If you’re bidding on a land survey job that includes drone mapping, check the client’s drone rules before you submit your price. The client may ask for proof that your equipment meets NDAA or other contract requirements.
This checklist helps you gather the paperwork for that bid: the client’s equipment rules, supplier records for the drone you plan to use, and any other documents the client asks you to submit. It also helps you track what is due with the bid and what must be ready before flying.
An RFP is a request for proposals. It tells firms what work the client needs and how to submit an offer. In this guide, your bid means your firm’s offer to perform the survey, including the scope, price, and plan for doing the job.
NDAA stands for National Defense Authorization Act. Some of these laws set limits on which drones can be used for certain work. When a client asks for an NDAA-compliant drone, find out which rule the job requires you to meet and what proof the client wants.
This can matter even when you are selling survey services. Some federal drone contract rules cover the aircraft used to perform the work. The client does not have to be buying a drone for an equipment restriction to affect the job.
Start with the bid documents. Use our NDAA-compliant drone guide for background, then check the requirements for the specific work you want to bid.
Find the parts of the bid documents that cover drones, data, and outside service providers. Check any updates to the bid instructions. If you work under an engineering firm or another contractor, ask which of its client’s rules also apply to your survey work.
Look for answers to these questions:
If the wording is unclear, ask the contact named in the bid documents to explain it in writing. For federal work, contract wording can differ by agency. Use the rules included in this job’s documents, rather than assuming a past bid used the same terms.
Give your supplier the equipment requirement from the bid documents. Ask what records support the drone, sensor, controller, and services you plan to use.
Useful information may include:
A statement about a different model does not answer a question about the aircraft you plan to fly. Ask for a clear link between the supplier’s records and your equipment.
If the job calls for a check under the American Security Drone Act, follow the current SAM screening instructions. SAM is the System for Award Management. Keep a record of the names checked, the date, and the results. If a result is unclear, ask the client what records are needed before saying your equipment meets the rule.
Do not assume that a sales phrase such as “American made” answers every equipment question. Match the supplier’s proof to the client’s rule. If the job depends on an exception or waiver, confirm the written approval the contract requires.
Equipment restrictions are one part of the bid review. The client may also have separate requirements for the flight, data handling, and finished survey files.
Name the pilot and aircraft you expect to use. Gather the relevant pilot certificate, training record, aircraft registration, and Remote ID information. The FAA’s commercial drone guidance explains the Part 107 rules for small drone operations.
Check whether the planned flight needs an airspace authorization or another approval. The FAA’s airspace guidance explains how to request authorization. An application is not an approval.
Find out what must be ready when you bid and what must be approved before flying. Record who will handle each item and when it is needed. A pilot certificate does not prove that the aircraft meets the client’s purchasing rules.
Tell the client what happens to the data after the flight. Will your office process it, or will an outside company do that work? Where will the files be stored? Who will be able to access them?
Check those answers against any data rules in the bid documents. If you use an outside processor, ask it for the information needed to support your response. Do the same for any outside flight crew.
Keep the description simple: who collects the data, who processes it, who checks it, and who sends the finished files. Define those drone mapping service responsibilities before promising them to the client.
Name the outputs the client will receive. These might include a point cloud, topographic surface, contours, or an orthomosaic (an aerial image map). Confirm the required file formats, coordinate system, units, and accuracy checks.
Explain how your team plans to check the work. Use the field setup and control checklist to plan field records. For imagery, the orthomosaic handoff checklist covers checks before delivery.
Describe a planned check as a plan. Do not present results from another job as proof of accuracy for a survey you have not yet performed.
Keep the bid instructions and supporting documents together. Use the example below to build your own checklist. Copy the actual requirements and deadlines from the bid documents, and put a person’s name beside each task. Equipment restrictions, flight permissions, and survey deliverables are separate checks.
Illustrative planning checklist: Use only the items required for your job.
| Client requirement | Supporting document | Person responsible | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allowed drone or setup, if restricted | Supplier’s written response naming the model, setup, and rule addressed | Project lead and supplier | Date stated in the bid |
| American Security Drone Act check, if required | Dated record of the required SAM search, with names checked and results | Person preparing the bid | Timing required by the contract |
| Pilot or flight records, if requested | Applicable pilot and aircraft records; flight approval when needed | Remote pilot and project lead | Bid deadline or before flying, as applicable |
| Processing or storage rules, if specified | Written plan naming the processor, storage location, and outside providers | Office lead or processor | Date stated in the bid |
| Survey files and quality checks, if requested | Deliverable list and planned checks, including formats, coordinates, and units | Surveyor reviewing the work | With the bid, if requested |
A plan for future survey checks is not a finished accuracy report. Send the records the client requires at each stage.
Before you submit, check that:
Send what the client asks for. Keep a copy of the bid you submitted. If your aircraft, crew, processing provider, or scope changes, check which documents need an update.
Start with the records listed in the bid instructions. These may include the aircraft’s maker and model, a supplier statement that addresses the equipment rule, and a record of any required restriction-list check. Confirm which records are due with the bid. Send separate pilot, flight, or data-handling records when the client asks for them.
Requirements depend on the buyer, funding, and contract terms. Read the rules for each job before claiming that your aircraft meets them.
No. A remote pilot certificate concerns the pilot’s qualifications. It does not establish that the drone meets a client’s equipment restrictions.
Use it when it supports the actual requirement and covers your equipment. Ask the buyer to clarify what proof it will accept if the instructions are unclear.
Before your next bid, check the job’s rules and get the records that support your response. Talk with SmartDrone about your survey project, including the equipment, processing support, and files the client needs.