Notices

Request for Proposals

Request for Proposals
Historic Turtle Lake Schoolhouse/Town Hall Rehabilitation
Phase I – Archaeological Survey

Release Date: December 9, 2024
Contact: Lynn Johnson
Phone: 218-586-2379
Email: tltownshipclerk@gmail.com
Submission Deadline: January 10, 2025

Introduction
Turtle Lake Township (TLT) is seeking bids from qualified firms to conduct a Phase I Archaeology Survey of its one-acre property located at 19143 Lake Julia Drive NW, Bemidji, MN 56601.

History of the Historic Turtle Lake Schoolhouse/Town Hall
The Historic Turtle Lake Schoolhouse/Town Hall, located in Beltrami County, Minnesota, is the sole remaining building associated with the town of Buena Vista. In 1996, the Buena Vista Townsite, which includes the schoolhouse, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Buena Vista Archaeological District. The schoolhouse served the area mostly from 1898 to 1943. Today, the use of the small building includes township meetings, elections and various gatherings and events.

Scope of Services
Please provide an all-inclusive bid to conduct a Phase I archaeological survey on the one-acre parcel owned by Turtle Lake Township that includes the historic schoolhouse, now known as the Turtle Lake Town Hall.

The property is situated 13 miles north of Bemidji, MN on the southwest corner of Irvine Ave NW (CSAH 15) and Lake Julia Dr NW in Beltrami County. The property is one-acre and includes the historic schoolhouse/town hall, a picnic shelter, outhouse, storage shed, water pump, Count Beltrami Historic Monument, covered information board, covered announcement board, and bat structure. The property tax ID number is 470011100 with a legal description of SECT-08 TWP-148 RANGE-033 1.00 AC S 209’ OF N 609’ OF E 209’ OF NE1/4 OF NE1/4.

The final product will consist of a technical report summarizing the consulting work performed.
The report will detail the results of all survey findings and summarize all recommendations. Copies
of the report are to be submitted to Turtle Lake Township.
• The Principal Investigator for the survey must meet the professional qualifications of the
U.S. Secretary of the Interior for archaeology.
• In conducting the survey, the archaeology contractor is required to follow The State
Archaeologist’s Survey Manual from the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist for
Phase I archaeological survey methodologies.
https://mn.gov/admin/assets/OSAmanual_tcm36-186982.pdf
• The contractor is also required to work with the Turtle Lake Township Project Director, Authorized Officer and Project Staff.

This project was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts & Culture Heritage Fund.

Instructions to Proposers
Proposals must be in writing and must be received by 4:00 p.m. CST on January 10, 2025. All proposals, questions, and correspondence should be directed to Lynn Johnson, Turtle Lake Township Clerk at tltownshipclerk@gmail.com . In order to ensure a fair review and selection process, firms submitting proposals are prohibited from contacting any other organization members regarding these proposals.

Address or deliver proposals to Lynn Johnson, Turtle Lake Township Clerk, 12421 Lake Beltrami Rd NE,
Bemidji, MN 56601.

Site visits can be scheduled by calling the clerk at 218-586-2379 to arrange a visit.

Statement of Content of RFP
A proposal must contain the following within no more than 15 pages:
• Title page (Name, address, phone, contact person, date)
• Table of contents
• Statement of the proposal work (work, timetable, availability)
• Consultant’s or firm’s profile, history, and experience, including client references
• Resumes of key staff demonstrating how they meet professional qualification standards
• Fees and method of payment
• Any other information deemed helpful in demonstrating the proposer’s ability to successfully
complete the project

Proposal Evaluation
Proposals will be evaluated on a best value basis, with a committee evaluating proposals on the
qualifications of the contractor (25 points out of 100), their success in completing previous projects in a
timely fashion to the standards of the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist and the Secretary of
the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines (25 points), the completeness of submitted proposals (25
points), and cost (25 points).

Agreement Terms
1. All work on the Phase I archeological survey, including the final technical report, is required to
be completed and submitted to Turtle Lake Township by August 18, 2025.
2. The archaeological contractor (hereafter, “contractor”) must provide a current Certificate of
Liability Insurance to Turtle Lake Township (hereafter, “TLT”).
3. Contractor is responsible for calling in utility locate requests to Gopher State One Call and
coordinating with TLT staff on location of private lines.
4. Any artifacts found as part of the survey are to be turned over to the Minnesota State
Historical Society for curation, after they have been processed and identified by the contractor.
5. The contractor must clean up shovel test pits created as part of this survey, including replacing
sod that has been removed.
6. The contractor must take measures to mark shovel test pits and other areas of work in such a
way that they are visible and take other applicable safety measures as needed.

7. The contractor agrees that all work shall be performed as approved or authorized by TLT
and that the contractor will cooperate and work in accordance with direction received from
TLT during the project.
8. Contractor will coordinate with TLT staff for public visitation to view the work in progress as
a part of TLT educational efforts. All visitation events will be conducted under the
supervision of TLT staff.
9. TLT shall not be held liable for any pre-contractual expenses incurred by the archaeology
contractor. Such pre-contractual expenses include preparing the proposal, submitting it to
TLT, performing a site visit in preparation for the proposal, negotiating with TLT on any
matter related to this proposal, or any other expenses incurred by the contractor prior to an
executed agreement.
10. TLT reserves the right to withdraw this RFP at any time without prior notice. TLT makes
no representations that any agreement will be awarded to any contractor responding to this
RFP.
11. TLT expressly reserves the right to postpone reviewing the proposals for its own convenience
and to reject any and all proposals responding to this RFP without indicating any reasons for
such rejections.
12. TLT reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted. TLT may deem it necessary
to interview applications and reserves the right to interview as part of the selection process.
Any contract awarded for these archaeology contractor engagements will be made with the
contractor who, in the opinion of TLT, is best qualified.
13. Proposals that fail to provide sufficient information or assurances of performance or to comply
with the requirements and conditions of the RFP will not be given further consideration.
14. Any contract to be awarded as a result of this RFP will be awarded without discrimination
based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity, affectional orientation, marital
status, political affiliation, disability, or age.
15. The contractor’s proposal shall be no more than 15 pages, excluding a cover letter, dividers, and
certificates. The RFP will not be counted if included in the proposal.
16. The contractor shall be required to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and ordinances
applicable to the work. This includes compliance with prevailing wage rates.
17. The contractor’s relationship to TLT in the performances of the Phase I archaeology survey is
that of an independent contractor. The personnel performing said survey shall at all times be
under the contractor’s exclusive direction and control. The contractor shall pay all wages,
salaries and other amounts due to their employees in connection with the performance of said
survey and shall be responsible for all employee reports and obligations, including, but not
necessarily limited to social security, income tax withholding, unemployment compensation,
and Worker’s Compensation.

Timetable
• Release of RFP: December 9, 2024
• Site Visits for RFP: By appointment between December 10, 2024 – January 9, 2025
• Proposals Due: January 10, 2025 at 4 p.m. CST
• Decision on Proposals: By January 14, 2025
• Field work to be scheduled between April 1 and August 11, 2025 (dependent on weather)
• Final Technical Report Due: August 18, 2025

Other Information
Payment: The archaeology contractor will invoice the Turtle Lake Township for work
performed on the Phase I archaeology survey once the final technical report has been completed and
submitted. In accordance with IRS rules regarding contractors, the archaeology contractor will provide
TLT with a completed IRS W-9 form prior to submitting an invoice.


	Home Agenda & Minutes Notices Land Use Ordinances Election Info Election Judges Fees Roads Contact Board Board Responsibilities Cemetery Information Animal Control Directions History Wikipedia Link Notices Request for Proposals Request for Proposals Historic Turtle Lake Schoolhouse/Town Hall Rehabilitation Phase I – Archaeological Survey Release Date: December 9, 2024 Contact: Lynn Johnson Phone: 218-586-2379 Email: tltownshipclerk@gmail.com Submission Deadline: January 10, 2025 Introduction Turtle Lake Township (TLT) is seeking bids from qualified firms to conduct a Phase I Archaeology Survey of its one-acre property located at 19143 Lake Julia Drive NW, Bemidji, MN 56601. History of the Historic Turtle Lake Schoolhouse/Town Hall The Historic Turtle Lake Schoolhouse/Town Hall, located in Beltrami County, Minnesota, is the sole remaining building associated with the town of Buena Vista. In 1996, the Buena Vista Townsite, which includes the schoolhouse, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Buena Vista Archaeological District. The schoolhouse served the area mostly from 1898 to 1943. Today, the use of the small building includes township meetings, elections and various gatherings and events. Scope of Services Please provide an all-inclusive bid to conduct a Phase I archaeological survey on the one-acre parcel owned by Turtle Lake Township that includes the historic schoolhouse, now known as the Turtle Lake Town Hall. The property is situated 13 miles north of Bemidji, MN on the southwest corner of Irvine Ave NW (CSAH 15) and Lake Julia Dr NW in Beltrami County. The property is one-acre and includes the historic schoolhouse/town hall, a picnic shelter, outhouse, storage shed, water pump, Count Beltrami Historic Monument, covered information board, covered announcement board, and bat structure. The property tax ID number is 470011100 with a legal description of SECT-08 TWP-148 RANGE-033 1.00 AC S 209’ OF N 609’ OF E 209’ OF NE1/4 OF NE1/4. The final product will consist of a technical report summarizing the consulting work performed. The report will detail the results of all survey findings and summarize all recommendations. Copies of the report are to be submitted to Turtle Lake Township. • The Principal Investigator for the survey must meet the professional qualifications of the U.S. Secretary of the Interior for archaeology. • In conducting the survey, the archaeology contractor is required to follow The State Archaeologist’s Survey Manual from the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist for Phase I archaeological survey methodologies. https://mn.gov/admin/assets/OSAmanual_tcm36-186982.pdf • The contractor is also required to work with the Turtle Lake Township Project Director, Authorized Officer and Project Staff. This project was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts & Culture Heritage Fund. Instructions to Proposers Proposals must be in writing and must be received by 4:00 p.m. CST on January 10, 2025. All proposals, questions, and correspondence should be directed to Lynn Johnson, Turtle Lake Township Clerk at tltownshipclerk@gmail.com . In order to ensure a fair review and selection process, firms submitting proposals are prohibited from contacting any other organization members regarding these proposals. Address or deliver proposals to Lynn Johnson, Turtle Lake Township Clerk, 12421 Lake Beltrami Rd NE, Bemidji, MN 56601. Site visits can be scheduled by calling the clerk at 218-586-2379 to arrange a visit. Statement of Content of RFP A proposal must contain the following within no more than 15 pages: • Title page (Name, address, phone, contact person, date) • Table of contents • Statement of the proposal work (work, timetable, availability) • Consultant’s or firm’s profile, history, and experience, including client references • Resumes of key staff demonstrating how they meet professional qualification standards • Fees and method of payment • Any other information deemed helpful in demonstrating the proposer’s ability to successfully complete the project Proposal Evaluation Proposals will be evaluated on a best value basis, with a committee evaluating proposals on the qualifications of the contractor (25 points out of 100), their success in completing previous projects in a timely fashion to the standards of the Minnesota Office of the State Archaeologist and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines (25 points), the completeness of submitted proposals (25 points), and cost (25 points). Agreement Terms 1. All work on the Phase I archeological survey, including the final technical report, is required to be completed and submitted to Turtle Lake Township by August 18, 2025. 2. The archaeological contractor (hereafter, “contractor”) must provide a current Certificate of Liability Insurance to Turtle Lake Township (hereafter, “TLT”). 3. Contractor is responsible for calling in utility locate requests to Gopher State One Call and coordinating with TLT staff on location of private lines. 4. Any artifacts found as part of the survey are to be turned over to the Minnesota State Historical Society for curation, after they have been processed and identified by the contractor. 5. The contractor must clean up shovel test pits created as part of this survey, including replacing sod that has been removed. 6. The contractor must take measures to mark shovel test pits and other areas of work in such a way that they are visible and take other applicable safety measures as needed. 7. The contractor agrees that all work shall be performed as approved or authorized by TLT and that the contractor will cooperate and work in accordance with direction received from TLT during the project. 8. Contractor will coordinate with TLT staff for public visitation to view the work in progress as a part of TLT educational efforts. All visitation events will be conducted under the supervision of TLT staff. 9. TLT shall not be held liable for any pre-contractual expenses incurred by the archaeology contractor. Such pre-contractual expenses include preparing the proposal, submitting it to TLT, performing a site visit in preparation for the proposal, negotiating with TLT on any matter related to this proposal, or any other expenses incurred by the contractor prior to an executed agreement. 10. TLT reserves the right to withdraw this RFP at any time without prior notice. TLT makes no representations that any agreement will be awarded to any contractor responding to this RFP. 11. TLT expressly reserves the right to postpone reviewing the proposals for its own convenience and to reject any and all proposals responding to this RFP without indicating any reasons for such rejections. 12. TLT reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted. TLT may deem it necessary to interview applications and reserves the right to interview as part of the selection process. Any contract awarded for these archaeology contractor engagements will be made with the contractor who, in the opinion of TLT, is best qualified. 13. Proposals that fail to provide sufficient information or assurances of performance or to comply with the requirements and conditions of the RFP will not be given further consideration. 14. Any contract to be awarded as a result of this RFP will be awarded without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender identity, affectional orientation, marital status, political affiliation, disability, or age. 15. The contractor’s proposal shall be no more than 15 pages, excluding a cover letter, dividers, and certificates. The RFP will not be counted if included in the proposal. 16. The contractor shall be required to comply with all federal, state, and local laws and ordinances applicable to the work. This includes compliance with prevailing wage rates. 17. The contractor’s relationship to TLT in the performances of the Phase I archaeology survey is that of an independent contractor. The personnel performing said survey shall at all times be under the contractor’s exclusive direction and control. The contractor shall pay all wages, salaries and other amounts due to their employees in connection with the performance of said survey and shall be responsible for all employee reports and obligations, including, but not necessarily limited to social security, income tax withholding, unemployment compensation, and Worker’s Compensation. Timetable • Release of RFP: December 9, 2024 • Site Visits for RFP: By appointment between December 10, 2024 – January 9, 2025 • Proposals Due: January 10, 2025 at 4 p.m. CST • Decision on Proposals: By January 14, 2025 • Field work to be scheduled between April 1 and August 11, 2025 (dependent on weather) • Final Technical Report Due: August 18, 2025 Other Information Payment: The archaeology contractor will invoice the Turtle Lake Township for work performed on the Phase I archaeology survey once the final technical report has been completed and submitted. In accordance with IRS rules regarding contractors, the archaeology contractor will provide TLT with a completed IRS W-9 form prior to submitting an invoice.