Products & Services > Wayside Exhibits > Interpretive Planning & Design Services Contract

Wayside Interpretive Planning & Design Services Contract

This contract provides the National Park Service with wayside interpretive planning and design services to develop waysides through a process of investigation and decision-making that facilitates meaningful connections between visitors and landscapes.

  

Step One – Using NPS IDIQ Contracts

Retrieve the information and requirements for using an NPS IDIQ Contract. Review Contracting Officer's Technical Instruction Number 99-11 (PDF) and also Attachment A (“Servicewide Procedures For Use of Another Office’s Indefinite Delivery - Indefinite Quantity Contracts” - PDF) and Attachment B (“Sample Of Suggested General Procedures For Ordering, Selection, and Issuance of Orders” - PDF).

A certified COTR and a warranted Contracting Office are required for use of the Wayside Interpretive Planning & Design Services Contract. In addition, a number of the deliverables in this contract are highly technical and should be reviewed and approved by NPS staff with appropriate technical skills. In most cases, the task order COTR will need to access additional technical expertise in order to properly inspect and approve each deliverable.

Step Two – Identify the Funding

Identify the funding source and the associated constraints or requirements. Identify the project team member responsible for managing the funding and communicating financial matters with the team. Wayside Exhibit Cost-Estimating »

Step Three – Review the IDIQ Contract

Review the Wayside Interpretive Planning and Design Services contract. This contract is not all-inclusive of every task that must be accomplished for the development of wayside exhibits. A brief overview of the purpose and contents is provided here:

The purpose of this contract is to provide the National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Center, with wayside interpretive planning and design services to develop wayside exhibits through a process of investigation and decision-making that will facilitate meaningful connections between visitors and landscapes. The contract is designed to provide a menu of services that may or may not be included in each individual task order.

Primary services included in this contract:

Site Analysis

  1. Begin primary research and identify potential wayside locations.
  2. Conduct site analysis.
  3. Identify and review resource materials and site-related data provided by the park.
  4. Identify the interpretive purpose for each wayside, and the orientation, size, and site conditions.
  5. Develop visual alternatives (thumbnail sketches) to facilitate decision making.
  6. Identify graphic needs including new illustrations and maps.
  7. Determine panel materials.
  8. Determine base structure.
  9. Apply wayside numbering system to prepare for long-term archiving and maintenance.
  10. Develop the Wayside Exhibit Proposal which documents discussions and decisions made during the site visit.
  11. Prepare the Resource Request List

Formative Evaluation

  1. Develop and apply evaluation tools and processes

Wayside Exhibit Development

  1. Continue primary research on specific subject matter and prepare Resource Package.
  2. Conduct graphics research and prepare Graphics Resource Package.
  3. Develop draft interpretive text.
  4. Conceptualize interpretive messages, organize information for intended audience, and create compelling graphic layout files for each wayside exhibit.
  5. Incorporate appropriate NPS organizational identity into the project.
  6. Apply the principles and standards in the “Visitor Accessibility for Wayside Exhibits” document. Visitor Accessibility for Wayside Exhibits »
  7. Prepare Wayside Exhibit Plan for presentations and reviews.
  8. Assemble reference packages for new illustrations and maps.

Pre-Production

  1. Purchase use-rights and acquire reproduction-quality graphics.
  2. Acquire high-resolution graphic scans.
  3. Complete final image adjustments, retouching or editing.
  4. Complete final text editing.
  5. Create production-ready high-resolution files and specifications appropriate for panel imaging method.
  6. Complete hardware/base order form.

Interpretive Illustration

  1. Develop scopes of work, schedules, and cost estimates for new illustrations. Acquiring New Illustrations (PDF)
  2. Develop sketches and final art for review and approval.
  3. Create reproduction-quality duplicates of illustrations.

Cartography

  1. Modify existing maps according to the NPS Wayside Map Standards to create wayside maps. Wayside Exhibit Map Standards (PDF)

Production

  1. Provide file corrections during fabrication.

Services not included in this contract:

The following list of tasks is not included in the Wayside Interpretive Planning and Design Services Contract. Many of these services can be provided by the staff at Harpers Ferry Center and by other IDIQ contractors.

Project Startup

  1. Identify wayside needs and formulate strategies to accomplish the work.
  2. Understand and articulate park operations, policies, and planning documents. Long Range Interpretive Plans »
  3. Gather data on audience, site, and available resources.
  4. Familiarize all project participants with the wayside development processes and project strategy. Wayside Exhibit Work Process »
  5. Assess skills and abilities necessary for the project.
  6. Identify roles and responsibilities for team members.
  7. Identify and access subject matter expertise.
  8. Develop a work plan with the agreed upon project strategy, funding, schedule, staff, and communications.
  9. Execute project agreements necessary to launch the project.
  10. Draft and execute contracts necessary to launch the project.
  11. Plan the site visit.

Site Analysis

  1. Host wayside planning and design team for site analysis.
  2. Review and approve the Wayside Exhibit Proposal.
  3. Review the Resource Request List and provide park resources to the team.

Wayside Exhibit Development

  1. Manage project reviews with subject matter experts, partners, and other stakeholders
  2. Design modifications to the standard wayside bases as needed for custom installations.
  3. Draft scopes of work for new illustrations and maps.

Pre-Production

  1. Translate final approved text into other languages.
  2. Review and approve each stage of development for new illustrations.
  3. Conduct final review of full-size proofs of each wayside layout
  4. Develop site improvement plans based on working knowledge of landscape architecture
  5. Prepare detailed shop drawings for custom wayside bases
  6. Develop scopes of work, schedules, and cost estimates for panel and base fabrication.

Cartography

  1. Develop scopes of work, schedules, and cost estimates.
  2. Conduct site analysis to confirm geographic data and site conditions.
  3. Research and gather primary geographic source data.
  4. Create actual-size, production-ready maps for review and approval.
  5. Review and approve each stage of map development.

Production

  1. Create production-quality proofs for team review.
  2. Inspect and approve production proofs.
  3. Image graphic panels in specified materials from production-ready digital files.
  4. Inspect and approve wayside panels.
  5. Fabricate accessible wayside bases.
  6. Verify shipping address for bases.

Installation and Maintenance

  1. Manage shipping bases and panels to the park.
  2. Inspect and approve wayside structures.
  3. Improve the sites prior to wayside installation to provide full accessibility.
  4. Manage installation of wayside structures and panels.
  5. Archival final digital files, graphics and backup panels to facilitate long-term maintenance.
  6. Document credits and use-rights.
  7. Close-out project funding.
  8. Enter the project into the Media Inventory Database System (MIDS). Media Inventory Database System »
  9. Maintain the site to ensure the vista is clear, the site is safe, and the base is in good shape.
  10. Assess completed waysides for intended outcomes through social science research.
  11. Maintain the panels by cleaning on a regular basis. Wayside Exhibit Maintenance »
  12. Replace damaged/worn panels and bases. Replacing a Wayside Exhibit Panel »

Step Four – Identify the Project Team

To create and maintain effective wayside exhibits requires a spectrum of talent. There is no single source in either government or the private sector that can provide everything needed to produce waysides. Teams typically include interpreters, maintenance staff, fabricators, illustrators, cartographers, designers, writers, researchers, and others. Review the roles and responsibilities at Developing a Wayside Exhibit Team »

The COTR for this contract has a role in the administration of all task orders, and therefore must be included in the communication and management of all projects. Other HFC media specialists can also provide services on wayside projects under contract. If you are considering using the IDIQ Contract, call Harpers Ferry Center at 304-535-5050 to request information and advice about assembling a team and proceeding with step five.

Step Five – Write a Task Order

Based on a thorough understanding of the Wayside Interpretive Planning and Design Services contract, write a Task Order for the project. Keep in mind that there are end-of-fiscal-year deadlines and it can take as much as two months for Acquisition Management to process each task order. You should plan to submit your completed task order to Acquisition Management by June 15th in order to obligate project money within the fiscal year. There are numerous categories of information in the Scope of Work that need to be completed for a task order. The sections are summarized below.

Background

Summarize the context of this task order. Provide an overview about the park itself in terms of how this project fits in to long-range interpretive planning goals.

Purpose

Identify the specific purpose of this task order as a request for a particular set of services for a specific wayside project.

Scope of Work

The Scope of Work should identify which of the specific services listed in the IDIQ Contract are required under the task order. Copying existing task orders is not recommended given that each project may require a different set of services and deliverables.

Deliverables

Deliverables such as a “Wayside Proposal” shall be identified in this section including the total number of copies required and the form of the deliverable, i.e. paper copies or digital files.

Time for Completion

This schedule identifies the “not later than” dates by which the contractor must submit the deliverables.

Review and Approval

This schedule identifies the number of calendar days for the Government review and approval of each deliverable.

Travel

Identifies all travel necessary in this section. The Contract includes a set rate for travel to HFC.

COTR

Identifies the Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative for the task order. Keep in mind that a number of the deliverables in this contract are highly technical and should be reviewed and approved by NPS staff with appropriate technical skills. In many cases, the COTR must rely on the technical expertise of other team members in order to properly review and approve each deliverable.

Government-Furnished Property

This section is included when government-furnished property will be provided to the contractor under this task order. The actual listing of property is included under the section titled “Attachments.”

Payment Schedule

The payment schedule should be developed based on the Deliverables and Reviewed and Approval schedule so that the Government is paying for work completed and approved.

Option Provision

In some cases, all funds are not available at the outset of a task order. The Option Provision enables the Government to contract for all the necessary services subject to the availability of funds.

Attachments

This section lists all the Government-Furnished items attached to this specific task order.

Government Estimate

A Cost Estimating pdf form has been created to expedite the cost estimating process for this Contract. Cost Estimating Form (PDF)

Step Six – Execute the Task Order

To execute the draft task order it must be entered into the Procurement Desktop system. The HFC Office of Acquisition Management will need 60 days to process and award the contract. Keep in mind that near the end of each fiscal year, there are deadlines for submitting task orders to the Office of Acquisition Management.

Upon award, the COTR of the task order serves as a liaison between the project team, the contractor, and the COTR of the contract at HFC. The task order COTR should review the roles and responsibilities with all team members of the project, coordinate the review and approval processes, modify the contract as needed, manage the funding and prompt payment of the contractor, and manage the project close-out.

  
Author: Harpers Ferry Center
Last Updated: Monday, 27-Aug-2007 15:29:13 Eastern Daylight Time
http://www.nps.gov/hfc/products/waysides/way-contract.htm