Aerial Imagery Services

The intent of this RFP is to enter into one (1) contract with a single offeror (“Contractor”) to provide the County with aerial imagery services and related viewing and analysis software. Montgomery County will continue to utilize the latest aerial imagery collection and viewing technologies to enhance these and other workflows. In addition to traditional imagery uses, advances in GIS technologies have made (Artificial Intelligence) AI-driven deep learning models more widespread and accessible. These include object detection, pixel classification, and change detection tools. Many of these tools are available to the County’s GIS community. While setting several basic requirements for the County’s imagery program, this RFP will also evaluate respondents’ expertise with recent AI advancements and their influence on imagery needs and specifications. For example, the County recently used its ortho imagery catalog and deep learning tools to identify solar panel locations and assess progress on renewable energy goals. The County expects these types of applications to expand over time. We encourage respondents to share their knowledge of AI tools and imagery, and to discuss the importance of data formats, resolution, collection parameters (such as solar angle), and other considerations given the growth of AI and deep learning in imagery tools. Offeror’s knowledge regarding leveraging aerial imagery for AI and machine learning applications is considered in the evaluation criteria.