These lists are provided by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for use by those seeking professional assistance in historic preservation and cultural resources management.
They are not a recommendation for the selection and hiring of a professional, rather it is merely a statement that individuals and individuals with firms meet certain criteria. These criteria, known as the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Qualifications Standards (Standards), are found in federal regulations at 36 CFR 61. They set forth standards for categories of professionals including archaeology, architectural history, historic architecture, and history.
The following lists are available as PDFs:
Project Professionals List (includes all consultants, architects, and archaeologists)
Who are on the Lists?
The SHPO evaluates the qualifications of firms and individuals who request to be on the Project Professionals Lists using the Standards. Only individuals or firms with individuals who document qualifications in one or more of the Standards in archaeology, architectural history, historic architecture, and history are included. Additions or corrections to this list will be made periodically.
This lists are not comprehensive. Other people and firms may meet the Standards and/or be equally qualified for a particular job, position or project. Inclusion in this list is not an indication that an individual or firm is qualified for a specific job, position or project. Being on this list should not be a prerequisite to apply for any specific job, position or project. Meeting the Standards should not be the sole historic preservation-related selection criteria for any specific job, position or project.
What Information Do the Lists include?
- Contact information.
- The category or categories in which the firm or individual meets the Professional Qualifications Standards.
- Other professions available in-house. These are self-reported and credentials are not verified by the SHPO.
- Services offered by the individual and firm. The SHPO does not in any way guarantee the quality of any products and services. Please note that only professions and services provided in-house are listed. However, many of the firms and individuals listed here also provide additional services through standing relationships with other professionals.
How Do I Select a Consultant?
The SHPO cannot recommend the services of an individual or firm. It does maintain a file on each entry in this list that includes a resume(s) and list of projects. Files are available for inspection during normal business hours. The SHPO recommends that you contact several consultants and check their references before making your selection. Below are some questions you can ask that will help ensure the quality of your consultant’s work.
Questions to Ask the Consultant
What is his or her area of expertise? How many full-time employees does the company retain? How many years of experience does each of these employees have? How long have they been with the company? What is their area of expertise? How many projects similar to yours have they completed in the last year in South Carolina? Provide references for the last three contracts in South Carolina.
Questions to Ask References
Were you satisfied with the work that was performed? Were the deadlines met? Did the consultant complete the project within the proposed budget or were there substantial cost overruns? Were these additional costs justified? Were there any problems? If so, what were the causes?
Questions to Ask the SHPO
Are you aware of similar projects that the professional has worked on in South Carolina during the last three years? Has the SHPO reviewed any of these projects? What were the names of the most recent projects reviewed by the SHPO?
For further information see Preservation Hotline #9: Complying with State and Federal Regulations: Selecting a Consultant for Cultural Resource Surveys and Evaluations (PDF)
Request Inclusion
To be considered for inclusion on the Project Professionals Lists, please be sure you meet the Professional Qualifications Standards, complete the Information Form (PDF), and provide the required documentation.
Questions about the project professionals lists? Contact Brad Sauls, 803-896-6172