Att__1_VRSMP_Class_I_Update_PWS.pdf

Attachment 1 140R3024R0009

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

CULTURAL RESOURCE HISTORIC CONTEXT, RESEARCH DESIGN, AND

UPDATED CLASS I INVENTORY OF RECLAMATION WITHDRAWN LANDS

ALONG THE VERDE RIVER FROM HORSESHOE DAM TO SOUTH OF BARTLETT

DAM, TONTO NATIONAL FOREST, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA

1. INTRODUCTION

The proposed Verde Reservoir Sediment Mitigation Project (VRSMP) is an undertaking subject to Section 106 (54 U.S.C. § 306108) of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its implementing regulations (36 CFR § 800). The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) requires a Contractor to update the Verde Reservoirs Sediment Mitigation Study – Cultural Resources Class I Inventory (2021) (hereafter referred to as the existing Class I report) in an addendum, which shall also include an historic context and a research design tailored to the project area. The project area is located within the boundary of the Tonto National Forest (TNF) along both sides of the Verde River from the northern end of Horseshoe Reservoir to the south of Bartlett Dam, in Maricopa County, Arizona (see Appendix A).

Because this project will occur on Reclamation withdrawn lands that are managed by the Tonto National Forest (TNF), digital and printed deliverables must meet the requirements of both agencies. An overview of these requirements is provided below. Reference Appendix B for the TNF requirements and Appendices C, D, and E for Reclamation’s Phoenix Area Office (PXAO) standards. Reclamation will provide the Contractor with a copy of the existing Class I report upon award of this contract.

2. DESCRIPTION OF WORK REQUIRED

2.1 The Contractor shall review cultural resources records and historic documents maintained by

TNF, PXAO, Salt River Project (SRP), AZSITE, the Archaeological Records Office (ARO) at the Arizona State Museum (ASM), the Arizona Public Service (APS), the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), relevant regional historic document collections, and historic maps (e.g., General Land Office maps) to identify previous cultural resources investigations (projects), previously identified cultural resources, and potential cultural resources within the project area.

2.2 The Contractor shall identify and acquire pdf copies of all the cultural resource reports that have been completed within the project area. The Contractor shall summarize any information related to previous cultural resources investigations not covered in the existing Class I report. The Contractor shall also identify all the known cultural resources previously identified in these documents along with the most current National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)-eligibility evaluation information, including NRHP-eligibility recommendations, NRHP-eligibility determinations, SHPO concurrence (including date of concurrence, if available), and associated NRHP-eligibility justification statements. The Contractor shall identify any discrepancy or alternative recommendations related to the NRHP-eligibility of previously identified cultural resources. The Contractor shall also identify any previously identified cultural resources that will require additional fieldwork (e.g., updated site survey/documentation and/or archaeological testing) to establish a NRHP-eligibility determination. To the extent possible, the Contractor shall provide GIS data for the previous surveyed areas and previously identified cultural resources within the project.

2.3 The Contractor shall identify all areas within the project area that have not been surveyed for cultural resources since December 31, 2016. The Contractor shall use the SHPO Position on Relying on Old Archaeological Survey Data: SHPO Guidance Point No. 5 (2004) to evaluate whether any surveys conducted before December 31, 2016, are adequate for compliance with NHPA. According to the existing Class I report and PXAO’s records, approximately 25,506 acres of the project area has never been surveyed for cultural resources. Much of the project area contains steep slopes that are not recommended for a Class III survey due to safety concerns. Therefore, the Contractor shall use GIS slope analysis to identify areas within the project area that exceed 30 percent slope and, thus, would not be subject to a Class III survey.

Based on this analysis of previous cultural resource survey data and a GIS analysis of the local topography, the Contractor shall calculate the total acreage that would require a Class III archaeological survey within the project area. The Contractor shall also identify areas that shall not be subject to a Class III survey but would require a reconnaissance (Class II) cultural resource survey to revisit known sites and identify cultural resources that could be located in areas that exceed a 30 percent slope (e.g., rock art, historic era development, etc.).

The Contractor shall develop recommendations for reasonable survey methodology for the reconnaissance survey.

2.4 The Contractor shall develop a historic context, research design, and research questions specifically for the project area. The historic context, research design, and research questions shall meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation (https://www.nps.gov/subjects/historicpreservation/upload/standards-guidelines-archeology-historic-preservation.pdf) as well as the National Park Services Guidance (https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/guidance.htm).

The historic context, research design, and research questions shall outline and set the framework for examining broad historic themes that are expected to apply to the project area.

The research questions shall use existing literature and previous research completed in this region to hone in on the most relevant themes and data gaps. The Contractor shall consider recent cultural overviews and historic contexts identified by the SHPO when formulating the research design and research questions. The Contractor shall include a Cultural History section in the historic context to the extent needed for reference in the research design and research questions. The Contractor shall identify standard professional methods for future pedestrian survey (Class II and Class III) and establishing NRHP-eligibility for the cultural resources expected to be present within the project area. The research design shall include a clear discussion of recommend field strategy, staffing, analyses, reporting, and other issues.

The Contractor shall include the historic context, research design, and research questions, within the addendum to the existing Class I report and they shall be cohesive, constant, and provide a logical and professional framework for the evaluation of historical significance for cultural resources expected within the project area.

2.5 The Contractor shall provide a geodatabase that meets the requirements of PXAO and TNF (Appendices B, C, and E). At a minimum, the geodatabase shall include all GIS data deliverables and use the format provided in Appendix E.

2.6 At minimum, the Contractor’s proposed personnel and methodology shall meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation (Secretary’s Standards, https://www.nps.gov/subjects/historicpreservation/upload/standards-guidelines-archeology-historic-preservation.pdf) and have archaeological permits from the TNF at the time of Contract award through the life of this contract (see Section 6).

2.7 The Contractor shall coordinate with the TNF and PXAO to resolve conflicting information about the designation, location, nature, and extent of previously recorded cultural resources within the project area.

2.8 The Contractor shall combine the information generated during the preceding tasks into an addendum to the original Class I report and provide the deliverables detailed in Section 5.

The Contractor shall ensure their deliverables meet the respective standards required by PXAO and the TNF (see Appendices B, C, D, and E).

3. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Contractor shall complete the work required under this Performance Work Statement (PWS) within twelve (12) months. The Contractor shall complete all deliverables within this timeframe.

4. QUALITY OF WORK

The Contractor shall be responsible for the professional and technical accuracy of all work or services rendered under this PWS. All deliverables produced by the Contractor shall be subject to comprehensive technical and quality-assurance/quality-control edits prior to submittal to Reclamation. All products shall be reviewed by Reclamation for compliance with government requirements and criteria. The Contractor shall correct errors and deficiencies resulting from the Contractor’s performance at no additional cost to Reclamation. In general, the deliverables should focus on items proportionate to their importance.

The Contractor shall provide a technical and grammatical review of the draft report prior to submittal to Reclamation. The Contractor is encouraged to employ a technical writer to complete this task.

5. SCHEDULE OF DELIVERABLES

The Contractor shall submit the deliverables with sufficient time to ensure review and acceptance by the Government, with consideration for appropriate external consultation with interested parties as required under NHPA, prior to the scheduled completion date.

5.1 For the duration of this contract, the Contractor shall submit monthly progress reports to the

Contracting Officer (CO) (with the invoice) and the Contracting Officer’s Representative

(COR). The progress reports shall discuss any problems or other issues that have arisen during the performance of this contract and how those issues were addressed. It shall also indicate if the project is on schedule and, if not, the reasons for the delay. The progress report shall include any proposed changes to the Key Personnel that have occurred within the reporting period and if this change was approved by the CO.

5.2 Within 90 calendar days of award, the Contractor shall submit one (1) digital copy of the administrative draft of the addendum to the existing Class I report, pdf copies of all of the collected previous survey reports completed within the project area, and one (1) digital copy of the draft geodatabase to the COR. The Contractor shall submit a draft addendum to the existing Class I report that meets the Secretary of Interior’s standards and those established by the TNF, PXAO, and the SHPO. The COR will coordinate with the TNF to facilitate their review of the administrative draft addendum to the existing Class I report. Consultation with the TNF is expected to last at least 30 calendar days. The COR will consolidate comments on the administrative draft addendum to the existing Class I report and any comments on the draft geodatabase and provide them to the Contractor within seven (7) calendar days after consultation with the TNF is completed.

5.3 Within 30 calendar days of receipt of PXAO and the TNF’s combined comments from the

COR, the Contractor shall make any recommended revisions and submit a pdf copy of the consultation draft addendum to the Class I report, twenty (20) bound hard copies of the consultation draft of the addendum to the existing Class I report, and a revised geodatabase to the COR that addresses all comments. The COR will submit the consultation draft addendum to the Class I report for consultation to the AZ SHPO, eighteen (18) affiliated Native American tribes, and consulting parties. This round of consultation is expected to last at least sixty (60) calendar days. The COR will consolidate comments on the consultation draft of the draft addendum to the Class I report and any comments on the revised geodatabase and provide them to the Contractor within seven (7) calendar days after consultation is completed.

5.4 Within 30 calendar days of receipt of the combined comments from the COR, the Contractor shall make any recommended revisions and submit twenty (20) bound hard copies of the final addendum to the existing Class I report, one (1) digital copy of the final addendum to the existing Class I report in Adobe Acrobat, one (1) digital copy of the final addendum to the existing Class I report in Microsoft Word, and one (1) digital copy of the final geodatabase to the COR. The Contractor shall upload the approved final addendum to the existing Class I report into The Digital Archaeological Record (tDAR), following the instructions in Appendix D, prior to submittal of the required final documents to the COR.

6. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Travel via vehicle shall be required to obtain records from several organizations and agencies identified in Section 2.1 (e.g., TNF, PXAO, SRP, AZSITE, the ARO at ASM, the SHPO, and relevant regional historic document collections). If the Contractor is not local to Arizona, travel via airplane maybe required. It is expected that at least one staff member of the Contractor will travel to obtain records when required. These organizations and agencies with relevant records are within the local Phoenix, AZ, area. The Government estimates that there will be a minimum of six (6) trips involving vehicle travel over the course of this contract. Otherwise, the place of performance is the Contractor’s facility.

7. PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY.

Performance Objective

Paragraph Number(s)

Acceptable Quality Level

Method of Surveillance

Incentive / Disincentive

Required permits are maintained during the life of this contract.

2.6, 5.1, 6 Contractor holds current permits from TNF and Arizona Antiquities Act Blanket permit.

COR checks with the TNF and ASM prior to award that the Contractor has valid permits on file.

Contractor submits permit numbers or details with every progress reports.

Positive/Negative Past Performance Evaluation.

Contractor’s personnel and methods meet professional standards.

2.6, 6, 7, 8 Personnel meet or exceed Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and TNF requirements.

COR reviews curriculum vitae of personnel prior to award. Contractor reports any changes to Key Personnel.

Positive/Negative Past Performance Evaluation.

Resolution of conflicting site information.

2.7 Contractor resolves

discrepancy in site numbers and descriptions.

COR reviews report and confirms resolution with TNF.

Acceptance of administrative draft survey report.

Contractor performs work on time.

3, 4, 5 Contractor completes project within two years of award.

COR reviews progress reports.

Positive/Negative Past Performance Evaluation.

Administrative draft, consultation draft, and final draft of the addendum to the existing Class I report are complete, professionally written, and submitted on schedule.

2.1—2.8, 3, 4, 5.1-5.3, 7, 8

Records from TNF, PXAO, SRP, AZSITE, ARO/ASM, SHPO, and relevant regional historic document collections, and historic maps (e.g., General Land Office maps are collected and reviewed.

Reports are complete and meet Secretary of Interior, TNF, and AZ SHPO standards.

COR asks selected agencies for confirmation. COR reviews all reports prior to acceptance.

Positive/Negative Past Performance Evaluation.

The contractor provides pdf copies of previous cultural resource reports.

2.2, 5.2, 8 Contractor submits pdf copies of all the cultural resource reports that have been completed within the project area

The results of the literature search match the pdf documents of previous cultural resource reports received by the COR.

Positive/Negative Past Performance Evaluation.

Contractor submits geodatabase

2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.8, 5.2, 7

Geodatabase submitted meeting PXAO and TNF guidelines.

COR and TNF review the geodatabase.

Positive/Negative Past Performance Evaluation.

Contractor uploads final report into tDAR.

2.8, 5.3, 7 Contractor creates draft Project and Document pages in tDAR and attributes data following PXAO guidelines.

COR reviews draft Project and Document pages and incorporates them into PXAO’s tDAR collection upon acceptance.

Positive/Negative Past Performance Evaluation.