Site work and renovation of a municipal facility in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Conceptual plans call for the renovation of a municipal facility; and for site work for a municipal facility.

PURPOSE The City of Fredericksburg (hereinafter referred to as "the City") is seeking proposals from qualified firms specializing in historic preservation planning, building rehabilitation, landscape planning, cultural resource management, and/or related fields to develop a preservation and rehabilitation plan for the grounds and outbuildings of the National Register-listed Idlewild/Downman House for use as an outdoor education and passive recreation facility. Specific emphasis is on access, public use, and safety. The resource focus is the extant (and partially extant) outbuildings that would typically have been associated with African Americans). BACKGROUND Fredericksburg, Virginia is a city on the Rappahannock River, approximately 45 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., with a population of approximately 28,000. The City encompasses 10.52 square miles. Fredericksburg was a prominent port in Virginia during the Colonial era and is known for its role in numerous Civil War battles; indigenous groups were present in the region for hundreds of years prior to Europeans. The City seeks to be a leader in historic preservation and to ensure that historic and cultural resources throughout the city are protected, promoted, and interpreted. The City is one of 38 'independent' cities in the Commonwealth that are not politically part of any county. The Idlewild mansion is located on GPIN: 7769-80-8080, which is a 6.624 acre tract zoned PDR and owned by the City of Fredericksburg. The property address is 1101 Gateway Boulevard. The mansion ruins and outbuildings are located near the southwest edge of the property. There is a 26.9 acre parcel that is adjacent to the south and southwest of the mansion parcel - GPIN 7768-89-4502. The City of Fredericksburg owns this parcel as well, and is largely vacant with the exception of a few abandoned homes. The City is in an active development process with the Fredericksburg City Public Schools to develop a new middle school on thissite over the next two years. City Council has also expressed some interest in retaining a portion of the property remaining from the development of the school project for future City use. There is a third parcel to the north of the mansion property also owned by the City - GPIN 7769- 80-7409, which is 13.9 acres and has significant slopes and a creek. This parcel is not developed, with the exception of public utilities transmission facilities. Access to the mansion property is currently shared with the other two parcels off of Gateway Boulevard. The proposing firm should be aware of the school development project, which is currently in an Interim Agreement phase under the PPEA form of procurement. The Council and the School Board will be considering a Comprehensive Agreement during the performance period of this contract. The City Council may and probably will consider re-drafting lot lines and reducing the size of the mansion parcel from 6.6 acres to add land to either the school project or for other future uses. The National Register-listed Idlewild/Downman House site includes a c.1859 Gothic Revival dwelling and three outbuildings. This complex was once the center of a 222-acre farm. The property is associated with the Chancellorsville Campaign during the Civil War, serving temporarily as the headquarters of General Robert E. Lee, as the site of drills run by the Carolina troops of Hampton's Brigade in 1862, and as the site of battle activity during the Battle of Salem Church in 1863. This rural site and its 19th-century structures represent a unique historic resource type in the city of Fredericksburg. The house suffered a devastating fire in 2003 leaving the structure in near ruin. Subsequent efforts have temporarily stabilized the building using large steel bracing. The three outbuildings on the site were spared from the fire: a two-story quarters or kitchen, a smokehouse, and a dairy. These structures appear to have been constructed concurrent with the main house and have been identified as contributing to the site. The outbuildings and grounds are associated with African American residents of the property, first enslaved and later as tenants and staff. Planning is currently in progress for a new middle school on adjacent land. The site would thus create a unique historical education opportunity with ready accessibility. OFFEROR MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Offerors must demonstrate that they have the resources and capability to provide the services as described herein. All offerors shall submit documentation with their proposal indicating compliance with the minimum qualifications. Key personnel must include one or more individuals meeting the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for professional qualification in architecture, architectural history, or preservation. Offerors wishing to submit a proposal and be considered for this solicitation shall demonstrate similar work experience within the past 3 years. Offerors must be licensed to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia. If any prospective Offeror has questions about the specifications or other solicitation documents, the prospective Offeror should contact the Purchasing Manager by the date indicated on the face of the solicitation. All inquiries must be submitted in writing to Matthew McGovern, via email, at mrmcgovern@fredericksburgva.gov. Please include RFP number and title in the subject line of the message.