FPB archaeological lab work

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Heritage Trust Program is issuing a Fixed Price Bid solicitation to procure services from qualified bioarchaeologists or forensic/biological anthropologists to evaluate fragmentary bone collections for Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) compliance. The scope of work involves on-site evaluation of osseous materials housed at the SCDNR-HTP facility in Columbia, South Carolina, with no in-depth research or reporting required as deliverables. Required qualifications include a master's degree in anthropology (Ph.D. preferred) with specialization in physical or biological anthropology and osteological training, a minimum of ten years' experience conducting recovery projects in the eastern or midwestern United States, demonstrated experience identifying fragmentary osseous remains in archaeological settings, current registration with the Register of Professional Archaeologists or certification from the American Board of Forensic Anthropology or membership in the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and prior NAGPRA-related work experience. The state will provide access to collections and reference materials including books, a faunal study collection, and casts to support the evaluation work. The solicitation was issued on March 25, 2026, with a deadline for questions by April 8, 2026, and a bid opening date of April 22, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. EST, with award notification scheduled for April 23, 2026. The contract term runs from April 24, 2026, through April 23, 2029, with automatic one-year renewal options unless the state provides thirty days' notice of non-renewal.

Qualified providers will be compensated at a fixed rate of $120 per hour for work performed at the facility, with travel costs reimbursed at South Carolina state rates for meals and mileage plus GSA rates for housing for providers from outside the Columbia area. Approximately 360 hours of annual work is anticipated across three consecutive fiscal years, distributed among multiple selected vendors, with new contracts awarded on the first and fifteenth of each month beginning May 15, 2026. All approved qualified providers will be placed on a Qualified Provider List (QPL) from which providers will be scheduled based on availability and funding. The solicitation does not identify any set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, incumbent vendors, or existing contractors that require integration. Based on the anticipated 360 hours of annual work at $120 per hour, the estimated annual contract value is approximately $43,200, with a potential three-year contract value of approximately $129,600 before renewal options are exercised. Notably, failure of providers to receive business shall not constitute grounds for contract controversy.