Clachtoll Broch Project - Archaeological And
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Clachtoll Broch Project - Archaeological and Conservation Brief 1. Introduction 1.1 Project Aims The Clachtoll Broch project forms part of the Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape partnership Scheme. The project involves Historic Assynt and the Scottish Wildlife Trust. The three year project has the following aims; To fully excavate and consolidate the broch and give visitors a unique insight into its original structure and use, as well as safeguarding it for future generations. To conduct thorough post-excavation analysis of all finds and samples To provide opportunities for the local community and the wider public to engage with the project through educational, training and archaeological experimentation programmes To provide opportunities for local schools to be become involved through primary and secondary schools programmes To restore visitor access through the original entrance, open up the interior of the building and improve understanding of how the possible settlement surrounding the broch was used. To install an architect designed structure that gives access to the higher levels of the broch and views of the surrounding settlement without visually distracting from the original setting. To provide state of the art interpretation of the site in relation to its local, regional and national context 1.2 Instructions for return of quotation The intended timetable for the tender process is: Activity Date Issue invitation to tender w/c 10 April 2017 Tender return date Friday 5 May 2017 Evaluation of proposals w/c 8 May 2017 Notification of award decision to all tender responses w/c 8 May 2017 Award contract w/c 8 May 2017 Contract Start-up Meeting date w/c 29 May 2017 Tenders should be submitted by post to Gordon Sleight, Historic Assynt, CALL Office, 1 Old Coach House, Lochinver IV27 4LE to arrive no later than Friday 5 May 2017 and titled Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape: Clachtoll Broch. 1.3 How to structure response Applicants shall provide the following: 1. Provide a method statement consistent with the importance of the site an d demonstrate how you will approach the project. 2. A supporting document that will: a) State your firm contract price for delivery of the full scope of the contract; b) Outline your full fee structure, including a breakdown of costs against each of the deliverables; c) Demonstrate how you will approach the project and meet the contract specification and overall aims of the project (outlined above); d) Provide a full programme for the works, broken down into key stages (including mobilisation) and deliverables (pdf of a Gantt chart generated in Microsoft Project or Excel or similar); e) Provide a detailed breakdown of your programme for year 1 to form the basis of the start up meeting; f) Demonstrate your capacity to undertake and deliver the full scope of the project in the required time frame; g) Outline your track record in delivering similar archaeological and conservation projects and community archaeology projects; h) Provide Curriculum Vitaes and details of the key personnel and specialist technical equipment and facilities you will use during different stages of the project. It is expected that personnel proposed for this project shall see it through to completion. Should the key personnel concerned leave the contractor's employment or are otherwise incapacitated the contractor shall propose replacement(s) of equal or better qualifications and experience at no cost penalty to the project; i) Explain your Quality System, Diversity Policy and Volunteer’s Policy; j) Confirm that your organisation is a Registered Archaeological Organisation; k) Explain your policy governing any activities involving young people including disclosure statements for associated staff; l) Advise proposed arrangements for management of waste materials; m) Outline the proposed arrangements for the management of Health, Safety and the Environment during all activities, the provision of adequate insurance, Health and safety Policy, risk assessment for the works; o) Detail proposed local infrastructure requirements. 1.4 Supplier selection criteria Relevant experience Track record Technical skills Management 1.5 Award criteria Understanding the brief and its requirements Methodology Delivery programme, deliverables and key milestones Track record of delivering similar projects Relevant skills and experience of team and assigned staff Cost and financial proposal 2. Background Information 2.1 key abbreviations CALLP - Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape Partnership HA - Historic Assynt SCIOSWT - Scottish Wildlife Trust HS/HES - Historic Scotland now renamed Historic Environment Scotland SMC - Scheduled Monument Consent CMP - Conservation Management Plan PDG - Project Delivery Group BLO - Broch Liaison Officer 2.2 Historic Assynt SCIO was originally formed as a Charitable Company ( SC181459) in 1997 but on 16 June 2016 became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. It's overall aims are to 'investigate, conserve and interpret, for the advancement of education and the general benefit of the people of Assynt in Sutherland and of the nation at large, the archaeological and built heritage of Assynt in the form of sites, buildings and structures of particular archaeological, historical, architectural, constructional or aesthetic interest.' It's members and officials are all unpaid volunteers. The initial focus of its work was the Inchnadamph Project to conserve and restoreArdvreck Castle, Calda House, Assynt Old Parish Kirk and the Mausoleum of the MacLeods of Assynt (1997 - 2008) Since then the society's main projects have been - Clachtoll Broch Feasibility Study (2007 - 2009) Hidden Lives (2009 - 2010) a professionally led community survey to record archaeological features found within 300m of the main road networks in Assynt. Life and Death in Assynt's Past (2011 - 2012) another professionally led community project, it conducted excavation and consolidation work at Loch Borralan East neolithic chambered cairn, at Clachtoll broch's dangerously unstable entrance area and at an 18th century longhouse at Glenleraig. Fire and Water (2012 - 2013) a further community excavation with professional leadership to investigated a burnt mound and a moated enclosure close to Inchnadamph. Historic Assynt has always sought to work with other community groups where there were areas of common interest. When Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape began to explore the possibility of forming a Landscape Partnership to provide an integrated approach to the future development of the area, Historic Assynt joined them to become a founder member of CALLP which now has Landscape Partnership funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to deliver twenty eight projects which have been put forward by the 14 partners. The Clachtoll Broch Project is promoted by Historic Assynt within that scheme . 2.3 The Scottish Wildlife Trust The Scottish Wildlife Trust is the largest charity in Scotland working on all aspects of wildlife conservation incorporated on the 14th April, 1964 (charitable registration SC 005792, company registration 40247). The Trust’s vision is for a “connected network of healthy, resilient ecosystems supporting Scotland’s people and wildlife”. The Trust has 90 staff, is supported by over 750 volunteers and has 120 wildlife reserves across Scotland. The largest if these at approximately 6,000 ha is located in the south-west of the CALL area. The Trust is the lead partner for the CALL project and supports the various project delivery partners through the Scheme Delivery Committee, employment of the CALLP project team, advisory support on project development; especially with respect to finance, procurement, fundraising, information management and reporting, and communications. 2.4 The context for the project Clachtoll broch is one of the most iconic monuments in northern mainland Britain and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It stands on a rocky outcrop at the northern end of the Clachtoll coastline overlooking Stoer Bay (NC 0366 2784). It is currently in a dilapidated state and choked with rubble debris. As a result, visitors can only access the broch by climbing over rubble to walk around the site on the wall head. This is both damaging to the broch and hazardous for visitors. Following concern expressed at Assynt Community Council about the state of the broch, a public meeting, sponsored by Assynt Community Council, Historic Assynt, Comunn Eachdraidh Asainte (Assynt Historical Society) and the local Highland Ranger, was called in October 2006 to air concerns and decide on options. It was agreed that HA should seek funds for a feasibility study. Following that study and in consultation with Historic Scotland and others, AOC Archaeology was invited to survey the structure and produce a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) in 2008/9 (attached). Their CMP has provided the basis for all work at the broch since then. Every stage of planning and conducting work at the site since 2009 has also involved regular public consultation in the locality and liaison with Historic Scotland (HS) - since 2016 Historic Environment Scotland (HEs). The 'Life and Death in Assynt's Past' project in 2011/12 included Scheduled Monument Consent (SMC) and funding from HS to stabilise the entrance and the walling immediately to the east of it as well as conducting some limited excavation alongside the conservation work. This fieldwork indicated that in all probability the Broch fell down suddenly and dramatically in the last few decades BCE (based