Navigability historian contract

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska State Office is seeking a contractor to provide historical research services to investigate the navigability of water bodies in Alaska prior to statehood in 1959. The contractor will research and document historical travel and trade uses of 24 specific water bodies listed across multiple hydrologic regions, focusing on types of watercraft, propulsion systems, cargo transported, dates of use, physical travel limitations, and alternative transportation methods. The research must include extensive investigation using libraries, historical societies, databases, newspapers, and potentially community interviews, with deliverables consisting of comprehensive final reports for each hydrologic region. The contract will be awarded based on the most advantageous offer considering price and technical capability, with the government anticipating awarding a single contract but reserving the right to award multiple contracts if more advantageous. The solicitation deadline has been extended to September 22, 2025, at noon Alaska daylight time, following two amendments that clarified requirements and extended the original September 19, 2025 deadline.

This opportunity is designated as a 100% small business set-aside under NAICS code 541720 with a size standard of $28 million, and there is no incumbent contractor for this work. The contract will be structured as a firm-fixed price award with a performance period from October 1, 2025, to August 31, 2026, and a final delivery date of August 30, 2026. While the contractor is not required to be physically located in Alaska to perform the contract functions, the work involves researching Alaska-specific water bodies including rivers and creeks such as the Akulikutak River, Eek River, Goodnews River, and Stony River, among others. The contract includes provisions for regular progress updates and bi-weekly meetings with BLM, and contains clauses for potential reevaluation if litigation or conflicts arise concerning identified sites. The solicitation incorrectly appeared in SAM as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business sole source opportunity, but it is confirmed to be a standard small business set-aside procurement.