Project Information

Bid Title

RFP for American Indian Cultural Landscape Study

Issuing Agency

Washington County

Location

Minnesota

Published Date

Oct 28, 2025

Closing Date

Dec 5, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	RFP for American Indian Cultural Landscape Study
Category:	Washington County Public Works
Status:	Open

Description: The Washington County Public Works Department is issuing this request for proposal (RFP) from qualified parties for the development of an American Indian Cultural Landscape Study (AICLS) for the Washington County Park System. Publication Date/Time: 10/28/2025 12:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 12/5/2025 4:00 PM Contact Person: Jack Nilsen (Parks Coordinator – Historic Sites) Email: jack.nilsen@washingtoncountymn.gov Related Documents: RFP for American Indian Cultrual Landscape Study (PDF)

Attachment Preview

Request for Proposals (RFP) for

American Indian Cultural Landscape Study

(AICLS)

RFP Release Date: 10/28/2025

Submission Due Date: 12/05/2025

Government Center | 14949 62nd Street North | P. O. Box 6 | Stillwater, MN 55082-0006

P: 651-430-6001 | F: 651-430-6017 | TTY: 651-430-6246

www.washingtoncountymn.gov

Washington County is an equal opportunity organization and employer

CONTENTS

1. PROJECT INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................... 3

1.1. Project Invitation ...................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2. Background............................................................................................................................................... 3

1.3. Project Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 4

2. SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES .............................................................................................................. 4

2.1. Work Statement ....................................................................................................................................... 4

2.2. Project Coordination ................................................................................................................................ 4

2.3. Project Deliverables.................................................................................................................................. 7

3. PROPOSAL CONTENT....................................................................................................................................... 10

3.1. Proposal Format ..................................................................................................................................... 10

3.2. Proposal Outline ..................................................................................................................................... 11

3.3. Proposal Administration......................................................................................................................... 13

4. PROPOSAL EVALUATION................................................................................................................................. 14

4.1. Evaluation Schedule ............................................................................................................................... 14

4.2. Evaluation Criteria .................................................................................................................................. 14

4.3. Final Selection......................................................................................................................................... 15

4.4. Conditions of this RFP............................................................................................................................. 16

5. PROPOSAL QUESTIONS ................................................................................................................................... 16

6. PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL ................................................................................................................................... 16

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American Indian Cultural Landscape Study

1. PROJECT INFORMATION

1.1. Project Invitation

The Washington County Public Works Department is issuing this request for proposal (RFP) from

qualified par�es for the development of an American Indian Cultural Landscape Study (AICLS) for

the Washington County Park System.

1.2. Background

The Washington County Park System encompasses over 5,000 acres of land. While por�ons of this

land have been under county ownership since the 1850s, the majority was acquired more recently,

with the earliest of these acquisi�ons da�ng back to the 1960s. Today, Washington County is home

to eight parks located across the region: Big Marine Park Preserve, Cotage Grove Ravine Regional

Park, the Washington County Historic Courthouse, Lake Elmo Park Reserve, Pine Point Regional Park,

Square Lake Park, Point Douglas Park, and St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park. In addi�on to these parks,

Washington County also operates two regional trails and one conserva�on area. These are

Hardwood Creek Regional Trail, Point Douglas Regional Trail, and the Long Lake Conserva�on Area.

A map of the Washington County Park System can be found on Atachment A.

Washington County is located within the St. Croix River Valley, an area that has sustained vibrant

and interconnected communi�es since the retreat of the last glaciers approximately 10,000 years

ago. Numerous archaeological sites located within the county, including burial mounds, villages,

campsites, and ar�fact scaters, reflect the longstanding cultural and spiritual significance of the

region. These pre-contact sites not only demonstrate the abundance of natural resources that

supported Indigenous lifeways over millennia but also affirm the enduring rela�onship between the

landscape and American Indian communi�es. The con�nued presence and cultural relevance of

these places underscore the importance of acknowledging and integra�ng Indigenous perspec�ves

in understanding and stewarding this landscape today.

Since the 1960s, the county has invested significant resources into restoring and transforming these

areas, transi�oning them from primarily agricultural use to vibrant ecosystems that include prairies,

oak savannas, and wetlands. Alongside this environmental restora�on, the county has developed

educa�onal programs and messaging to engage the community such as forest bathing, learn to fish

events, art ac�vi�es centered around the environment, summer camps, and bird iden�fica�on

classes.

Washington County acknowledges that the land within its park system, as well as the broader

county, has been and con�nues to be inhabited and shaped by American Indian communi�es. The

natural features of the parks reflect this richly layered and ongoing history. The county is commited

to deepening its understanding of American Indian culture, iden�ty, worldview, and perspec�ves. It

seeks to respec�ully honor these tradi�ons by integra�ng them into land stewardship prac�ces,

inclusive messaging, and programming, while fostering meaningful, reciprocal rela�onships with the

American Indian community through the development of an AICLS.

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American Indian Cultural Landscape Study

1.3. Project Purpose

The core purpose of this project is to develop an American Indian Cultural Landscape Study (AICLS)

that’s deeply rooted and shaped by authen�c experiences, exper�se, and stories of American Indian

tribal members and communi�es.

The AICLS will serve as a guiding and ac�onable framework. It will be used to inform improvement

of core func�ons of Washington County Parks, including but not limited to:

• Messaging plans for significant archeological and cultural sites where appropriate and

applicable.

• Influence the outreach approach for park and trail long range plans.

• Integrate Indigenous stewardship methods and tradi�onal ecological knowledge into

exis�ng land stewardship efforts.

• Guidance on the development and delivery of American Indian and county led programing

opportuni�es (i.e. language, land-based healing, environmental educa�on and stewardship,

cultural con�nuity).

• Preserva�on or protec�on plans for significant archeological and cultural sites.

• Design and implementa�on guidance for park and trail capital improvement projects.

2. SCOPE OF WORK AND DELIVERABLES

2.1. Work Statement

The role of the selected consultant will be to complete tasks necessary to dra� an AICLS (chapter

outline in Sec�on 2.3.1) that addresses all the components specified in the 2.3 Project Deliverables.

Washington County will act as the lead agency through all aspects of the project. The AICLS must be

in a form suitable for submital to Washington County for review and must be submited in both

printed and electronic format.

All aspects of the scope of services outlined below and included herein are expected to be

completed within the agreed upon project deadlines.

2.2. Project Coordination

2.2.1 Project Schedule

Project work will begin once a consultant is selected and a contract is awarded. In

coordina�on with the county, the selected consultant must prepare and submit a project

schedule that clearly outlines key dates for major mee�ngs and phases, including

engagement research and analysis, dra� submission, and other milestones. The proposed

schedule should be structured to ensure project comple�on no later than one year from the

contract award date.

2.2.2 Project Management

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American Indian Cultural Landscape Study

Washington County staff will serve as the project management team (PMT) and primary

point of contact, guiding project direc�on, reviewing and approving deliverables, and

overseeing contract management. The PMT will consist of, but is not limited to, the Parks

Manager, Senior Planner, Equity Coordinator, and Historic Sites Coordinator. The consultant

will be responsible for coordina�ng the project, including managing the project schedule,

guiding the PMT, and budget. With county staff, they will guide the project through key

phases such as goal se�ng, partnership engagement, data collec�on, content development,

and plan dra�ing.

The PMT will collaborate closely with the consultant, contribu�ng to content development,

providing feedback, and offering direc�on throughout the project.

Consultants shall be prepared with project management strategies to ensure the project is

completed on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with all relevant laws, policies,

and industry best prac�ces.

2.2.3 Project Communica�on Expecta�ons

The PMT and the consultant project manager (CPM) will work together to establish a

schedule for regular email updates. These updates should provide informa�on on completed

tasks, upcoming tasks, any delays, and any support or assistance needed to keep the project

on track and within budget.

At key project milestones/checkpoints, virtual, or in-person, project reports are required

between the PMT and the CPM. During these project reports, the CPM is to provide an in-

depth review on the progress of the AICLS. It is during these mee�ngs that the PMT will

provide feedback on the project and its direc�on.

The awarded consultant will be responsible for the scheduling of status updates and project

reports, including agendas, and recording/responding to feedback provided by the PMT. In

addi�on, the consultant will be responsible for documen�ng all relevant project

communica�ons. For instance, engagement mee�ngs will require detailed summaries, and

follow-up emails will be necessary a�er check-in mee�ngs to document key talking points

and decisions made. These summaries and follow-up communica�ons should be submited

no later than seven days a�er the mee�ng or event.

Any proposed changes to the schedule or budget for individual sub-tasks, once the schedule

and budget have been finalized, must be communicated to the PMT. Changes to the project

scope, �melines, or both will need to be documented through a project memorandum,

which will require sign-off from both the consultant and the Washington County AICLS

Project Manager, or designee.

All public-facing documents created for the project must adhere to the Washington County

style guide (provided by the county) to ensure consistency and clarity in communica�on.

Page |5

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541620Environmental Consulting Services
• NAICS 541690Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• NAICS 541720Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities
• NAICS 541990All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
• NAICS 561730Landscaping Services

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