B08_Attachment_1_-_Statement_of_Work.pdf

WORKSHOP DEVELOPMENT & FACILITATION SERVICES

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CHESAPEAKE GATEWAYS

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND

I. BACKGROUND

The National Park Service, through its mission, cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world. NPS Chesapeake Gateways, specifically, was established by

Congress under the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act of 1998 to create a network of

Chesapeake Bay Gateways sites and watertrails and to aid state and local governments, local communities, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector in conserving, restoring, and interpreting important historic, cultural, recreational, and natural resources within the

Chesapeake Bay watershed. For over 25 years, the National Park Service has convened a variety of meetings, symposia, workshops, and trainings to provide technical and financial assistance to those partners. Convenings such as these have been critical to the success in implementing the statutory requirements of the Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act through meaningful in-person work.

With the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it is a prime opportunity to extend the values, expertise, and benefits of the National Park

Service to partners of Chesapeake Gateways as gateway communities to our nation’s origin story. On January 29, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14189, “Celebrating

America's 250th Birthday” calling for federal agencies to provide a grand celebration worthy of the momentous occasion of the 250th anniversary of American Independence on

July 4, 2026. Later both EO 14253, “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” followed by Secretary Order 3431 affirm the timeliness of this endeavor. From the first successful colony in British North America at Jamestown, VA to the rich coal mining heritage of Appalachia in West Virginia and the seafood industry along the waterways of

Maryland, the greatness of the achievements and progress of the American people are inherent in the natural features, the beauty, abundance, and grandeur of the American landscape within our region. NPS Chesapeake Gateways has the resources and structure to guide sites across the watershed in connecting visitors with our Nation’s extraordinary heritage.

To this end, the National Park Service has determined to host three two-day workshops in key gateway communities in the Chesapeake to help partners further refine storytelling and tourism initiatives related to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A previous iteration of this workshop series was presented in partnership with Preservation

Maryland in the Fall of 2024. There was a mix of ten virtual and in-person sessions that brought together regional stakeholders for three hours of envisioning compelling events and programs that commemorate American history. In the evaluations of the 2024 series, partners expressed a strong desire to reconvene for more intensive planning through guided facilitation. This next set of two-day workshops will serve as a deeper dive into planning for 2026’s historic celebrations in three of these nationally significant Chesapeake communities.

II. PURPOSE

The purpose of this project is to provide technical assistance through facilitation and training to Chesapeake Gateways sites and partners in support of their planning for the

250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

III. SCOPE OF WORK

Independently, and not as an agent of the government, the contractor shall provide all planning and support services including labor, materials, and equipment (except as otherwise specified) necessary to develop and present three partner-focused workshops.

A. Requirements for the Completed Project

• General Requirements

1. The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

2. This project will accomplish the National Park Service’s mission and the

Chesapeake Bay Initiative Act through technical assistance to Chesapeake

Gateways sites and partners.

• America at 250 workshops

1. The Contractor shall develop and facilitate one (1) 60-minute introductory webinar to share findings from the 2024 workshops and provide details on proposed workshops for 2025.

2. The Contractor shall develop and facilitate three (3) identical day-long, on-site workshops on topics approved by the National Park Service that build the capacity of communities in the Chesapeake Bay watershed to celebrate their communities' nationally significant histories and welcome visitors with heritage tourism for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the

Declaration of Independence.

3. The Contractor shall develop and facilitate one (1) 60-minute closing webinar to reflect upon learning with attendees from all the in-person workshops and consider the possibilities for Chesapeake Gateways sites and partners to foster unity and a deeper understanding of our shared past.

4. The Contractor shall coordinate workshop invitations, registrations, and post-workshop evaluations, in partnership with National Park Service staff members.

• Reporting

1. The Contractor shall generate a written report summarizing findings and making recommendations for a strategy to support the Chesapeake Bay watershed communities in this important commemoration of the United

States’ remarkable achievements and historic milestones in 2026 and beyond.

B. Project Management

The contractor shall assign a Principal to serve as the direct contact for the

National Park Service to coordinate with prior to, during, and after all three workshops to ensure that scheduling, coordination, oversight, and communication is effectively accomplished for all items included under this contract.

1. The Principal/Project Manager shall be the primary point of contact between the contractor and the National Park Service (NPS)

Contracting Officer, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), and

NPS Training Specialist (NTS) for this contract. The Principal/Project

Manager shall perform the following work:

a. Notify the Contracting Officer, COR, and NTS of any changes to the contractor’s business operations that affect work under this contract, including but not limited to:

i. Changes to contractor’s address, telephone, and other contact information.

ii. Proposed changes to key personnel.

iii. Workload or capacity issues affecting the ability of the contractor to accept additional work.

b. Communicate with the Contracting Officer, COR, and NTS regarding major or broad issues affecting this contract, including but not limited to:

i. Clarification of work processes that are acceptable or unacceptable to the government under this contract.

ii. Informing Contracting Officer, COR, and NTS of misunderstandings, inconsistencies, or conflicting instructions encountered when working with the COR.

2. The Principal shall be the primary point of contact between the contractor and COR and shall perform the following work:

a. The Principal/Project Manager shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all matters relating to this contract. The

Principal shall maintain contact with the COR and NTS as necessary, and shall:

i. Be available to take or respond to telephone calls or electronic mail messages during normal hours of operation.

ii. Establish office procedures to ensure that messages are properly relayed when the Event Manager is not directly available.

iii. Respond to emergency messages from the COR or NTS on the same day they are received. All non-urgent messages from the COR or NTS shall be responded to in no less than two working days.

b. Provide quality control to ensure that all elements of project work meet the requirements of the contract specifications as follows:

i. Ensure that all modifications are implemented.

ii. Inform the COR and NTS of any issues that could affect work quality or schedule.

iii. Ensure that all work not acceptable or compliant with the specifications is corrected prior to review by the COR and NTS.

iv. Oversee quality of all services during the workshops.

c. Track work progress to ensure that the project is completed according to the schedule.

d. Travel as required in this contract, and attend meetings with the

Contracting Officer, COR, NTS, NPS staff, and other project stakeholders.

e. Coordinate and ensure that all work is in accordance with the specifications referenced by this contract.

C. Travel, Meetings, and Presentations

All required travel, meetings, and presentations shall be provided as follows:

Meeting

Purpose

Location or

Type

Minimum

Required

Contractor

Attendees

Time on

Site

Introductory

Webinar

Virtual Principal 1 hour

Workshop 1 Annapolis, MD

Principal Two Days

Workshop 2 York County, PA

Principal Two Days

Workshop 3 Westmoreland

County, VA

Principal Two Days

Closing Webinar Virtual Principal 1 hour

D. Time for Completion, Review, and Approval

All work, including review and approval of sections A-C, shall be completed on or before January 31, 2026.