I have run a few numbers from our cultural resources consulting database
just to clarify the level of work that VDOT manages through the use of its
statewide cultural resource services contracts.  These numbers are for the
last eight years of work but do not include the current year.  Our
Department is anticipating quite a few additional projects during the next
few years given increased federal monies and new initiatives being put forth
by our state General Assembly and Governor.

VDOT successfully has managed many of its cultural resource studies through
the use of statewide service contracts.  In the last eight years, we have
had established contracts with research centers at two universities and
multi-year contracts with private for-profit cultural resource firms.
Approximately, 563 task orders have been requested including Phase I
(Identification studies for both archaeological and architectural
resources); Phase II (Evaluation studies for both archaeological and
architectural resources), and Phase III (data recovery for archaeological
resources and extensive recordation for architectural resources).  VDOT has
been averaging more than 70 task order requests a year.  The Department
through these statewide contracts has awarded 269 tasks to our private firms
and the remaining 294 tasks have gone to the two universities.
Approximately, $9,950,822 has been awarded over the eight-year period for an
average of $1,243,852 per year.  The average awarded task order has been
$17,674.00, although it is not unusual for data recovery projects to exceed
$150,000.00.

VDOT also uses cultural resource consultants as team members for its
statewide environmental documents contracts.  Other firms also are able to
obtain work for specific large corridor studies that are managed by our
Location and Design Division.  Therefore, if cultural resource consultants
are interested in working with VDOT, the opportunities are many, and given
the projections, we expect to see even more in the near future.

Our Department does not, however, simply rely on consultants to do its work.
We have a professional staff of at least 12 archaeologists and architectural
historians within its District offices and central office.  These
individuals both conduct studies as well as manage projects, consultants,
and coordinate findings with regulatory agencies.  Do not hesitate to
contact me off-list, if you need further information
([log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ).


J. Mark Wittkofski
Environmental Specialist II
Consultant Services Section


-----Original Message-----
From:   Mark Henderson [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Monday, October 23, 2000 11:56 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: VDOT Statewide Cultural Resource Consulting announcement

Geoff-In Federal Acquisition vernacular these have been called an
"indefinite quantities contract" or a "basic ordering agreement." Such
contracts can be very useful in reducing agency employment rolls where
there is a recurring need for a specific kind of task (Contract for
archeological surveys instead of hiring a nother agency employee).
Taken to extreme, agency staff can be reduced to only a contract
officer's representative or contract inspector.  This type of
contracting is increasingly used where there is a standard procedure and
known cost for the product delivered (such as acres or miles inventoried
for archeological materials).  Usually the agency guarantees a minimum
amount of work in the life of the contract, and is required to pay that
minimum amount of work whether any work ("task orders")are issued or
not.  Therefore the agency loses that minimum amount if they don't order
any work. This happens sometimes when politicians decide that they are
not going to fund certain projects.  Often where there is a lot of work
anticipated the agency will issue several contracts to different
contractors concurrently under the same solicitation.  Federal land
managing agencies use this "on call" contracting more and more
frequently.  My experience is that it can work quite well for inventory,
but is more difficult to specify for data recovery (archeological
excavations)where there are a lot more uncontrollable factors (what type
of sites, how complex are they, what parts can be avoided).  Hope this
helps. -Mark
Mark Henderson
Ely, Nevada

geoff carver wrote:
>
> think this is the first time i've seen such a tender going out for an
entire
> state - usually it's just for individual projects, or has anyone else seen
> anything similar?
>
> Wittkofski, J. Mark schrieb:
> > Any interested professional cultural resources firm is encouraged to
submit
> > a proposal for the following statewide consulting services contract.
The
> > entire RFP can be downloaded from the VDOT site included in the
> > announcement.  Thank you.
> >
> > J. Mark Wittkofski
> >
> >
> >
> > STATEWIDE CULTURAL RESOURCE SERVICES
> >
> > The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is seeking expressions
of
> > interest from consulting firms to provide statewide cultural resource
> > services that are related to transportation projects.  These services
> > include, but are not limited to: 1) conducting surveys to identify
> > buildings, structures, districts, objects, and sites potentially
eligible
> > for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; 2) preparing
> > treatment plans for significant resources affected by transportation
> > projects; and 3) implementing treatment actions as determined by VDOT.
In
> > addition to the foregoing, firms will need to have the capacity to
prepare
> > landscape plans as partial mitigation for impacts to significant
historic
> > properties, to conduct surveys for locating identified cultural
resources
> > onto transportation CADD plans and plots, and to be able to take
> > geotechnical borings and prepare soils analyses as may be needed for the
> > identification of archaeological sites.  All services must be performed
in
> > accordance with VDOT guidelines; all appropriate federal and state laws
and
> > regulations, and be of sufficient quality to obtain approvals from all
> > applicable federal and state regulatory agencies.
> >
> > This contract will have a maximum compensation of $3,000,000.00 or a
term of
> > three (3) years, whichever occurs first.  The method of payment will be
> > actual costs for each assignment based on fixed billable rates.  During
the
> > course of this contract, work will be solicited only as the need arises.
> > For any given project, VDOT will provide a scope and request a detailed
work
> > plan and schedule of compensation to be submitted by the consultant for
> > review, negotiation of the level of effort, and approval before work can
> > begin.  It is anticipated that this contract will involve numerous
projects,
> > but VDOT cannot predict nor guarantee the timing, complexity, or number
of
> > projects assigned. The Department reserves the right to modify or
eliminate,
> > in whole or in part, any of the requested services.
> >
> > Responding firms must obtain a copy of the complete Request for Proposal
> > (RFP) for requirements.  The RFP may be downloaded from the VDOT
Internet
> > site: www.vdot.state.va.us/OpNet <http://www.vdot.state.va.us/OpNet> .
For
> > persons with a hearing impairment, this number can be reached via the
> > Virginia relay center (1-800-828-1120).  To receive the RFP by mail or
fax,
> > firms may contact Mr. J. Mark Wittkofski, VDOT Environmental Division at
> > (804) 371-6867.  Submissions must be received no later than 4:00 p.m.
(EST),
> > Tuesday, November 14, 2000.
>
> geoff carver
> http://home.t-online.de/home/gcarver/
> [log in to unmask]