The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking the services of a consultant through a cooperative agreement with the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) to produce a multi-authored and multi-chaptered special history study in accordance with the requirements specified in this Request for Proposals (RFP). The contract is to be administered by ASALH and the work prepared for and completed in coordination with the NPS.

This project requires a consultant with a deep knowledge of the African American experience and Civil Rights history as well as prior experience researching, writing, and producing government reports, especially as related to NPS interpretive histories, historic contexts, or theme studies. The project is to be completed within the period of performance, ending September 30, 2026. The National Historic Context is meant to complement a larger project on the topic that includes an oral history and historical profiles component. The selected consultant will also be expected to bring all the components together into a larger special history.

Interested consultants should submit a proposal and cost estimate in response to this RFP to ASALH no later than January 10, 2025 at 5 pm EST. Electronic copies of proposals must be submitted to [email protected].

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Several national, regional, and park level studies have been completed that look at the history of African Americans and the National Park Service. While these studies have filled in important gaps in this history including the agency’s own complicity in institutionalized racism, they are predominately from an administrative perspective and therefore absences remain about how African Americans engaged with the National Park Service from their own vantage points including how they responded and confronted the racism experienced either at the Parks themselves or in the gateway communities. The absences of these perspectives limit understanding this history, especially as it relates to how African Americans constructed their relationships with the agency and its units despite the prevalence of racism and segregation.

Despite popular constructions, African Americans have had a long history and engagement with national parks. African American newspapers dating back to the late 19th century include advertisements for and discussions of national parks. Earliest are for Yellowstone, the first national park. Society pages and gossip columns are filled with reports of trips to national parks for vacations and honeymoons. African American clubs and other organizations also sponsored trips to national parks. National Parks and gateway communities appear in African American travel guides. Even the National Park Service/Department of Interior published its own travel guide called “The Directory of Negro Hotels and Guest Houses” in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

African Americans were also an important part of the agency’s workforce. For instance, one of the early historians at Gettysburg was Louis King.

This project will contribute to the production of a special history that looks at the history of the African American experience and engagement with the National Park Service at a national level through the following lenses:

  • African American visitation to national parks, focusing not just on experiences within parks but also in travel to and in gateway communities.
  • The employment of African Americans in the National Park Service and other related work programs such as the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that supported parks.
  • The establishment of national park units specifically designated for their connection to African American History.
  • The role of African Americans in the preservation, conservation, and establishment of existing units and sites that eventually became units of the National Park Service.

REQUIRED CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS
The selected consultant must have demonstrated experience in and successful preparation of interpretive publications similar to the proposed national historic context and special history study. Ideal candidates will also possess the following desired qualifications:

Ideal candidates will also possess the following desired qualifications:
a) A scholarly research focus in African American history and experience.
b) Prior experience researching, writing, and producing government reports, especially as related to NPS interpretive histories, historic contexts, or theme studies.
c) Demonstrated experience in editing and collaborating with multiple authors and scholars to produce an edited publication.
d) Demonstrated experience in oral history project design and execution.
e) Prior experience completing the design and layout of a print publication. If the selected consultant comprises a firm or organization, then a Principal Investigator must be designated for the project. The Principal Investigator must agree to be principally responsible for all work conducted by other consultant personnel for the project. The individual selected as the Principal Investigator may not change during the project without prior written approval of ASALH and the NPS.
f) Contractors debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment are excluded from receiving contracts.

SCOPE OF WORK
Completion of a multi-authored and multi-chaptered special history study providing a national context for the history of African Americans and the National Park Service, 1872-1965.

Task/Deliverables shall also include:

  1. Initial project kick-off meeting.
  2. Work collaboratively with the consultants on the project components (profiles and oral history).
  3. Survey and inventory existing research and studies that deal with African Americans and the National Park Service and identify the gaps in these studies to determine potential topics for chapters.
  4. Annotated outline of the history that includes a thorough, up-to-date bibliography of primary and secondary resources, reflecting recent and emerging scholarship from an interdisciplinary approach.
  5. A summary of available related records and collections, including images and an annotated list of significant mentions of national parks in African American newspapers and publications.
  6. Proposed detailed outline of study. If necessary, following the ASALH and NPS review, a meeting or conference call may be scheduled to develop further the final content of the study. An approved outline will result from this review.
  7. Prepare a substantially complete draft of multi-authored and multi-chaptered study, including all research and writing necessary to convey the history of important topics about African Americans and the NPS. Frequent interaction with ASALH and NPS staff is expected, including in the selection of essay subjects. This interaction will most likely occur via email and conference calls.
  8. Identify and engage the services of scholars/authors through invitation and/or open call to contribute essays to the national historic context in consultation and coordination with ASALH and NPS that represents the chronological and geographical depth of the history. Coordinate with ASALH to approve payment or stipends to these contributors is expected as part of the scope of work. Selected scholars/authors are expected to possess knowledge and experience in specific topics of history relevant to the study; (Note: ASALH will manage the payment distribution and budget process.)
  9. Provide drafts of all elements of the draft publication (e.g., layouts, designs, essays, text, illustrations and photographs, and cover design, etc.) for review by ASALH and NPS through the course of the project. Work collaboratively with ASALH and NPS to revise these publication elements, as necessary.
  10. Research and identify illustrations and photographs for use in the special history study. Coordinate with ASALH to collect and obtain permission to use illustrations and photographs. (Note: ASALH will coordinate obtaining the necessary copyright permissions.)
  11. Coordinate with ASALH to develop a final peer reviewed deliverable that consists of the fully-formed, camera-ready, special history study, compliant with NPS publication standards (including 508 compliance). The intent is to be able to provide the final deliverable to a publisher for printing with minimal additional work/modification required. (Note: ASALH will manage the peer review and the design and publication process.)
  12. Virtual presentation summarizing findings for associated communities, park staff, and for management use.

(Note: NPS Comments will be provided within 45 days of receipt of any submissions.)

PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS

For evaluation purposes, proposals should provide sufficient information as to assist ASALH and the NPS in determining the most qualified consultant for the project. Consultants interested in bidding should submit a written proposal that includes the following elements:

  1. Name of the individual(s) that would be working on the project and their proposed area(s) of If proposing the services of more than one individual describe the proposed staff structure and how it is organized to provide the services requested by this RFP.
  2. Description of the specific, relevant education, experience, and qualifications of the principal investigator and any project staff, demonstrating experience in oral history projects. Include specific dates and types of service provided, and highlight success in meeting work schedules, project budgets, and product deadlines.
  3. Project proposal that summarizes strategy, approach, and special capabilities, timelines, roles and responsibilities of personnel, specific tasks to be conducted, and deliverables. Please be as specific as possible and include the following:
  4. A list of references (at least three, but not more than five) that may be
  5. A short narrative that responds to the scope of work as described in this RFP, which demonstrates the consultant’s proposed approach to the project and capability to accomplish the desired goals.

Please Note: It is expected that the consultant will complete this project with a budget of $50,00 to $55,000. Project proposals should be within this dollar range. Budget should include consideration of the following items: Personnel Services (including labor, Travel (travel costs must be factored into the budget; there is not a separate fund source for research trips), Compensation for contributors, Other Project Expenses. Please note that this project budget does not allow the inclusion of overhead or indirect cost line items.

All proposals must be received no later than 5:00 pm EST on January 10, 2025. They should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of the consultant’s qualifications and capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Proposals may be submitted via email in electronic format (MS Word or PDF format) to [email protected]. All submitted proposals, should use the following naming convention in the subject line of the email: NPS-AA NHC RFP_ [CONSULTANT NAME].

ASALH will confirm receipt of submissions. However, if there are any issues (e.g., with attachments working correctly), the consultant is responsible for resolving these issues with an alternative submission method acceptable to ASALH and the NPS. Successful and unsuccessful proposals should expect to receive notification on or about January 24, 2025.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Submittals will be evaluated and ranked based on the following factors, presented in no particular order:

  • Qualifications of consultant.
  • Overall quality of the proposal.
  • Responsiveness of the proposal to the project’s purpose and scope of
  • Demonstrated prior experience/record of performance, including capability of meeting projected deadlines and successfully completing contracts of this type.
  • Ability to meet stated period of performance.
  • Past performance and
  • Schedule and

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

  1. Consultants who submit proposals in response to this RFP and who are academicians must apply as independent consultants and not a part of a university or other institution.
  2. ASALH reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, and to waive minor irregularities in any proposal.
  3. ASALH reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted, and to request additional information from any consultant.
  4. ASALH and NPS shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by consultants in preparing, submitting or presenting its response to this RFP.
  5. Any and all rights to work produced through this project will be vested in the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, including any copyrights.
  6. The selected consultant must also adhere to the Department of Interior Standard Terms and Conditions located at: https://doi.gov/grants/doi-standard-terms-and-conditions. (Please use version 3, starting June 1, 2023)
  7. Upon selection, consultant must submit a detailed performance schedule that includes calendar dates for deliverables taking into account required reviews and reporting

QUESTIONS

Respondents are invited to submit written questions requesting clarifications or explanations of the information contained in this RFP. Please direct all proposal or contract-related questions to ASALH at [email protected]. Questions pertaining to the African Americans and the National Park Service, 1872-1965 Project may be directed to Déanda Johnson, NPS, National Historic Landmark Program at [email protected].

Application deadline: January 10, 2025 at 5 pm EST

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