Progressive Technology Federal Systems, Inc. (PTFS) is proud to announce our selection by the Department of Defense’s Defense Media Activity (DMA) for a new DoD Contract to Digitize Historical Media, leading the Media Digitization Support (MDS) effort for the Defense Visual Information Records Center (DVIRC).
Furthermore, this contract positions PTFS as a premier provider of archival-quality digitization services for federal agencies seeking to preserve and modernize their historical media collections.
A Strategic Contract for the Federal Government
The DMA MDS contract is a cornerstone initiative to digitize and preserve the Department of Defense’s vast archive of visual information (VI) assets. These include still photographs, motion picture film, audio recordings, and other legacy media formats. The contract supports not only the DoD but also other federal entities such as museums, historical offices, libraries, and research centers that require secure, high-fidelity digitization of their media holdings.
PTFS’s role in this contract underscores our leadership in federal digitization services and our commitment to preserving the nation’s historical and cultural records. With over 25 years of experience and more than 100 million images digitized, PTFS delivers scalable, standards-compliant, and secure digitization solutions.
Learn more about our full range of Government Media Conversion Services available through the DMA IDIQ.
Who Should Use This Contract?
In particular, this DoD Contract to Digitize Historical Media is a streamlined solution available to all federal agencies and institutions that manage legacy or mission-critical collections.
Ideal users include:
- Federal museums and archives
- Military history offices
- Government libraries and research centers
- Public affairs and communications offices
- Agencies with legacy audiovisual collections
Whether you’re managing 16mm film reels, glass plate negatives, VHS tapes, or aerial reconnaissance imagery, PTFS provides the expertise and infrastructure to digitize, preserve, and make your content discoverable through the Knowvation® Content Services Platform, which provides advanced metadata management and intuitive, searchable archives.
What We Digitize
To that end, PTFS digitizes a wide range of media formats under the DMA MDS contract, including everything from still imagery to complex motion media:
- Still Imagery: prints, slides, negatives, glass plates, lantern slides, magazines, and graphics
- Motion Media: 8mm, 16mm, 35mm, and 70mm film; VHS, U-Matic, Betacam, MiniDV, DVCPro, and more
- Audio: reel-to-reel, cassette, DAT, and disc media
- Mixed Media: collections and slide sets with synchronized audio
Our digitization workflows are designed to meet or exceed the standards set by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative (FADGI), and the Department of Defense.
Our digitization workflows ensure full compliance with Executive Order M-23-07, helping agencies meet the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)’s move to fully electronic recordkeeping.
Why PTFS?
PTFS leads a team of strategic partners for specialty items each with decades of experience in media preservation. As a result of our strategic partnerships, we offer a comprehensive suite of services, including FADGI-compliant digitization and secure, DoD-cleared facilities:
- FADGI-compliant digitization
- Secure, DoD-cleared facilities
- Advanced metadata capture and indexing
- Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and ADA/Section 508 compliance
- Redundant facilities for continuity of operations
- Secure delivery via hard drive or FedRAMP-compliant cloud platforms
Our Rockville, MD headquarters includes a 2,400-square-foot digitization department with Top Secret clearance and environmental controls to protect sensitive and fragile materials.
Our Process: From Intake to Delivery
PTFS employs a meticulous, multi-step process to ensure the highest quality and security:
- Secure Intake & Inventory: All materials are barcoded, tracked, and stored in secure, climate-controlled environments.
- Inspection & Preparation: Media is cleaned, repaired, and prepared using industry best practices.
- Digitization: Using state-of-the-art equipment, we digitize media at resolutions up to 6.5K for film and 600 dpi for still images.
- Quality Control: Every file undergoes rigorous QA/QC checks for image fidelity, audio sync, and metadata accuracy.
- Metadata & File Structuring: Metadata is captured manually and automatically, embedded in IPTC headers, and structured for easy retrieval.
- Delivery & Archival: Files are delivered in archival formats (e.g., JPEG2000, MOV, WAV) via secure physical or cloud-based methods.
Security and Compliance
Security is paramount. PTFS facilities meet CFR 1234 standards and feature motion detectors, fire suppression systems, and 24/7 monitoring. All personnel are U.S. citizens with appropriate security clearances. Our information assurance protocols align with NIST SP 800-53 and the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM).
Proven Track Record
PTFS has successfully delivered digitization services to over 110 federal agencies, including:
- Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC)
- Missile Defense Agency (MDA)
- Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- Library of Congress
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Our team has digitized millions of pages, images, and hours of audiovisual content—many of them classified or historically significant.
Start Your Digitization Project Today
If your agency needs to preserve legacy collections, the DoD Contract to Digitize Historical Media via the DMA MDS program offers a secure, cost-effective path forward. PTFS is ready to support your mission with unmatched expertise, technology, and care.
Request a Demo
Schedule a 20 minute meeting with our experts to understand how you can control your content.