The interbureau agreement between the National Park Service and the
Bureau of Public Roads established the formal working relationship
between the two agencies, and served as the basis under which the
National Park Service and the Federal Highway Administration work
today.
COPY
MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
AND
THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS
RELATING TO THE SURVEY CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT
OF ROADS AND TRAILS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS AND NATIONAL MONUMENTS
--0--
RULINGS No. 1 - ADMINISTRATIVE GENERAL National Park Service -
Procedure for Highway Cooperation by Bureau.
WHEREAS, Certain Acts of Congress have authorized the making of
appropriations and have made appropriations and authorized the incurring
of obligations for the survey, construction, reconstruction and
improvement of roads and trails in the National parks and National
monuments under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior;
and
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Public Roads of the United States Department
of Agriculture has an engineering organization perfected for the purpose
of making surveys and improving highways; and
WHEREAS, the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior
in the interest of economy and efficiency, desires to utilize the
services of the existing road-building organization of the Bureau of
Public Roads in the survey, construction, reconstruction and improvement
of roads and trails within the National parks and National monuments, as
authorized by Congress;
NOW THEREFORE, the National Park Service, hereinafter referred to as
the Park Service, and the Bureau of Public Roads, hereinafter referred
to as the Bureau, do hereby mutually agree, as follows:
STANDARDIZATION OF CONSTRUCTION AND ARTICULATION OF
HIGHWAYS
Article I.
(1) That the Park Service and the Bureau shall each use every effort
to harmonize the standards of construction of roads and trails in the
National parks and monuments with the standards adopted for the
construction of the roads which form a part of the Federal-aid highway
system and of roads and trails within the National forests and to secure
the best modern practice in the location, design, construction and
improvement thereof.
(2) That from time to time duly authorized representatives of the
Park Service and of the Bureau will confer with authorized
representatives of the United States Forest Service and the several
State highway departments of the States within which the National parks
and monuments are located, for the purpose of developing a general
scheme of improvement by which the National park highways, highways
forming a part of the Federal-aid highway system, State highways and the
highways within the National Forests will so articulate with and
supplement each other as to form an interconnected system of
highways.
INITIATION OF PROJECTS AND PRELIMINARY SURVEYS
ARTICLE II.
The services of the Bureau will be furnished only upon request in
writing from the Director of the Park Service, and the following
procedure shall be observed:
(1) Upon receipt of request from the Park Service the Chief of the
Bureau will cause an investigation and a preliminary estimate of cost of
the project to be made.
(2) Simultaneously with the above request the Park Service will
instruct its landscape engineer to cooperate with the engineers of the
Bureau in making the preliminary investigation.
(3) The time for making the field examination of any such project
shall be agreed upon by the superintendent and landscape engineer of the
Park Service and the district engineer of the Bureau. When said field
examination has been completed the following reports shall be
prepared:
(a) Report to the Chief of Bureau by the Bureau representative on the
location and construction of the proposed project, together with an
estimate of the cost thereof. Copies of this report will be furnished to
the Park Service in duplicate, and to the Park Superintendent.
(b) Report to the Park Service by the landscape engineer on all
landscape features of the proposed project. Copies of this report shall
be furnished to the Bureau in duplicate and to the Park
Superintendent.
© Report of the Superintendent of the Park to the Park Service
commenting on the reports referred to in the next preceding paragraphs
and making recommendations with respect to the proposed project. Copies
of the superintendent's report and recommendation shall be submitted to
the Chief of Bureau in duplicate, through its District Engineer, and to
the Park Service, in duplicate, through the field assistant, one copy of
such reports to be retained by the District Engineer and field
assistant, respectively, for their files.
(4) Upon receipt of the preliminary reports referred to above the
Park Service shall inform the Bureau whether it desires the work to be
undertaken by the Bureau as a major project or whether the Park Service
shall proceed with the work as a minor project without the services of
the bureau.
EXECUTION OF MAJOR PROJECTS
Article III.
(1) In case the project is a major one and the services of the Bureau
are desired in the execution and completion thereof, the Director of the
Park Service shall so notify the Chief of Bureau in writing and make
request that the project be handled to completion by the Bureau in
accordance with the procedure herein outlined.
(2) Upon receipt of such notice and request the Bureau will instruct
its District Engineer to proceed, in cooperation with the landscape
engineer of the Park Service and the superintendent of the park, with
the location survey, and to prepare plans, specifications and estimates
for the project.
(3) When said plans, specifications and estimates have been prepared
and approved recommendations by the landscape engineer of the Park
Service and the superintendent of the Park Service are shown thereon,
they shall be forwarded by the District Engineer to the Bureau for
transmission to the Park Service for approval or disapproval.
(4) If the Park Service approves the plans, specifications, and
estimates it shall so notify the Bureau in writing and instruct the
superintendent of the Park to advertise for proposals for the
construction of the project.
(5) The advertisement for proposals shall specify the time and place
of opening the bids, and the bids shall be opened and tabulated by the
Superintendent of the Park and the District Engineer of the Bureau.
(6) The recommendation for award shall be made by the Park
Superintendent, shall be concurred in by the District Engineer, and
shall be forwarded to the Director of the Park Service, through the
chief of the Bureau, accompanied by the three low bids and a tabular
statement of all bids received. The award shall then be made by the
Secretary of the Interior.
(7) Immediately upon notice of award the Park Superintendent and the
Bureau shall be notified and formal contract shall be executed by the
successful bidder and the Department of the Interior.
(8) The prosecution of the work shall be undertaken by the District
Engineer in accordance with the plans and specifications approved for
the project, it being understood that the specifications shall govern
all ordinary landscape features of the work, and any minor alterations
which are authorized under the specifications without a modification of
agreement, and which are deemed necessary during the progress of the
work, may be ordered by the District Engineer in writing, with the
written concurrence of the landscape engineer, to whom shall be
delegated the necessary authority so to do.
PAYMENTS
Article IV.
(1) As the construction of a project progresses prompt payments shall
be made by the local Fiscal or Disbursing Agent of the National Park
Service to the Contractor upon monthly estimates approved by the
District Engineer.
(2) The Park Service will reimburse the Bureau for actual expenses
incurred by reason of active work on investigating, surveying, preparing
plans, specifications and estimates, and supervising projects. An
estimate of the actual expenses to be incurred by the Bureau shall be
made and forwarded to the Park Service upon receipt of each request for
the Bureau's services, and the Park Service shall, upon receipt of such
estimate, set up a liability on its books to defray such expense against
existing appropriations or appropriations authorized to be made against
which obligations may legally be incurred.
(3) Reimbursement for the actual expenses incurred by the Bureau in
rendering such services will be made by the Park Service from time to
time upon the submission of vouchers therefor.
(4) Upon request of the Park Service preliminary investigations,
surveys, and estimates will be made for major projects for which
reimbursements will be made in the manner hereinbefore provided.
ACCEPTANCE OF PROJECTS
Article V.
(1) Before approving final settlement with the contractors the
District Engineer shall obtain from the Park Superintendent and the
landscape engineer written recommendations for acceptance of the work in
which he shall concur in writing.
(2) The District Engineer shall approve and forward the final voucher
in favor of the contractor, through the chief of Bureau, to the Park
Service, accompanied by the above recommendations, for final acceptance
of the Secretary of the Interior and transmission of voucher to the
general accounting office for final settlement.
Signed this 18th day of January 1926.
By Stephen T. Mather
Director, National Park
Service.
Signed this 3rd day of February 1926.
By Thos. H. Macdonald,
Chief, Bureau of Public
Roads.
Approved: January 22, 1926, by Hubert Work,
Secretary,
Department of the Interior.
February 10, 1926, by W. M. Jardine,
Secretary, Department of
Agriculture.
Outline of procedure to be followed under the
interbureau agreement between the Bureau of Public Roads and the Park
Service for the handling of Park Service Work
Plans Specifications and Estimate. In the
preparation of the preliminary plans the District Engineer of the Bureau
shall cooperate with the Landscape Engineer of the Park Service in order
that final drawings may embody satisfactory landscape features.
The title sheet of the plans should contain provision
for the approval and signature of the following:
Chief Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads
Director of the Park Service
District Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads
Superintendent of the Park
Landscape Engineer of the Park Service.
A copy of the plans, specifications and estimate
should be forwarded to the Washington office of the Bureau of Public
Roads, together with the title sheet bearing the signature of the
District Engineer of the Bureau of Public Roads, Superintendent of the
Park and the Landscape engineer of the Park Service. Blue print copies
of this title sheet will not be necessary. The Bureau of Public Roads at
Washington will obtain the signatures of the chief Engineer of the
Bureau of Public Roads and the Director of the Park Service on the title
sheet. One blue print copy of this title sheet will be retained by the
Bureau of Public Roads for their records; another copy will be attached
to the plans and specifications transmitted by the District Engineer and
the complete set of plans forwarded to the Park Service. The tracing
will then be returned to the District Engineer of the Bureau of Public
Roads. Copies of the plans, specifications and estimate should be
furnished by the District Engineer to the Park Superintendent and
Landscape Engineer of the Park Service is required. The District
Engineer should cooperate with the Landscape Engineer of the Park
Service relative to any changes in the plans that may be found necessary
during construction.
Notice to Contractors and Advertisement. Two
copies of the notice to contractors shall be forwarded by the District
Engineer to the Bureau with the request for permission from the
Secretary of the Interior to advertise. On approval, the Park Service
will notify the Bureau that such permission has been granted. The work
may then be advertised by the Park Superintendent or by the District
Engineer of the Bureau, as may be decided upon between them.
Preliminary Recommendation of Award. The
District Engineer shall telegraph results of the opening of bids to the
Bureau showing the three low bidders and recommending award or rejection
of the proposal. The Park Superintendent shall telegraph the Park
Service the results of opening of bids showing the three low bidders and
recommending award or rejection of the proposal.
Award Papers. All award papers should be
forwarded in duplicate, the original copy for the Park Service and on
copy for the Bureau of Public Roads, which, after passing through
channels, returns to the Bureau of Public Roads' files.
Regional Office Concurrence. Telegraphic
concurrence shall be forwarded by the regional office of the Bureau of
Public Roads at San Francisco. This concurrence will be the result of
their review of the carbon copy of recommendation of award or rejection
of the proposal which has been forwarded to the Washington office of the
Bureau of Public Roads by the District Engineer of the Bureau.
Documents which should be Forwarded by the District Engineer to
the Bureau of Public Roads at Washington
Two copies of the letter recommending the award or
rejection of the proposal, concurred in by the Park Superintendent.
Two copies of the tabulation of bids and the
engineer's estimate.
Two copies of all telegrams setting forth the status
of the contract relative to experience, financial ability, etc.
Two copies of a financial statement of funds
available for the work.
The originals of all proposals received.
A statement of the standard specifications
governing.
Secretary of the Interior's letter to the
Contractor Accepting or Rejecting, Proposal. A draft of a letter for
the signature of the Secretary of the Interior to the contractor making
the award or rejecting his proposal will be prepared by the Washington
office of the Bureau of Public Roads and forwarded to the Park Service
with the award papers. This draft, together with a letter from the Chief
of the Bureau to the Director of the Park Service concurring in the
recommendations of the District Engineer and the Park Superintendent
will be forwarded by the Bureau to the Park Service. The Park Service
will prepare the formal letter according to this draft and secure the
Secretary of the Interior's signature to the award or the rejection, as
the case may be. The following copies of the letter of the Secretary of
the Interior to the contractor making an award or rejection shall be
prepared by the Park Service:
One copy for the Secretary of the Interior's
files.
One copy for the Park Service files.
One copy for the Bureau of Public Roads' files.
One copy for the Regional Office of the Bureau of
Public Roads' files.
Two copies for the District Engineer, one for his
files and one to be transmitted to the Park Superintendent for his
files.
The following copies of the letter of the Chief of
Bureau recommending the award or rejection of the proposal to the Park
Service shall be prepared by the Bureau of Public Roads.
One copy for the Regional Office of the Bureau at San
Francisco.
Two copies for the District Engineer of the Bureau,
one to be transmitted to the Park Superintendent.
One copy for the Bureau of Public Roads' files.
The original letter will remain with the Park
Service.
Notification to the Contractor of the Award or
rejection. The original letter to the contractor and four copies
accepting or rejecting the proposal shall be returned to the Bureau of
Public Roads for proper distribution.
Disposition of Award Letters to the Field. The
Bureau of Public Roads at Washington will transmit to the Regional
Office of the Bureau at San Francisco and to the District Engineers the
following papers:
To the Regional Office: A copy of the Secretary of
the Interior's letter to the contractor making award or rejecting the
proposal and a copy of the Chief of Bureau's letter to the Director of
the Park Service recommending the award or rejection of the
proposal.
To the District Engineer: The original copy of the
Secretary of the Interior's letter to the contractor for delivery to
him, two copies of this letter, one to be retained by the District
Engineer for his files and one to be delivered to the Park
Superintendent; two copies of the Chief of Bureau's letter to the
Director of the Park Service recommending the award or rejection of the
proposal, one for the District Engineer's files and one to be
transmitted to the Park Superintendent.
Preliminary Action by the Field. The District
Engineer will anticipate an award and have the contract executed by the
contractor, together with a bond and forwarded to the Washington office.
The following copies should be prepared: Eight copies, two signed and
six typed. The Bureau of Public Roads at Washington will retain the
original proposal of the contractor which will be attached to the
contract when received.
Review of Contracts. The contracts will be
reviewed by the Bureau of Public Roads in Washington and compared with
the proposal accepted by the Secretary of the Interior and
forwarded to the Park Service for review and execution.
Distribution of Contracts
One original for the auditor.
One original for the contractor through the Bureau of Public
Roads.
One copy for the Bureau of Public Roads at Washington files.
One copy for the Regional Office through the Bureau of Public
Roads.
One copy for the District Engineer through the Bureau of Public
Roads.
One copy to the Park Superintendent through the District Engineer of
the Bureau of Public Roads.
One copy for the Washington office of the Park Service.
One copy to Returns Office through the Park Service.
APPROVED:
/s/ Stephen T. Mather.
Director, National Park Service.
APPROVED:
Chief, Bureau of Public Roads.