On-call cultural resources

The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) is seeking on-call cultural resources services through a Request for Proposal (RFP) to ensure compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The solicitation targets professional archaeological and historical consulting services, including intensive archaeological surveys, test excavations, archaeological data recovery, architectural surveys, underwater archaeological surveys, public education material development, and Section 4(f) evaluations. SCDOT intends to award contracts to up to six qualified firms, with supervisory personnel required to meet the Secretary of the Interior's Qualification Standards, possessing a minimum master's degree in an appropriate field and at least one year of supervisory experience. Proposals, limited to 10 pages, must include letters of interest, resumes, project references, research design examples, public education material samples, underwater investigation capabilities, and mobilization plans. The evaluation criteria will prioritize experience in South Carolina and the southeastern United States (50 points), past performance on transportation and similar projects (30 points), and ability to mobilize quickly to meet project schedules (20 points). Key dates include a pre-proposal conference on January 5, 2023, question submission deadline of January 6, 2023, proposal due date of January 27, 2023 at 2:30 PM, and anticipated award date of February 28, 2023.

The solicitation does not include specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises, though all offerors must be registered as South Carolina vendors and carry appropriate insurance coverage with A.M. Best ratings of no less than A:VII. Firms must comply with state and federal regulations, including drug-free workplace, ethics, and illegal immigration provisions. While no incumbent vendors are explicitly listed, the procurement documents suggest that previous on-call cultural resources contracts can be reviewed to identify current service providers. The contract will have an initial one-year term with four optional one-year renewals, potentially spanning a total of five years from March 10, 2023, to March 9, 2028. Pricing is not a direct evaluation criterion, but offerors must submit hourly rates for assigned personnel, with a nominal $1.00 unit price on the bidding schedule. Task order awards will be made at SCDOT's discretion, considering factors such as availability, scope of work, areas of expertise, cost, and past performance with the department. No specific budget range or total contract value is provided in the solicitation documents.