Archaeological survey services

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) is soliciting bids for Archaeological Survey Services involving a comprehensive cultural resource inventory of 1,296 acres within the Richard B. Russell Mitigation Lands on the Donnelley Wildlife Management Area in Colleton County. The procurement is structured as an Invitation for Bid (IFB) with five distinct task orders: Research Design, Background Research, Field Investigation, Data Analysis with National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility recommendations, and a Comprehensive Report. Contractors must complete all tasks according to South Carolina Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations, coordinate with SCDNR archaeologists, and deliver all artifacts and records to SCDNR for curation. Key deliverables include a detailed research design, cultural context review, systematic shovel testing, archaeological site analysis, and a final comprehensive report. The non-mandatory pre-bid conference is scheduled for March 20, 2024, at 10:00 AM via Microsoft Teams, with written questions due by 5:00 PM that same day. Bid submissions are due April 22, 2024, at 10:00 AM through the online procurement system, with award anticipated on May 5, 2024.

The solicitation is open to all responsive and responsible bidders, with specific provisions for South Carolina resident contractor and subcontractor preferences, offering potential 2% or 4% preference points. Contractors must maintain specific insurance coverages, including $1,000,000 in Commercial General Liability, $1,000,000 in Auto Liability, and Worker's Compensation with statutory limits. A state vendor number is mandatory for bid submission. Contractors will be paid upon satisfactory completion of each task order, with invoices processed within 30 days. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the contract period is estimated from May 16, 2024, to May 15, 2026 (two years), with payment structured on a task-order completion basis. All artifacts, data, field records, and materials collected during the project will become the property of SCDNR and must be prepared for curation according to South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology standards. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder after applying any applicable resident contractor preferences.