Trail Contracting
Scope Guide
Photo: Allegra Trails
About this Resource
Developing a clear scope of work is one of the most important parts of a successful trail contract. PTBA developed this Trail Contracting Scope Guide to help project owners better define the work they need, communicate expectations to prospective contractors, and develop solicitations that result in clearer and more comparable proposals.
Each scope item provides guidance on what the work includes, when and where it applies, key scope considerations, information the owner should provide, potential deliverables, pricing and payment considerations, and common scope and contracting issues.
How to use these resources: Trail projects often include multiple scope items. Select the items that apply to your project and use them as a guide for developing your scope of work—not as a one-size-fits-all template. The appropriate requirements and level of detail will vary based on the project’s scale, complexity, location, management requirements, stage of development, and intended use of the work.
A note about terminology: There is no single set of terms used across all agencies, organizations, jurisdictions, and trail professionals. The names and definitions used here provide a common framework for this resource, but your organization may use different terminology or group these services differently. What matters most is clearly defining the work, responsibilities, and expected deliverables in the solicitation.
Trail Planning and Design Scope Items
Trail planning and design projects typically include multiple interconnected scope items. For example, a project may include feasibility, stakeholder engagement, corridor planning, conceptual planning, field design, construction documents, and permitting and compliance support within a single scope of work.
The scope items below are presented separately to help project owners understand and clearly define each component of the work. They are not intended to suggest that each item should be contracted separately or that they always occur in a fixed sequence. The specific combination, timing, and level of detail will depend on the project scope and complexity, site conditions, land-manager and permitting requirements, stage of project development, intended procurement or bidding process, and construction delivery approach.
A Master Plan may bring multiple planning and design scope items together into a coordinated plan. Because the appropriate components and level of detail vary significantly by project and intended use, owners should identify the individual scope items to be included rather than relying on the term “Master Plan” alone to define the work.
Construction Scope Items
Trail construction projects may include multiple interconnected types of work, from site preparation and trail tread construction to drainage, surfacing, structures, specialty features, restoration, and decommissioning. The specific work required will depend on the trail type and intended use, site conditions, project design and specifications, permitting requirements, and construction approach.
The scope items below are presented separately to help project owners clearly define the construction work to be completed. They are not intended to suggest that each item should be contracted, bid, or priced separately. A single construction contract may include several or all of these scope items.
Because trail construction is highly site-specific, solicitations should provide enough information for contractors to understand and price the work, including anticipated quantities, construction specifications, site and access conditions, and applicable constraints. The scope should also clearly identify what is fixed, what may be determined or adjusted in the field, and how changes or unforeseen conditions will be addressed.
Trail Maintenance Scope Items
Trail maintenance and rehabilitation may include assessing existing trail conditions, performing routine or recurring maintenance, and completing more substantial rehabilitation when maintenance alone is no longer sufficient.
The scope items below are presented separately to help trail managers clearly define the work to be completed. They are not intended to suggest that each item should be contracted separately or that all three will apply in every situation. The appropriate scope will depend on existing trail conditions, management objectives, intended trail use and experience, maintenance needs and cycles, available resources, and the extent of work required.
Maintenance work may be completed through a contract, partnership, agreement, volunteer program, or other arrangement. Regardless of how the work is delivered—or whether it is paid—clearly defining the scope helps establish shared expectations about what work will be completed, where and when it will occur, applicable specifications or desired conditions, responsibilities, and how completed work will be evaluated.
For Trail Rehabilitation, the applicable Construction Scope Items can also be used to further define specific tread, drainage, surfacing, hardening, structure, specialty-feature, restoration, or decommissioning work.