Holliston Trail Inventory Scope of Work .pdf

TOWN OF HOLLISTON

SCOPE OF WORK

Trail Inventory and Assessment Services for Holliston's Conservation Land

1. Introduction

The Town of Holliston is seeking a qualified consultant to complete a comprehensive trail inventory, condition assessment, and assessment-level trail management plan for Town-owned conservation land on the west side of

Holliston, bordering Milford and Hopkinton. The project area includes over 600 acres of contiguous conservation land, including the Town Forest, the Fairbanks Conservation Land, and the Adams Street/NSTAR conservation land. This project was approved for Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding at the May 2026 Town Meeting.

Over time, a mix of formal and informal trails have developed across these properties, many of which have not been fully mapped or evaluated. The Town's existing trail maps are outdated, and current trail information relied upon by residents, the Fire Department, and other users is largely drawn from third-party recreational mapping platforms rather than Town data. This project is designed to be practical, cost-effective, and appropriately scaled for a small New

England community.

Contractors are encouraged to provide written quotes and supporting documentation any time before September 30, 2026 by 4:00 PM. Please email quote to: SkrzypiecT@holliston.k12.ma.us

Please review this Scope of Work and provide any questions in writing to Tyler Skrzypiec, 703 Washington Street, Holliston, MA 01746, before 1:00 PM on September 21, 2026 or via email to SkrzypiecT@holliston.k12.ma.us.

The Town of Holliston reserves the right to accept or reject any or all quotes and to award the project in a manner which is deemed to be in the interests of the Town of Holliston.

2. Project Objectives

• Establish a comprehensive inventory and mapping of existing formal and informal trails on Town-owned conservation land

• Assess current trail conditions and identify areas of erosion, environmental sensitivity, and unmanaged impacts

• Incorporate any known historic or cultural feature locations into trail planning and note additional features directly encountered during fieldwork

• Provide the Town with an assessment-level trail management plan to guide responsible stewardship and recreational use

• Support informed decision-making regarding trail maintenance, monitoring, and potential closures to protect natural resources

3. Scope of Work / Task Deliverables

The consultant will complete the following tasks:

Task 1: Trail Inventory and GIS Mapping

Conduct field-based reconnaissance to inventory and map all existing formal and informal trails within the project area using GPS and ArcGIS-compatible methods.

Task 2: Trail Condition Assessment

Evaluate trail condition, sustainability, and proximity to sensitive resource areas, including but not limited to:

• Erosion and drainage issues

• Redundant or duplicative trail segments

• Proximity to wetlands, vernal pools, and wetland buffer zones

• Proximity to and fragmentation of core forest / priority habitat areas

• Areas of unmanaged or unsustainable use

Task 3: Consideration of Historic and Cultural Features

Where available, the Town will supply known or suspected locations of historic or cultural features within the project area (see Section 5, Town-Provided Inputs). The consultant shall incorporate any such information into the trail inventory GIS layers and flag where these features are in proximity to trails under consideration for continued use, closure, or management action, so this information can inform trail management recommendations.

In addition, the consultant shall note the general location of any additional historic or cultural features that are readily observable and directly encountered during ordinary trail-based fieldwork (e.g., visible foundations, quarry workings, or similar built features). This task does not include dedicated archaeological survey, subsurface investigation, or evaluation of historic or cultural significance. All identified features will be referred to the Holliston Historical

Commission for further review and interpretation.

Task 4: Trail Management Plan

Based on the inventory and assessment, prepare an assessment-level trail management plan that provides practical recommendations for trail classification and management priorities, including recommendations for continued use, monitoring, or closure where appropriate. The plan should be structured to support future implementation phases (e.g., signage, closures, maintenance) and coordination with the Holliston Town Forest Committee's trail-marking initiative.

4. Deliverables

• GIS data layers for trail locations, trail conditions/classifications, and identified historic/cultural features, in a format consistent with MassGIS standards

• A trail inventory map (or map set) suitable for Town use, including kiosk and public-facing use

• A written condition assessment and assessment-level trail management plan with recommendations

5. Town-Provided Inputs

The Town will provide:

• Existing third-party recreational trail maps currently referenced by the Town (TrailForks, AllTrails); the Town does not have separate official trail cartography beyond these

• GIS parcel and conservation land boundary data, if available, coordinated through the Assessor's Office

• Known or suspected historic/cultural feature locations, where available, coordinated through the Holliston

Historical Commission and Town Historian

• Points of contact for site access and coordination with the Town Forest Committee and Trustees of Reservations

This project is limited to trail inventory and assessment on Town-owned or Town-controlled conservation land. The

Town-provided parcel and boundary data described above should be used to identify locations where mapped trails may cross private property; any such segments should be flagged rather than assessed for management recommendations.

Publicly available GIS layers relevant to this project (e.g., wetlands, priority habitat, core forest, and FEMA floodplain data) are accessible via MassGIS/MassMapper; the consultant is expected to obtain these directly as part of standard practice rather than receive them from the Town.

Town-supplied materials indicate intended content and known conditions but are not a substitute for field verification.

The consultant is responsible for developing complete, accurate final deliverables based on field reconnaissance.

6. Technical Standards

• Projection: Use Mass State Plane Mainland (NAD 83)

• GIS deliverables must be compatible with MassGIS standards

• Map deliverables must include consistent symbology, labels, legends, titles, and formatting

• Final deliverable formats: PDF (minimum 300 dpi), and ArcGIS-compatible package (shapefile, geodatabase, or equivalent)

7. Schedule

• Field inventory and assessment work, draft GIS layers, trail inventory map, and draft management plan: to be proposed by respondent

• Final deliverables: within 4 weeks after receipt of Town comments

The Town has not set a fixed field season for this project. Respondents should propose a schedule and briefly explain their reasoning, including how the timing of fieldwork (e.g., fall/winter versus a wet-conditions spring assessment) affects the quality of trail drainage and erosion observations under Task 2. The Town may adjust these timeframes in coordination with the selected consultant.

8. Budget

The Town has allocated Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding for this project but is not publishing a specific cost ceiling. Cost-effectiveness is important, and the Town may refine the scope and negotiate the fee with the selected consultant before entering into a contract.

9. Insurance

Comprehensive commercial general liability insurance with limits of at least $1 Million per occurrence and $3 Million annual aggregate for property damage and $1 Million per person and $3 Million per occurrence for bodily injury, which shall include the Town of Holliston as an additional insured, and which shall cover bodily injury, sickness or disease, or death of any person including employees and those persons other than the Contractor’s employees, and claims insured by usual personal liability coverage, death, or property damage arising out of the Work including injury or destruction of tangible property, including loss of use resulting therefrom.

Motor vehicle insurance for any motor vehicles used in performing the Work, with limits of at least $500,000 per person, and $1 Million per accident.

10. Proposal Requirements

Please submit the following:

• A brief description of relevant trail assessment, GIS/cartographic, and natural resource experience

• An example or link to similar trail inventory, condition assessment, or management plan products

• A proposed project schedule, including anticipated field season(s) and brief rationale

• A cost proposal (fixed fee or task-based)

• Certificate of Good Faith and Non-Collusion;

• Certificate of Good Standing for Corporation or Certificate of Legal Existence for LLC from Secretary of

Commonwealth;

• Certificate of Tax Compliance;

• Certification of Signatures

If Corporation: need President’s signature or Clerk’s Certificate dated no more than 2 years ago, with Corporate

Seal affixed (see attached form); If LLC: need Manager signature or signed vote of the LLC

Quotes will be evaluated based on relevant experience, proposed approach, and cost.

Additional information may be requested after initial review.

11. Submission Deadline

Written quotes are requested any time before September 30, 2026 at 4:00 PM. The Town reserves the right to adjust or extend this deadline if needed.

12. Closing

The Town of Holliston appreciates your interest in supporting the stewardship of Holliston's conservation land. We look forward to reviewing your proposal and working collaboratively on this project.

CERTIFICATE OF NON-COLLUSION

“HOLLISTON TRAILS INVENTORY”

HOLLISTON, MA

The undersigned certifies under penalties of perjury that this bid or proposal has been made and submitted in good faith and without collusion or fraud with any other person. As used in this certification, the word "person" shall mean any natural person, business, partnership, corporation, union, committee, club, or other organization, entity, or group of individuals.

Name of Business

Signature of Individual Corporate Name

Signature of individual submitting bid or proposal

Social Security Number or Federal Identification Number

CERTIFICATE OF STATE TAX COMPLIANCE

Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 62C, Section 49A

_____________________________________, authorized signatory for name of signatory

___________________________________________________, whose name of contractor principal place of business is at _________________________________________________, does hereby certify under the pains and penalties of perjury that

_________________________________________________________ has paid all name of contractor

Massachusetts taxes and has complied with all laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts relating to taxes, reporting of employees and contractors, and withholding and remitting child support.

Signature Date

Name

Federal Tax ID # or Social Security #

EXAMPLE CLERK’S CERTIFICATE

Action of Shareholders

Written Consent

(Date)

The undersigned, being the Shareholders of ________________________, a Massachusetts Corporation

(the "Corporation") entitled to vote on the action, hereby consent to the adoption of the following votes:

VOTED: That the [President and/or the Vice President or named individual], each of them acting singly is, authorized to execute any and all Contract Documents and to enter into and negotiate the terms of all contracts and to accomplish same and to execute any and all documents, instruments, and agreements in order to effectuate the transaction and that said transaction shall be valid, binding, effective, and legally enforceable.

VOTED: That the officers are, and each of them acting singly is, authorized, from time to time, in the name and on behalf of the Corporation to take or cause to be taken all such action(s) as s/he or they, as the case may be, deem necessary, appropriate or advisable to effect the foregoing votes, as may be shown by the officer or officers execution or performance which shall be conclusive evidence that the same is authorized by the directors of this Corporation.

VOTED: That the officers are, and each of them acting singly is, authorized, from time to time, in the name and on behalf of this Corporation, under its corporate seal, if desired, attested by an appropriate officer, if desired, to execute, make oath to, acknowledge, deliver and file any and all of the agreements, instruments, certificates and documents referred to or related to the foregoing votes.

VOTED: That the officers are, and each of them acting singly is, authorized, from time to time and on behalf of this Corporation, under its corporate seal, if desired, to execute, acknowledge and deliver any and all agreements, instruments, certificates and documents referred to or related to the foregoing votes, with such changes as the officer or officers so acting may deem necessary or desirable, and the signature of such officer or officers to be conclusive evidence that the same is authorized by the directors of this Corporation.

Clerk of Corporation Certificate

I, ___________________________ the Clerk of the foregoing corporation, do hereby certify that the above vote was taken at a duly called meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation on _____________, 20__.

Clerk of Corporation

SEAL