A04_Attachment_1_Cultural_BPA_Order-_AZ_REDA_Cultural_Survey_SOW.pdf

Blanket Purchase Agreement Order for Cultural Resource Management Services in Arizona Request for Quote under BPA Numbers 140L0621A007, 140L0621A0012, 140L0621A014

BLM Arizona REDA Cultural Survey

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Tasks

The Bureau of Land Management Arizona (BLM) requires Cultural Resource Management (CRM) Services comprised of the following three tasks for the project area noted below in 3.0. All tasks conducted under this order shall comply with Attachment 1- BPA Conditions as part of BPA numbers 14L0621A0007, 14L0621A0012, or 140L0621A0014 (provided to consultants with BPA award).

Task 1 – Conduct Class III Cultural Resource Surveys See Attachment 1- BPA conditions, 2.2.1.

Task 2 – Recordation of Cultural Resources See Attachment 1- BPA conditions, 2.2.2.

Task 3 – Reporting Requirements See Attachment 1- BPA conditions, 2.2.3.

Consultant will conduct all tasks in accordance with the BLM Arizona Interim Standards and Guidelines for Consultants: Existing Data Review, Field Survey, Site Documentation and National Register Eligibility Recommendations (attached), and the Arizona State Museum Archaeological Site Recording Manual obtainable at https://statemuseum.arizona.edu/crm/documents, and the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office Standards for Inventory Documents Submitted for SHPO Review in Compliance with Historic Preservation Laws obtainable at https://azstateparks.com/shpo-forms-and-publications.

1.2 Project Undertaking and Objectives

The BLM Arizona State Office has a need to conduct a Class III cultural survey of 2,777 acres of two Renewable Energy Development Areas (REDA) entirely managed by the BLM Arizona, Phoenix District Office, Lower Sonoran Field Office, located in Maricopa County, Arizona. The cultural survey consists of two block survey areas that are 25 miles apart (1,757 acres and 1,020 acres labeled Alpha and Bravo on the attached maps).

In 2013, the Restoration Design Energy Project (RDEP) was developed to identify geographic areas within Arizona that are best suited for renewable energy development, establish land reuse goals, and identify design features to protect resource values and uses. The RDEP tiers to the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement and the planning area includes BLM-administered lands within Arizona. Specifically, the RDEP land use plan defined and identified 192,100 acres of REDAs, areas where solar and wind energy development is likely to be compatible with resource objectives. At present, the BLM does not have any utility scale renewable applications in either of these two REDAs, and there is no active undertaking subject to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

However, the BLM has received interest from developers in the general vicinity. Based on this interest, the BLM is pro-actively conducting a cultural survey of these two REDAs for advanced planning purposes. The BLM would likely use this cultural survey as part of its identification efforts for any future Section 106 undertaking in these areas.

2.0 SCOPE

2.1 Acreage Total

Survey Area Alpha: Block survey of 1,756 acres.

Survey Area Bravo: Bock survey of 1,020 acres.

BLM Arizona REDA Cultural Survey

2.2 Environmental Setting

Survey Area Alpha is located within the Harquahala Valley surrounded by several ranges, including Little Harquahala, Harquahala, Saddle Mountain, Big Horn, and Gila Bend Mountains. The area is north-northeast of the Gila Bend Mountains, within an alluvial basin characterized by undeveloped creosote flat terrain at elevations ranging from 1,300 to 1,400 feet above mean sea level (amsl). The vegetation throughout the project area is sparse and part of the Arizona upland Sonoran desert shrub biotic community. Flora species include mesquite, pencil cholla and other cacti, creosote bush, bursage, ironwood, ocotillo, palo verde, and annuals. Fauna present in this this environment include coyote, desert cottontail, black-tailed rabbit, as well as various rodent, avian, and reptilian species. Sediments within the survey area include large areas of desert pavement, creosote flats, steep igneous hills, and sporadic sand dune formations.

Survey Area Bravo is situated in the Little Rainbow Valley surrounded by the Buckeye Hills to the north, Sierra Estrella Mountains to the east, Maricopa Mountains to the south, and the Gila River Valley and Gila Bend Mountains to the west. The Little Rainbow Valley is a relatively flat alluvial fan formed by outwash from the surrounding eroding gneiss and granitic hills. Elevations range from 950 to 1,180 feet amsl. The survey area is located within the Sonoran Desertscrub province dominated by creosote bush. Many of the washes in the valley contain palo verde, ironwood, and mesquite. Shrubby vegetation consists of crucifixion thorn, catclaw acacia, bursage, devil’s claw, Mormon tea, and queen of the night cactus. Faunal species in the valley include Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Buzzard, Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Desert Cottontail, Round-tailed ground squirrel, Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Mojave Rattlesnake, and Gopher Snake.

2.3 Anticipated Sites and Survey Expectations

Survey Area Alpha is expected to contain a low site density or sensitivity for cultural resources. The BLM estimates that a survey of 1,756 acres in this area of Arizona would yield approximately three cultural resource sites and 90 isolated occurrences. A 2016 cultural survey of a 12,326-acre REDA located five miles west of the current survey area documented 19 cultural resource sites and 654 isolated occurrences. Of the 19 cultural resource sites, ten were determined eligible, eight were determined not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and one as undetermined eligibility status.

Most of the site types documented by the 2016 survey consisted of prehistoric artifact scatters, prehistoric artifact scatters with features, historic artifact scatters, and historic artifact scatters with features. Material culture documented by the 2016 survey includes rhyolite, jasper, chert, chalcedony, and fine-grained basalt lithics, ground stone, and a low quantity of Hohokam and Patayan plainware ceramics. Other possible material culture may include historic glass and metal, and prehistoric intaglios, petroglyphs, and occupation sites.

Survey Area Bravo is also expected to contain a low site density or sensitivity for cultural resources.

The BLM estimates that a survey of 1,020 acres in this area of Arizona would yield approximately one to two cultural resource sites and 170 isolated occurrences. A 2009 cultural survey of 8,645 acres located two miles west of the current survey area documented nine cultural resource sites and 1,557 isolated occurrences. Of the nine cultural resource sites, three were determined eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. Most of the site types documented by the 2009 survey consisted of prehistoric artifact scatters. Prehistoric ceramics consisting of plainware, redware, buffware, and Middle Gila red-on-buff dominated the artifact assemblages documented by the 2009 survey. Other possible material culture may include prehistoric lithics and historic glass and metal artifacts.

3.0 TASK DELIVERABLES

BLM Arizona REDA Cultural Survey

See Attachment 1- BPA Conditions, 2.3. The following list specific deliverables, descriptions/specifics, and format of deliverables in order to meet specific BLM Arizona or Field Office requirements.

Table 3.1. Deliverables

No. Deliverable Description/ Specifics

1 Weekly status email

A brief weekly status email to the appropriate BLM Arizona archaeologist and Contracting Officer’s Representative that lists accomplishments, completed tasks, identify issues, propose resolutions to the issues, and provide upcoming tasks to complete.

2 Draft report¹

Prepare and submit one (1) digital copy of the draft report and all site forms produced, including updated site records which document new or additional information collected for previously recorded sites located in the project area to the contracting officer’s representative (COR) and/or appropriate BLM archaeologist.

Submission will be by secure electronic transfer. The report must meet all requirements of 2.2.3, BLM Arizona Interim Standards, and SHPO Report Standards. The contractor’s editor is strongly encouraged to review the draft before submission to correct grammatical and factual errors.

3 Final report

The final report, which must incorporate all comments by the BLM on the draft report, shall be submitted as two (2) hard copies and one (1) electronic copy (via secure FTP site or encrypted thumb drive). Removable binding and two-sided printing of the report is preferable. Do not bind the report and site forms together.

4 Digital Data

Along with the final report, contractor shall submit all geospatial data attributed to the BLM National Cultural Resource Management Data Standard (NCRMDS), all digital photographs with corresponding photographic log, digital versions of all site cards and documentation, digital versions of any other project documentation (via secure FTP site or encrypted thumb drive).

¹The BLM will provide a response to the draft report within two weeks (14 days) of receipt.

4.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

Survey Area Alpha is located 14 miles south of Tonopah, Arizona, and 20 miles west of Buckeye, Arizona. Private lands bound the survey area on the east, north, and west. It is best to access the survey area from the south using Agua Caliente Road. The survey area can be found on the Gillespie USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle map, Township 1 South, Range 7 West, Sections 26-28, 33-35, and Township 2 South, Range 7 West, Sections 2 and 3.

Survey Area Bravo is located approximately 11 miles south of Buckeye, Arizona and 8 miles east of State Highway 85. Land administered by the Arizona State Land Department border the survey area to the north, and private lands abut the survey area on the east and west. It is best to access the survey area from the south via Riggs Road. The survey area can be found on the Mobile NW USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle map, Township 2 South, Range 2 West, Sections 28-30, 31 and 32.

5.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

This period of performance for this order is eighteen (18) weeks. Table 5.1 details task due dates and payment schedule.

Table 5.1. Project Schedule, Deliverable Due Dates, and Payment Schedule

Task Due Date Percent of Total Award

BLM Arizona REDA Cultural Survey

Project kick-off (webinar or conference call) Within two weeks (2) of award N/A

Fieldwork completed Within eight (8) of award 30% Weekly Progress Emails Weekly N/A

Draft report¹ Within six (6) weeks of completing fieldwork 50%

Final report and digital data.

Two (2) weeks after BLM has returned comments on the draft report 20%

¹The BLM will notify the contractor of acceptance of the Final Report within two (2) weeks, which constitutes completion of the contract. Note: The two (2) week period of BLM review of the draft report is built into the overall period of performance.

6.0 GOVERNMENT PROVIDED PROPERTY

The BLM will furnish the consultant with a GIS shapefile of the survey area and a blank data schema to ensure compliance with the BLM National Cultural Resource Management Data Standard (NCRMDS).

At the consultant’s request, the BLM may provide additional GIS layers such as PLSS, Surface Management, and Transportation.

7.0 GOVERNMENT POINTS OF CONTACT

CO: Lisa Hariper, 602-417-9434, lhariper@blm.gov COR: Matt Basham, 602-417-9216, mbasham@blm.gov BLM Lower Sonoran Field Office Archaeologist: Amber Redger, 623-580-5685