, or to change the time for a response or any other term of the RFI without obligation or liability. DPR may modify the RFI prior to the date fixed for the submission by postal mailing, emailing an addendum to the respondents known be interested in submitting a response.
Page 6 of 6 It is anticipated that DPR will release a RFP in Winter 2013/14. If interested in being placed on the mailing list for this RFP, please submit your company name, contact information and qualifications to: Pest Management and Licensing Attn: Laurie Brajkovich P.O. Box 4015, MS 3A Sacramento, CA 95812 Laurie.Brajkovich@cdpr.ca.gov 916-445-9903 Certified Small Business/Micro Business, Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise, and California Multiple Award Schedule vendors are encouraged to respond as well as all other qualified vendors. Please contact Laurie Brajkovich for further information.