Signage – Blue Ridge National Heritage Area

Blue Ridge Heritage Trail Interpretive Signs Will Showcase the History and Heritage of Western North Carolina

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area has received grant funding to develop a region-wide trail of interpretive signage to raise awareness of the National Heritage Area designation, help increase visitation, and deepen appreciation for the national significance of our region’s heritage.

Community Support for Preserving Heritage in the Blue Ridge Mountains

The project is made possible by a Federal Highway Administration enhancement grant through the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Partner organizations throughout the 25-county area are providing local matching funds for each sign. Haywood County is serving as the fiscal on the project.

The signage project will include 69 signs to be installed at heritage sites throughout the region. Five interactive kiosks will also be installed at the North Carolina Welcome Centers at gateways to the BRNHA.
Melinda Massey is the Signage Coordinator for the BRNHA’s interpretive signage program and can be contacted at 828-407-0702 or brnha.melinda@gmail.com. Installation will begin in September, 2015.

Seeking Bids for Installation of the Wayside Signs

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, Inc. and Haywood County are seeking bids for the installation of 63 wayside interpretive signs at heritage attractions across Western North Carolina.

Deadline for bid submission: 4:00 pm, Monday, August 3, 2015.

Bidders must be prequalified as Bidder or PO Prime Contractor at the time of letting in order to be considered responsible. Information about prequalification can be found here.

Solicitation and supporting documents:

To be considered responsive, the bid package must include all of the following:

Bid bond (see pages 3 and 36 of the BRNHA Wayside Installation Contract for further instructions)
Bid sheet – unit item bid & total bid
Execution of Bid Non-Collusion Affidavit, Debarment Certification and Gift Ban Certification (form varies by type of business)
Listing of DBE Subcontractors – even if zero (say zero, if zero)
Alternative concrete mix design, if proposed

Inquiries should be directed to Rob Bell, BRNHA Director of Programs, 828-298-5330 x. 308, rob@blueridgeheritage.com.

Additional Project Notes and Clarifications

Notes on the Delivered Signs

The signs were delivered with the panels pre-installed in the frames. The legs will be need to be attached during installation.

Each panel/frame is boxed individually and the boxes are labelled with the site numbers. The legs are boxed separately, in pairs. One person can easily lift the panel box. The boxes with legs are light, but might require a second person to lift for loading because of the size. The legs are light, so once unboxed they should be easy to lift. The frames and legs are wrapped in foam for protection and the boxes provide additional protection.

This Photos of Delivered Signs document contains photos and further detail on the packaging of the signs.

Installation Methods – Direct Embedment vs. Baseplate Mounts

Per the list of sites provided in Attachment C (section 1), 60 of the signs will require direct embedment and 3 will require a baseplate mount on a hard surface (sidewalks). The three sites requiring the baseplates are sites #23 (Thomas Wolfe Memorial, Asheville), #59 (Gem Mining Museum, Franklin), and #67 (Nantahala Outdoor Center, Swain County).