B--CULTURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY CLASS III, HAZARDOUS FUELS RELATED, BLM WHITE RIV

Questions & Answers / Clarifications

This document provides the government's responses to questions numbered 1 through 5, as part of Amendment 02 to solicitation 140L3726Q0012.

• Obsidian Collection: A 50-100% sample size for sites with fewer than 10 obsidian artifacts, and a 30% sample for sites with greater than 10, is correct. Obsidian artifacts will not be curated but returned to the field.
• Ceramics Collection: All ceramics are to be collected.
• Diagnostic Artifacts: Only diagnostic artifacts that are rare and can provide substantial research should be considered for collection. Common diagnostic artifacts are not authorized. Collection should be coordinated with the NWDFA archaeologist, following specific Standards and Procedures.
• Eligibility Testing: Testing is only required if eligibility cannot be determined by surface expression. Refer to BLM Handbook (Section I. Evaluation) for survey testing procedures.
• Linear Cultural Resources: Only named features on historic GLO and USGS maps need to be recorded. Refer to BLM Handbook and OAHPs Walking the Line for guidance.
• Re-recordings: Information on how many of the 32 previously recorded resources need a full re-record is available in the fourth paragraph of Section 1.2 of the SOW.
• Survey Area Shapes: The BLM will not allow "squaring up" complex survey area shapes to increase field efficiency.

This document clarifies specific requirements related to artifact collection, site eligibility, and resource recording, which may impact how bidders prepare their proposals and conduct fieldwork.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a Wage Determination (WD) issued under the Service Contract Act, specifically Wage Determination No. 2015-5439, Revision No. 28, with a last revision date of 12/03/2025. It establishes the minimum wage rates and fringe benefits required for various occupations performing contract work in Colorado, specifically within the counties of Eagle, Garfield, Lake, Moffat, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, and Routt.

The document lists numerous occupational codes and titles, along with their corresponding minimum hourly wage rates. It also specifies that fringe benefits are required and follow the occupational listing. The document details specific requirements for:

• Paid Sick Leave: Executive Order (EO) 13706 applies to contracts awarded on or after January 1, 2017, requiring 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 56 hours per year.
• Minimum Wage: Executive Order 13658 applies to contracts awarded between January 1, 2015, and January 29, 2022 (and not renewed/extended after January 30, 2022), requiring a minimum wage of at least $13.30 per hour (or the applicable wage rate from this determination, if higher) for 2025.
• Health & Welfare: Specifies rates for health and welfare benefits ($5.55/hour or $222.00/week) and a separate rate for EO 13706 ($5.09/hour or $203.60/week).
• Vacation: 2 weeks paid vacation after 1 year, 3 weeks after 5 years, and 4 weeks after 15 years of service.
• Holidays: A minimum of eleven paid holidays per year.
• Night Pay & Sunday Pay: Differential pay for night work (10%) and Sunday work (25% premium).
• Hazardous Pay: An 8% differential for high-hazard work (ordnance, explosives) and a 4% differential for lower-hazard work.
• Uniform Allowance: Requirements for contractors to provide or reimburse employees for uniform costs.

This is a wage determination, not a solicitation for a specific contract. It sets the minimum labor standards for covered contracts.

Not applicable, as this is a wage determination document.

Not applicable, as this is a wage determination document.

• The document includes specific footnotes regarding computer employees and air traffic controllers/weather observers, detailing exemptions and additional pay provisions.
• It outlines the process for requesting authorization of additional classifications and wage rates (conformance process) using Standard Form 1444 (SF-1444).
• The Service Contract Act Directory of Occupations is referenced for job duty descriptions.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document is a solicitation for a Firm Fixed Price Commercial Services Contract for Class III Cultural Resource Inventory (CRI) services within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) White River Field Office area of responsibility in northwest Colorado. The work is required to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) prior to planned mechanical vegetation treatments and hazardous fuels reductions totaling approximately 1,619 acres.

• Conduct a 100% pedestrian inventory at transect intervals of 15-20 meters to identify, record, and evaluate all cultural resources older than 50 years.

• Re-visit all previously recorded "Eligible," "Needs Data," and "Unevaluated" sites.

• Complete new OAHP management data and component forms for newly recorded sites and sites previously recorded on older forms.

• Document linear resources using BLM Linear Management Data and/or BLM Linear Segment Forms.

• Fully re-record "needs data" sites and evaluate NRHP eligibility.

• Provide a Letter Report (35% of contract value) within two weeks of fieldwork completion.

• Provide a Draft Final Report (35% of contract value) within 90 days of fieldwork completion.

• Provide a Final Report (30% of contract value) within 180 days of fieldwork completion.

• Collect a representative sample of obsidian debitage or tools for XRF analysis.

• Prepare and deliver collected artifacts to the designated curation facility within 180 days of fieldwork completion.

• Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price Commercial Services Contract.

• Period of Performance: March 9, 2026, to December 21, 2026.

• Quotations are due by January 28, 2025.

• Quotations must be submitted electronically via email.

• The quotation will be submitted in two parts: non-price and price.

• Non-price section will be evaluated based on Key Personnel Qualifications, Relevant Experience, and Price.

• Key personnel include Project Director/Principal Investigator and Field Director.

• Relevant experience should include information on 2-4 past contracts of similar scope.

• Price will be evaluated for reasonableness and realism.

• Evaluation factors other than price are more important than price.

• Bidders must possess or be able to obtain a valid Colorado Permit for Archaeological Investigation (PAI) and a Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation consulting permit.

• Bidders must also carry a Fieldwork Authorization (FWA).

• Specific small business set-aside information is not detailed in this excerpt but is likely addressed in other sections of the solicitation.

• The BLM WRFO will furnish shapefiles of polygons requiring survey, digital copies of site forms for re-visitation, and maps.

• Contractor will supply all equipment, transportation, and personnel.

• The document references numerous FAR clauses and specific BLM handbooks and procedures that bidders must adhere to.