R--MALU ETHNOGRAPHIC OVERVIEW MLK, JR. NHP

This Request for Quotation (RFQ), solicitation number 140P5126Q0051, is issued by the National Park Service (NPS) East Contracting Office. The solicitation seeks a small business contractor to perform an Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (EOA) for the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, Georgia. The anticipated period of performance for this project is from August 24, 2026, to September 30, 2028. Interested vendors must submit their quotes and technical proposals on or before August 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM EDT, with all clarification questions due by August 4, 2026. The procurement will be evaluated on a best-value basis using FAR Part 13 Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The evaluation factors prioritize technical capability and past performance (weighted at 90%) over price (weighted at 10%). Technical sub-factors include professional experience of key personnel, ethical methodological approach, collaborative relationship-building strategies, and demonstrated past performance on three to five similar projects over the past five to ten years. The selected contractor must comply with standard commercial terms and conditions, utilize the Department of the Treasury’s Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) for electronic invoicing, and maintain specified levels of liability insurance, including worker's compensation, general liability, and property damage coverage.

This document is a federal Service Contract Act (SCA) Wage Determination (WD # 2015-4471, Revision 35), last revised on May 13, 2026. Issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, it establishes minimum wage rates and fringe benefits for various service occupations performing on federal contracts within 23 specified counties in Georgia, including Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett, and DeKalb (represented under the Atlanta area). The determination lists covered labor categories across industries such as administrative support, automotive services, health, information technology, and maintenance. In addition to base hourly wages, the document mandates specific fringe benefits, including health and welfare contributions of $5.55 per hour (or $5.09 per hour for contracts subject to Executive Order 13706), a minimum of two weeks of paid vacation after one year of service, and eleven paid federal holidays. Furthermore, the document outlines rules regarding Executive Orders 13706 (paid sick leave) and 13658 (minimum wage), hazardous duty pay differentials (ranging from 4% to 8%), and uniform allowance reimbursements. It also details the standard conformance process (using Form SF-1444) that contractors must follow to establish approved wage rates for any necessary job classifications not explicitly listed in the schedule. This wage determination is a critical compliance component for federal solicitations and awards operating in the designated Georgia localities.

The National Park Service (NPS) has issued a Scope of Work for a contractor to conduct an Ethnographic Overview and Assessment (EOA) of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park (MALU) in Atlanta, Georgia. This 24-month project serves as a comprehensive baseline study to identify park-associated user groups, traditionally associated peoples—including gateway communities, local residents, and 14 federally recognized Native American Tribes—and culturally significant ethnographic resources within the park's 39.17-acre boundary. The contractor, led by a qualified Principal Investigator (applied cultural anthropologist), will perform archival research, literature reviews, and ethnographic fieldwork (such as interviews and focus groups). Key objectives include describing MALU's ethnohistorical context, documenting contemporary perceptions of the park, and identifying resources to be logged into the NPS Cultural Resources Inventory System. Project deliverables are structured across a strict schedule and include a detailed Work Plan, an outline and bibliography, 50%, 85%, and 95% draft reports, a presentation of findings, and a final 508-compliant report with a complete project archive. The scope enforces rigorous scholarly, formatting, and copy-editing standards, strictly limits the use of artificial intelligence to clerical tasks under advanced written disclosure, and outlines strict protocols for participant consent, compensation of Tribal representatives, and data confidentiality.

This federal contract document is Amendment 0001 to Solicitation 140P5126Q0051, issued by the National Park Service (NPS) Southeast Region East Major Acquisition Business Office (MABO) in Atlanta, Georgia. The contracting officer for this action is Celinda Hicks. The primary purpose of this amendment is to post questions and answers regarding the solicitation. The procurement is for an "Ethnographic Overview and Assessment of Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park." The designated period of performance for this project is from August 24, 2026, to September 30, 2028. Offerors are required to acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the specified hour and date for receipt of offers to avoid potential rejection of their proposals. Acknowledgment can be completed by signing and returning the amendment, acknowledging receipt on the submitted offer copies, or sending a separate communication referencing the solicitation and amendment numbers. All other terms and conditions of the original solicitation remain unchanged.

This National Park Service (NPS) Q&A document clarifies expectations for an upcoming commercial service contract involving tribal consultation. The NPS has not yet initiated project-specific coordination with associated Tribes, though the Shawnee Tribe has historically been the most responsive. Contractors are expected to include tribal compensation—such as honoraria and travel expenses for elders, experts, and co-authors—within their proposed budgets, subject to overall project funding and engagement levels. Finally, the NPS will not disclose the budget range for this competitive procurement, expecting bidders to propose current market pricing.