Interpretive Strategic Plan for Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park (BRVB) Topeka, KS
The purpose of Amendment 0001 is to provide questions and answers.
Q1: Are there any known challenges or improvements the agency is hoping to address through this contract?
A1: See Scope of Work.
Q2: Can you confirm that this solicitation is a Woman-Owned Small Business and not just a Small Business set aside?
A2: This is set aside for SBA Certified Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB).
Q3: Reference: Pg 18 - (D) Subfactor 4 - Previous Experience: Does the Previous Experience have to be that of the Lead Firm or can the previous experience be that of the Team Members? Is it limited to national parks or can state/city parks count as well?
A3: Experience can be that of the team members, just be sure to state that in your response. Experience can be from anywhere - not limited to federal, state, or local government work.
Q4: Can the stakeholders present at the Focus Groups be given an honoraria for their participation? If so, is there a minimum/maximum rate requirement?
A4: Yes. There are no minimum/maximum rates, although other focus groups have offered from between $25-$200 to participants. NPS cannot provide the honoraria and it is not required to be offered.
Q5: Will all focus groups be Kansas or in all five locations? In person or virtual?
A5: The focus groups will be at all five locations and can be hosted virtually, but in-person is preferred, as many participants are of an age that struggle with technology.
Q6: Will a venue for each of the Focus Groups (for each of the 5 listed park areas/communities) be provided or should meeting venues be included in the budget?
A6: NPS/BRVB has cooperative agreements with each of the five sites and can likely provide a venue at each location, however, some sites are rural and a more centrally located/easily accessible venue may be preferred (Charleston, SC instead of Summerton, for example.)
Q7: Is there a list and potential contacts of stakeholders for each of the 5 listed parks stated in the SOW? Or will this have to be developed/sourced by the consultant team?
A7: There is a pre-existing list of contacts for each location, though we are happy to have more stakeholders involved and would invite the consultants to seek more participants.
Q8: Has any engagement occurred with this group thus far? Example being the last Long Range Interpretive plan? What was the contract number and award amount if so? Is there a budget range?
A8: Yes. The Foundation Document that is near completion was started last year and included focus groups at each of the five sites. The engagement was spearheaded by the National Park Service's Midwest Regional Office.
Q9: Is NPS seeking cost estimation as a part of the plan for any suggested activities by the consultant team?
A9: Yes
Q10: Will teams need to have a historic preservationist?
A10: A historic preservationist is not required, as there are very few objects in the Brown v. Board of Education collection, though it may be of benefit to have an archivist to assess historical documents (though also not required.)
Q11: What is the estimated start date for the contract?
A11: The anticipated start date is July 25, 2025, with a period of performance of 15 months after contract award.
Q12: Are you open to pop up engagement or in person engagement in the park spaces?
A12: Yes.
Q13: Is there an established group of African American community members to engage or are you open to broadening their stakeholder group?
A13: There is an established group, but we are always looking for input from more people who are or who have been impacted by the Brown decisions.
Q14: What kind of documentation, if any, is required for the Focus Groups and meetings i.e. video recordings, transcripts, attendance records, etc?
A14: None required, though recordkeeping of any kind is a bonus to the park. In particular, recollections of students who attended segregated schools are of significant value to the park.
Q15: Can the submission deadline date be revised/pushed back to account for the Q&A responses?
A15: The quote due date may be extended based on the needs of the government. Any change to the due date will be announced in an amendment to the solicitation on www.sam.gov.
Q16: Is there a budget or a budget range?
A16: Government estimates are for internal use only.
Reminder that all amendments must be acknowledged by the solicitation close date and time.
James Bissaillon
Contract Specialist
DOI, National Park Service
ConOps Central, Nebraska Major Acquisition Buying Office
Email: james_bissaillon@nps.gov
