Audiovisual Productions – BOP Program Statement 1580.05

U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Prisons

Program Statement

OPI: IPD

NUMBER: 1580.05

DATE: 3/29/2002

SUBJECT: Audiovisual Productions

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

To plan for audiovisual production and equipment needs and enhance the effectiveness of the Bureau’s communications and public information efforts; to ensure consistency in communicating the Bureau’s mission, operations, programs, and services; to ensure appropriate use of audiovisual equipment and facilities; and to ensure compliance with regulations controlling Federal audiovisual production.

The Bureau disseminates a variety of information through the development of timely, cost-effective audiovisual productions.

The Bureau uses audiovisual productions to train staff and to inform the public and inmates of the Bureau’s mission, operations, programs, and services, as well as the range of issues and challenges the Bureau confronts.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Changes were made to this program statement to make it conform to Department of Justice regulations and National Audiovisual Center requirements.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The expected results of this program are:

a. Audiovisual production activities will be conducted in accordance with applicable Federal regulations.
b. Bureau audiovisual productions will be well planned and approved by appropriate authorities. Management controls will be in place to ensure efficiency in audiovisual activities, production, and acquisition.
c. Any establishment, transfer, expansion, or termination of any audiovisual production facility will be centrally controlled.
d. A library of audiovisual productions will be maintained.

DIRECTIVES AFFECTED

Directive Rescinded

PS 1580.04, Audiovisual Productions (3/5/98)

Directives Referenced

28 CFR 39.160

41 CFR Subpart 101-11.1

48 CFR Chapter 1 (Federal Acquisition Regulations)

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular No. A-130 (Revised), November 30, 2000, “Management of Federal Information Resources”

DOJ Order 2520.3C, Audiovisual, Graphics, and Photographic Activities (7/16/91)

STANDARD REFERENCED

American Correctional Association 3d Edition Standards for Adult Correctional Institutions: 3-4021

DEFINITIONS

Audiovisual Equipment

Electronic equipment that can be used to record, edit, or duplicate sound and/or moving images.

Audiovisual Production

A presentation developed according to a plan or script containing sound and visual imagery to convey information using slides, filmstrips, motion pictures, audiotapes, videotapes, discs, still photography, graphics, or combinations of these media.

Audiovisual Library

Any space designated for storage of film, audio or videotapes, discs, slide presentations, or mixed media.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Assistant Director for Information, Policy, and Public Affairs (IPPA) has oversight responsibility for:

audiovisual productions developed for the general public,
informational products for Bureau staff and inmates, and
the review and/or approval of all non-IPPA proposed audiovisual productions.

The Assistant Director for Human Resource Management (HRM) has oversight responsibility for:

audiovisual productions developed for staff training, and
the review and/or approval of audiovisual productions proposed by the IPPA Division.

The Chief, Communications and Archives Section, Office of Public Affairs, is the Bureau’s point of contact for audiovisual matters (see DOJ Order 2520.3C, Sections 5.a.(2) and 13.b.(2)); is responsible for ensuring that the audiovisual production approval process (Section 10) is followed and that the audiovisual production sponsor is notified of the outcome; is responsible for maintaining files (memoranda, background materials, and documentation of approval or disapproval) on audiovisual productions; and is responsible for maintaining the Bureau’s audiovisual library.

ANNUAL AUDIOVISUAL PLAN

By August 1 each year, the Chief, Communications and Archives Section, will submit an Annual Audiovisual Plan for the coming fiscal year to the Director of the Facilities and Administrative Services Staff (FASS) in the Department of Justice.

The Plan will include:

All proposed audiovisual productions for the coming fiscal year costing more than $5,000.
Any proposed acquisition, transfer, or disposal of audiovisual production equipment.
Any proposed establishment, transfer, expansion, or termination of an audiovisual production facility.

Each proposed audiovisual production will include the following:

Production title.
Sponsor (Division, Branch, Office, or Institution).
Purpose, objectives, treatment, and medium selected.
Audience and distribution plan.
Evaluation plan.
Useful life.
Estimated cost.

ANNUAL AUDIOVISUAL REPORT

By November 30 each year, the Chief, Communications and Archives Section, will submit an Annual Audiovisual Report to the Director of FASS.

The report will include:

All audiovisual productions in the previous fiscal year costing more than $5,000.
All acquisitions, transfers, or disposals of audiovisual production equipment.
Any establishment, transfer, expansion, or termination of an audiovisual production facility.
The name, title, and telephone number of the individual designated to serve as the Bureau’s point of contact for audiovisual matters.

Each audiovisual production will include the following:

Production title.
Sponsor (Division, Branch, Office, or Institution).
Total cost.

AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION APPROVAL

A proposal for an audiovisual production will be submitted on the Audiovisual Production Proposal form (Attachment A). The form is to be completed by the audiovisual production’s sponsor. All estimated costs associated with production, editing, duplication, distribution, and evaluation must be included. Estimated contract costs should include the amount paid directly to suppliers.

For any in-house audiovisual production, the estimated salary costs for government employees must be included. The Communications and Archives Section is available to assist the sponsor in estimating costs for an audiovisual production.

When audiovisual productions are a component of a larger computer-based training project or satellite broadcast, only the cost associated with the project’s audiovisual portion must be considered.

When incorporating copyrighted material into an audiovisual production, it is the requesting office’s responsibility to obtain written permission from the copyright holder prior to submitting the Audiovisual Production Proposal.

Approval Authority for Limited-Use, Low-Cost Audiovisual Productions.

Any proposal to create an audiovisual production designed for one-time or limited local use, and for which total production and processing costs do not exceed $5,000, may be approved by the Warden, Branch Chief and Assistant Director, or local Chief Executive Officer.

Approval Authority for All Other Audiovisual Productions.

Any proposal that does not meet the description in subsection d., and is not otherwise exempted under Section 18, will be forwarded (after local approval) to the Chief, Communications and Archives Section, for processing.

The Chief, Communications and Archives Section, will ensure the proposal is processed according to the following guidelines:

Any audiovisual production costing from $5,001 to $20,000, or costing less than $5,001 but not covered by subsection d. of this section, will have the approval of the sponsoring Warden and Regional Director or Branch Chief and Assistant Director and will be forwarded to either:
- The Assistant Director for IPPA for final approval of a non-IPPA production, or
- The Assistant Director for HRM for final approval of an IPPA production or productions intended for use in training staff.
Any audiovisual production costing from $20,001 to $50,000 will have approvals as outlined in subsection (1) above and must be forwarded to the Director for final approval.
Any audiovisual production costing more than $50,000 will have approvals as outlined in subsections (1) and (2) above and must be forwarded to the Assistant Attorney General for Administration in the Department of Justice for final approval.

CLOSED-CAPTIONING

The video portion of any audiovisual production whose intended audience is the inmate population or the general public will be closed-captioned for hearing impaired viewers, with the following exceptions:

Any audiovisual production intended primarily for staff need not be closed-captioned.
Audiovisual productions produced by Federal Prison Industries for promotional purposes need not be closed-captioned.

CONTRACTING FOR AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION SERVICES

The use of commercial contractors for an audiovisual production or service is encouraged and should be used unless:

another government, college or university, or internal source is less expensive and will not result in a production of significantly lesser quality; or
an outside commercial vendor is not feasible because of time or other constraints that mandate internal production.

The Project Officer must include the Rights in Data–General Clause, Section 52.227-14, of the Federal Acquisition Regulation in any commercial vendor contract for purchasing audiovisual production services.

If a commercial contractor is used, the commercial vendor will deliver a list of all original materials retained when production is completed. The contract should specify the Bureau’s right of access to all such materials. The list will be forwarded to the Chief, Communications and Archives Section, for placement in the Audiovisual Library.

The vendor will be required to submit one high-quality, industry-standard videotape of the final production version for the Bureau’s use for duplication and distribution.

EVALUATION

To ensure the objectives are met, an evaluation of an audiovisual production must be conducted as decided by the approving authority. The evaluation will be based upon the objectives presented in the Audiovisual Production Proposal. Public information audiovisual productions are exempt from this requirement.

FEDERAL AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION REPORT

The requesting office will complete a Federal Audiovisual Production Report (SF-202) for every audiovisual production made for training or educational purposes and produced for public use. The report and a copy of the production is to be submitted to the:

National Audiovisual Center
National Technical Information Service
Department of Commerce
Office of Media Services
5285 Port Royal Rd, Rm 1220
Springfield VA 22151

A copy of the report will be sent along with two copies of the audiovisual production (see Section 15) to the Chief, Communications and Archives Section.

AUDIOVISUAL LIBRARY

The Communications and Archives Section in the Office of Public Affairs will serve as the repository for audiovisual productions.

Producing offices must send the Communications and Archives Section two copies of every completed audiovisual production that meets any of the following criteria:

required approval per Section 10.e.,
has national or historical significance,
contains any member of the Executive Staff discussing policy issues, or
is intended for audiences other than Bureau personnel.

Each submission will include the following information:

the program title,
a synopsis of the content,
running time,
media format (film size, type, format, etc.),
year produced,
location of the master,
intended audience, and
contact person’s name and telephone number.

By November 30 each year, the Chief, Communications and Archives Section, will submit to the Director of FASS an updated inventory of the audiovisual library (including bibliographic information).

The Communications and Archives Section will keep a list of stock footage with references to the location of the footage. Any Bureau office contemplating an audiovisual production will contact the Communications and Archives Section to determine whether stock footage can be used to enhance production quality and/or lower production cost.

The Chief, Communications and Archives Section, will maintain a record of loans of audiovisual productions from the audiovisual library.

AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTIONS INVOLVING THE DIRECTOR

Whenever an audiovisual production involves the Director’s participation, taping or filming will be arranged at least 45 days in advance. A proposed script or talking points will be submitted to the Chief, Communications and Archives Section, at least 30 days before the scheduled filming, with a final script or talking points due 15 days in advance.

DISPOSAL

No audiovisual production (including limited-use, low-cost productions) will be disposed of without prior clearance from the Chief, Communications and Archives Section, who must:

review all audiovisual productions slated for disposal and, where appropriate, retain them for Bureau archival purposes; or
forward the material to the National Archives and Records Administration.

EXEMPTIONS

Audiovisual productions and equipment that are exempt from the provisions of this Program Statement are:

Still photography prints, slides, enlargements, and audiotapes, unless used for a slide presentation or exhibition in which the total production and processing cost exceeds $5,000.
Graphic art work.
Any product resulting from surveillance or evidentiary procedures or from the need for incident documentation.
Any training session videotape, such as a role play, provided such tapes are erased, re-recorded, or given to trainees once classes are completed.
Products provided through the exclusive use of photomechanical, cartographic, x-ray or microfilm/fiche/form methods, or products resulting from photo-instrumentation, or items with a security classification of confidential or higher.
Video equipment purchases intended primarily for surveillance, incident documentation, or other criminal or evidentiary purposes.
Information Updates, conference summaries, or other programs that are marked to show a useful life of less than one year or materials produced for one-time dissemination to staff.

/s/
Kathleen Hawk Sawyer
Director

FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION PROPOSAL

1. PRODUCTION TITLE:

2. SPONSOR (Division/Branch/Office/Institution):

3. CONTACT
Name:
Title:
Telephone Number:

4. PURPOSE:

5. OBJECTIVES:

6. ANTICIPATED USEFUL LIFE (Describe any need for periodic updating):

7. TREATMENT (To accomplish production’s purpose—briefly describe completed product’s length, content, and approach):

8. MEDIUM SELECTION (Discuss the selected medium, any alternatives considered, and the reasons for the selection):

9. TARGET AUDIENCE (Include size and characteristics and provide cost per viewer using estimated budget):

10. DISTRIBUTION AND PROMOTION PLAN:

11. EVALUATION PLAN:

12. ESTIMATED BUDGET (production, editing, duplication, distribution, and evaluation):

Review and Approval

Authority	Signature (when needed)	Approval (Yes/No)	Date
Warden/Branch Chief/ Chief Executive Officer
Regional Director/ Assistant Director
Assistant Director Information, Policy, and Public Affairs
Assistant Director Human Resource Management Division
Director

LOCAL REPRODUCTION AUTHORIZED

Audiovisual Productions – BOP Program Statement 1580.05 Download

Published Feb 6, 2025 by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA | Last Updated by Christopher Zoukis, JD, MBA on Feb 25, 2025 at 9:08 pm