17-28 NAFB Questions 08282017.pdf

Additional questions on Native American Consultation Support, Nellis AFB, CESU 17-28

Question 1: Reliable sources claim that access to NTTR is limited to weekends and holidays.

Is this true? Or will the NFE be able to get consistent access for 10 days at a time to anywhere they need to go on the ranges?

Answer: The range activities can change in one day so no schedule is guaranteed. Also, the survey locations are spread all over the range which will vary depending on what types of activities take place there.

Question 2: Their Answer to the following question is unclear:

“Will 8-10 day rotations be possible for conducting archaeological field work? Will all training areas containing the 74 spring and seep sites be accessible for this kind of scheduling (weekdays as well as weekends)? Some areas are very remote and difficult to access. NAFB is wanting to accomplish two-10 day trips.”

Follow up to Question 2: Are they saying they expect only twenty days of fieldwork? What if we cannot make it to all 74 springs and seeps in that amount of time?

Follow up answer: If an NFE cannot make those locations in 20 day rotations an NFE may have to schedule another week’s work of survey if funding permits. An attempt should be made to survey all of the locations that are used frequently and are easily accessible.

Question 3: I am unclear on the answer to the following question:

“What is the maximum number of cultural monitors that we should budget for/expect to hire?

Page 20. Section 8.2 states “at least 4 tribal members will be included”. Can we assume, for budgetary purposes, that our upper limit will be four tribal monitors? 1 per crew of archaeologists (2 total).”

Follow up question: If understand correctly, the NFE will only need 2 tribal monitors for the fieldwork? Why does it say at least 4 in the SOW?

Follow up answer: It depends on the number of crews the NFE plan to use. So up to 4 monitors for 4 crews on 1 monitor per crew. Please include for Native American coordinator 2 days in field with per diem and four hours of report writing.

Question 4: I am unclear on the answer to the following question:

“Specific questions for Task 4. It says “no fieldwork required” is this correct? It will be required to collect GIS data.”

Follow up to question: I am unclear on the difference between Tasks 4 and 5. I interpreted Task 4 as involving office-based compilation of existing data on the 74 locations (47 perennial and 27 intermittent springs) and requiring no fieldwork. Whereas I interpreted Task 5 as primarily involving fieldwork (archaeological survey) at the 74 locations. Is this an accurate interpretation of these tasks?

I am assuming that the 47 perennial and 27 intermittent springs mentioned in both Tasks 4 and 5 are the same. Is this correct?

Is Task 5 the ground-truth phase of Task 4?

Follow up to answer: Task 4 is to finish Black Mtn study not springs. The NFE will finish the report for Task 4 Black Mtn by completing mapping and site records. Some site visits will be needed to gather GIS data and conduct ground truth of site locations.

Question 5: Further clarification on the acreage:

“Page 5: Reference is made to “completion of archaeological survey of 200 acres of lands distributed across the North and South NTTR” but elsewhere the acreage figure is given as 575 acres (e.g., on pg. 18). Can the NFE assume that 575 acres is the correct figure? 1275 acres for Black Mtn task. 575 acres for springs task.”

Follow up question: Does Task 4 involve 1275 acres of survey? If Tasks 4 and 5 are same 74 locations, how can the acreage be different? Task 4 and 5 are separate.

Follow up answer: Task 4 does not need resurvey of the 1275 acres but only visit known sites to collect GPS data.

Question 6: Can the NFE get a shapefile of the specific locations they will be responsible for?

When can the NFE get this file?

Yes, once the project is awarded.