ACRA survey rant and raves!

A few poignant comments (other wise known as the Rants and raves section) from members of the greater community of the American Cultural Resource Association. Great directions to start taking the profession:


Lobbying for revision of federal "best value" definitions. Best value encourages shoddy workmanship.

- who could have written that one?


Stress the importance of using stimulus money for planning level work, not just construction work. Planning work has a longer shelf life than an asphalt top coat!

- on the head!


Mid-size CRM firms were probably hit the hardest by the economic downturn (- yup! I agree! a few are probably going down).  ARRA funds were largely sole-sourced to large firms (- disagree, but perhaps), though there were significant opportunities that trickled down to smaller (-low-ball like yours truly) firms. ACRA needs to influence federal purchasers and procurement officers [that...] opportunities for small and mid-sized firms within this industry should not be limited to 8a or disadvantaged business set-asides.

- i guess they work a a mid-sized company with no federal work, huh?



Find a way to have ACRA members unite as professionals a la architects, CPA's etc. (- oh, la la!) - out in the West the low-ball bidding (- pretty sure I know who wrote this one) on federal contracts is a travesty - such behavior on the part of cultural resource consultants and the federal gov't is illegal and unethical if someone cared enough to look into the quality (lack of) of the consultant's work, the quality of the regulatory review, the adherence to federal guidelines for wage/hour/benefits and the use of hiring of field personnel as "sub-contractor's" instead of employees, etc.

- an american cultural resouce association of sorts? or perhaps, in AZ, and arizona archaeological council? Oh, wait, they already exist. Aint doing their jobs...


support republicans - democrats are obviously clueless

- ha ha! can't agree more. Except to say, support teabaggers instead.


Look at the issue of many Federal Agencies (and some state agencies too) going to Indefinite Delivery Contracts or IDIQs, where only one of two companies end up with all the work for 3 to 5 years. This cuts out work for all of the rest of the companies not successful in the bid process.

- yes, nothing like a fair market economy! Add on-calls to that list.


Standards for Field Technicians (BA minimum) along with appropriate salaries that reflect experience, education, and travel requirements. Right now, we are woefully behind the curve.

- Seriously. except, most tekkies have the BA (needed so firms can be service contrcat act exempt, of course), they're just paid like high school dropouts. Now, appropriate salaries and travel reimbursement are a must.


 we most directly benefited from ARRA in 2008 right around the time it was passed to get projects shovel ready. since then, the flood of ARRA money has slowed to a trickle, but is still helping keep us afloat because the state - AZ - has absolutely NO money for cultural resources.

- stupid Arizona. No, really, they're fucked over the border in the grand can state. i'm suprised this bloke manages to keep afloat. that'll dry up after this election cycle!


I am appalled at process for cell towers, which essentially produces a worthless document for our office to deal with.

- a SHPO is presume. we're all appalled. So, SHPO dude/ette, set some goddamn standards for submission.


And, finally, my favorite:

I don't know enough to answer this...

- neither do I. Douche.