Purpose

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art (Brandywine) is seeking proposals from qualified consultants to develop a feasibility study for the Greater Brandywine Valley Region as a required step towards achieving National Heritage Area (NHA) designation. This feasibility study will also address the viability of the Pennsylvania portion of the proposed region becoming a Pennsylvania State Heritage Area. The information contained in this RFP will describe the goals of the study, the required consultant qualifications, the scope of work, and submission guidelines.

Each submission will be reviewed by Brandywine staff. Due to the specific requirements of this project, including expertise in public engagement strategies, the National Heritage Area Act of 2023, and legislative advocacy, the selected consultant must demonstrate strong qualifications and relevant experience.

The Organization

The Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art is a non-profit organization that preserves and presents elements of art and nature that highlight the extraordinary beauty of the Brandywine region in Pennsylvania and Delaware. As a program of the Brandywine, the Brandywine Conservancy (Conservancy) protects and conserves the land, water, natural, and cultural resources of the southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, and will be the programmatic contact for this project.

Goals of the Feasibility Study

The primary goal of the feasibility study is to determine whether the region qualifies for designation as a National Heritage Area (NHA) under the framework established by the National Park Service (NPS). The study must address and satisfy the 10 evaluation criteria set by the NPS, which assess national significance, thematic integrity, resource integrity, local support, and management capacity, among other factors. These criteria are essential to demonstrate that the region has the natural, cultural, historic, and recreational assets, along with the organizational infrastructure necessary to merit Congressional designation. Additional information can be found at:

• https://www.nps.gov/subjects/heritageareas/feasibility-studies.htm
• https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ339/PLAW-117publ339.pdf

Furthermore, the study will be used to determine if the Pennsylvania portion of the proposed area qualifies for State Heritage Area designation. There is no state-level heritage area designation in Delaware. Additional information about the Pennsylvania State Heritage Area Program can be found at:

• https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/programs-and-services/community-outreach-and-development/heritage-areas.html

The study should address the following:

1. Evaluate the region's nationally significant resources — natural, cultural, historical, and recreational — and demonstrate how they are thematically linked to tell a nationally important story.
2. Assess the capacity of the proposed managing organization and regional partners to oversee a designated NHA. The financial and administrative planning will outline administrative roles, responsibilities, budgets, and federal matching requirements.
3. Gauge public and stakeholder support through outreach efforts, including community forums, surveys, and advisory committee feedback.
4. Examine the feasibility and appropriateness of NHA designation as a strategy to support long-term resource conservation, education, heritage tourism, and sustainable economic development for the region.
5. Determine the eligibility of the Pennsylvania portion of the study area for State Heritage Area designation.
6. Support legislative advocacy efforts throughout the process to ensure the framework is in place for Congressional designation.
7. Provide Brandywine with a comprehensive, research-based report that demonstrates the region's eligibility and readiness for designation. This report will be reviewed by the National Park Service to formally determine eligibility before the information is provided to Congress.

Proposed Boundary

While the final boundary for the proposed National Heritage Area will be determined through the feasibility study process, a preliminary boundary has been identified to include Chester County and Delaware County in Pennsylvania, and northern New Castle County in Delaware. This area expands does not include portions of Chester County within the boundary of the Schuylkill River Greenways National and State Heritage Area.

Our Region's History

The Brandywine Valley, stretching through southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, is a landscape shaped by centuries of history, innovation, and natural beauty. It lies within Lenapehoking, the homeland of the Lenape people, who lived here for millennia before European settlers arrived in the 1600s. The Swedes were the first to establish a presence in 1638, followed by William Penn's land grant, which brought Quaker settlers whose influence remains visible in farms, meeting houses, and mill ruins.

The valley gained further significance with the 1765 survey of the Mason-Dixon Line, later symbolizing the divide between free and slave states. The region also played a role in the Underground Railroad, supported by Free Black communities and Quaker abolitionists.

In 1777, the Brandywine Valley was the site of the largest single-day battle of the Revolutionary War. Preservation efforts have protected key parts of this battlefield as a National Historic Landmark.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Brandywine's waters powered thriving industries — from flour and paper mills to gunpowder manufacturing. E.I. du Pont founded his company here in 1802, and Rebecca Lukens led the Brandywine Iron Works in Coatesville, now America's oldest operating steel mill.

In the early 20th century, the valley became a center for American illustration. Howard Pyle's Brandywine School nurtured artists like N.C. Wyeth and his son Andrew Wyeth, whose work captured the region's quiet beauty.

Concern for the land grew alongside development. Conservationist William Poole Bancroft began preserving open space, a legacy that lives on in First State National Historical Park and local land trusts. The region's public gardens — Longwood, Winterthur, Mt. Cuba, and Nemours — further reflect this commitment to beauty and heritage.

The Brandywine Valley remains a vibrant intersection of nature, history, art, and preservation.

Scope of Work Outline

The following tasks outline a general project approach. Applicants shall, at a minimum, address these elements and are encouraged to provide any additional elements they deem necessary to complete the project.

1. Project Initiation, Determination of the Region's National Contribution, and Theme Development
   • The consultant will assemble and synthesize all relevant historical information about the region and understand the contributions of the study area and its people and events relative to the national story. The consultant will describe the historical, natural, and cultural resources of the proposed Greater Brandywine Valley Heritage Area.
   • The consultant will work with the Study Team, Advisory Committee, and Theme Focus groups to establish primary themes for the region and document them and their relevance within the context of American history and culture. The Study Team, Advisory Committee, and Theme Focus Groups will consist of regional partners organized and facilitated by Brandywine staff. Partners will include staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) who manage the PA State Heritage Program.
2. Natural and Cultural Resources Inventories, and Integrity Analysis
   • The consultant will focus on identifying and documenting a strategic assemblage of natural and cultural resources that relates to the identified themes. The feasibility study will also identify that there is a sufficient assemblage with integrity to provide a viable interpretive experience. The consultant will work with the Project Study Team, Advisory Committee, and Theme Focus Groups to gather all existing data and information in an effort to define the region's geographic and cultural boundaries for the proposed heritage area. The consultant will also reach out to NPS and State Historic Preservation Offices, as well as state and local agencies and organizations to further build the documentation and inventories of cultural and natural resources. The consultant will also include an analysis of existing public and publicly accessible private open space, recreation, and heritage education resources and whether there are potential opportunities to increase the level and quality of such resources through heritage area designation
3. Management Alternatives and Preliminary Assessment of Impacts
   • As required by NPS guidelines, the consultant will include a comprehensive analysis of two management alternatives for the Greater Brandywine Valley National Heritage area — continuation of current programs and partnerships (status quo) and NHA designation.
4. Heritage Area Administration and Financial Planning
   • The consultant will evaluate and assess whether a local nonprofit has the capacity to become the local management entity or if a new organization should be formed. This will be done in collaboration with the Study Team and Advisory Committee.
   • The consultant will develop a financial and management plan that outlines the administrative roles, responsibilities, and federal matching requirements of the identified local management entity.
5. Public and Partner Engagement

• Throughout the process, the consultant in coordination with Brandywine will seek to actively engage with the public about National Heritage designation, proposed boundaries, and themes and resources of the heritage area to give them a voice in the region's future.
• The consultant will regularly meet with the Brandywine and Study Team members to review different components of the project.

Project Schedule and Funding

Work can commence immediately upon the award of a contract and notice to proceed. It is anticipated that the Feasibility Study will be completed within 14 months of the start date.

Distribution of Request for Proposal August 7th

Written Questions Deadline August 20th

Submissions due September 12th (by 4PM)

Selection of Consultant September 19th

Notice to Proceed September 26th

Project Completion Within 14 months of Notice to Proceed

This project is funded through multiple grant sources, including potential funding from DCNR. Therefore, all proposals must reflect a total cost that does not exceed the grant funds currently available. Proposals exceeding this amount may not be considered.

Selection Procedure and Criteria

The Brandywine will obligate and award a contract to the applicant who submits a proposal it determines conforms to the RFP requirements and provides the best value to the organization considering all evaluation factors combined. The Brandywine's Standard Agreement for Professional Services is attached. Additionally, DCNR's Nondiscrimination/Sexual Harassment Clause will be included in its entirety in any contract.

Proposals will be evaluated through a balanced consideration of the following factors:

1. Project Approach: The Applicant shall provide a written, detailed Project Approach that outlines their methodology for completing the National Heritage Area Feasibility Study. The Project Approach shall directly address all key elements outlined in the Scope of Work and Services section, including but not limited to assessment of the area's historical significance, delineation of proposed boundaries, community and stakeholder engagement, identification of a potential management entity, and documentation of public support. The Applicant shall include a proposed timeline that demonstrates the ability to complete all tasks within the anticipated 14-month timeframe.
2. Team Qualifications: The Applicant shall provide the qualifications of all proposed personnel who will be assigned to the project. Qualifications shall be presented in the form of resumes or written narratives that include professional credentials, memberships, relevant education, technical expertise, and years of experience conducting projects of similar scope and complexity.
3. Relevant Project Experience: The Applicant shall provide an annotated list of project experience for a minimum of three (3) completed projects within the past ten (10) years that are similar in scope and complexity to the proposed National Heritage Area Feasibility Study. Each project description shall include the project title, geographic location, client, project timeframe, and outcomes.
4. References: The Applicant shall provide contact information for a minimum of three (3) professional references familiar with the Applicant's work on projects of similar size, scope, and nature.
5. Budget: The Applicant shall provide a detailed budget itemizing the project elements, associated staff hourly rates, and expenses.

Proposal Submission Requirements

Proposals should be kept to a minimum number of pages while adequately demonstrating the firm's ability to undertake the proposed project. Consultants that submit a proposal may be requested to attend an online interview.

• Cover Letter: A cover letter introducing your team and proposal.
• Project Summary Narrative
• Proposed Project Timeline
• Detailed budget
• Statement of qualifications
• Past Project Experience
• References
• Certificate of Insurance: The inclusion of a Certificate of Insurance showing the level of professional liability insurance coverage.
• Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Any actual, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest that may arise in relation to the performance of the work described in this RFP.

Proposal Timeline

Proposals are due electronically in a single PDF file by 4PM on Friday, September 12, 2025, to be eligible for consideration. Bidder questions must be submitted by 4PM on Wednesday, August 20, 2025. Please direct all questions and proposal submittals to:

Elizabeth Burns
eburns@brandywine.org