A04_Rocky_Ridge_Cultural_Inventory_-_SOW.pdf

U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

WIND RIVER/BIGHORN BASIN DISTRICT

LANDER FIELD OFFICE, WYOMING

Cultural Resources Inventory (Class III) of Rocky Ridge, FY2026

STATEMENT OF WORK

I. Introduction and Background

The purpose of this project is to conduct a Class III inventory (intensive field survey;

temporally restricted to sites known to be, or likely to be, associated with National Historic Trails [NHTs]) to identify an appropriate boundary for Rocky Ridge. Rocky Ridge is identified as a High Potential Site associated with the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express NHTs. The majority of the Rocky Ridge area is on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lander Field Office (LFO) managed surface.

However, portions of the NHTs to the east and west of the Rocky Ridge area are on private property. At the time of publication, the National Park Service’s (NPS) Comprehensive Management and Use Plan (and Update) for these four NHTs identify the “need [for] a cultural landscape report” as a threat to the resource, which was described as having “great visual integrity.” To assist with the eventual development of a cultural landscape report, it is necessary to conduct a targeted inventory of all features and artifacts associated with Rocky Ridge, particularly during its period(s) of significance.

The objective is to identify features and artifacts associated with Rocky Ridge during its period(s) of significance through a Class III pedestrian inventory. Development of an inventory strategy should be informed by primary source materials, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) derived imagery (to be furnished by the BLM LFO), and management and planning documents pertaining to NHTs. Pedestrian inventory will be conducted at an intensive interval, but recordation of artifacts, features, and other cultural resources should be limited to those associated with the NHTs’ period(s) of significance.

The role of the contractor is to inventory 305 acres of BLM managed surface, specifically targeting only those cultural resources (artifacts, features) likely to be associated with the NHTs’ period(s) of significance. In addition to the 305 acres of targeted inventory, the contractor will also re-record 11 historic sites within the inventory area:

48FR3551

48FR3566

48FR3577

48FR3578

48FR3586

48FR3587

48FR3588

48FR3635

48FR3638

48FR3639

48FR3640

For all sites but 48FR3551 and 48FR3566, there is no form on file; all that is known from limited records is that they were historic or multicomponent sites identified and mapped along the NHTs.

Inventory strategy and fieldwork should meet the definitions and requirements of intensive, Class III field survey from the WY SHPO-BLM Protocol (“Protocol”), with a temporally limited focus on those resources that are known or likely to be associated with the National Historic Trails. Upon completion of the fieldwork, a report shall be submitted that discusses the findings of the fieldwork, culminating in a recommended boundary (polygon) for the Rocky Ridge site as well as any Wyoming Cultural Property Forms (WCPFs) for NHT segments evaluated, sites re-recorded, and other sites or features newly identified.

II. Project Location and Scope

The geographic area for this project is the area broadly referred to as Rocky Ridge, encompassing the two monuments (colloquially referred to as the “upper” [west] and “lower” [east] monuments) as well as the public access point on the western edge. The inventory area is a buffer of at least 300 feet from the center line of the NHTs’ primary route, as verified through both NPS and WY SHPO records.

The project is located within Township 29 North, Range 97 West, Sections 22, 27, and

28. The Lander Field Office (LFO) is located in west-central Wyoming. Rocky Ridge is located in Fremont County, roughly 14.25 miles east of Atlantic City and 29 miles south-southeast of Lander. Elevation varies from roughly 6900 feet about sea level (asl) to 7300 feet asl. Although literature reviews and background research should cover pertinent history and resources found in the area regardless of surface ownership, the contract only involves BLM LFO managed surface acreage.

Access to sites and inventory areas will be variable, but will include a mix of paved, improved, and two-track/unimproved roads from the point of origin. The majority of the inventory area is only accessible on foot. Use of a 4WD, high clearance vehicle is strongly recommended to reach the western access point of Rocky Ridge. The contractor will need to use georeferenced access maps, county roads and land data map servers, and other mapping technologies to identify which travel routes are viable and accessible; the contractor will be responsible for obtaining private landowner permission to cross properties on existing roads, if necessary. Terrain in the inventory area is variable: as its name suggests, much of the ground surface is rocky and uneven, and the landscape surrounding the NHTs is very steep at times and largely consists of an ecosystem dominated by sage brush with few trees except in steep draws leading to the Sweetwater River. Broadly, the contractor is responsible for identifying appropriate inventory strategies per the conditions that will ensure the safety of all field going personnel.

III. Statement of Work

The contractor shall first conduct background research, including an existing literature review of site forms and reports. Relevant documents to consult will also include the BLM LFO’s 2014 Resource Management Plan (RMP), the NPS’s Comprehensive Management and Use Plan (and Update) for the California, Pony Express, Oregon, and Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trails, and the BLM’s original Oregon/Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trails Management Plan (superseded by the Comprehensive MUP, but containing relevant maps and management suggestions), in addition to primary source and peer reviewed materials.

Additional materials that should be reviewed to assist with inventory strategy and execution include a suite of UAS-derived imagery products that cover the Rocky Ridge area, which the BLM LFO will furnish to the contractor. Some imagery products, such as hill shade relief, are excellent at highlighting trail traces that are minimally visible on the ground. The BLM LFO will also furnish copies of BLM Manual 6280, volumes 1 and 2, to provide technical guidance about the agency’s approach to inventory, assessment, and monitoring of NHTs in an interdisciplinary manner. As aforementioned, inventory strategy and methods should also be compliant with the 2014 WY BLM-WY SHPO Protocol.

The BLM shall be given an opportunity to review the inventory strategy to ensure it is appropriately informed by the aforementioned technical guidance and primary and peer-reviewed sources. Upon agency review and approval of the strategy, the contractor shall conduct a Class III (intensive field survey) inventory of 305 acres of BLM LFO managed surface within the agency-defined polygon. Pedestrian survey in the polygon should only identify and evaluate features, artifacts, and other cultural resources that are known to be, or likely to be, National Historic Trail associated. In addition to the 305 acres, 11 previously identified sites (listed above) should be re-recorded; many are missing site forms but are known to be historic or multicomponent in temporal nature and have provisionally mapped datums. During either new site recordings or previously identified site re-recordings, no artifacts should be collected.

Upon completion of fieldwork, the contractor will prepare a Class III report in accordance with applicable portions of the 2012 Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office Format, Guidelines, and Standards for Class II and III Reports, which shall discuss the following: the development and deployment of an inventory/sampling strategy, newly identified NHT associated sites and their eligibility recommendations (including newly defined segments of the NHTs and contributing/non-contributing status), previously identified and re-recorded sites and their eligibility recommendations, and a recommendation of how the boundaries (polygonal) of the Rocky Ridge site should be defined through the NHPA. The contractor will explicitly discuss the location, nature, and integrity of key sensitive features associated with the NHTs, such as wagon wheel ruts, to support BLM’s future management of these nationally significant resources.

The contractor is also invited to discuss longer term or larger scale management actions for the area, such as next steps to assist with NPS development of a Cultural Landscape Inventory or Report document or whether pursuing a National Register of Historic Places listing nomination is appropriate, although this is not a requirement.

IV. Government Supplied Property

The BLM LFO will provide GIS shapefiles of the areas subject to inventory and site re-recording.

In addition to the shapefiles, the BLM LFO will provide the previously discussed aerial imagery data packages as obtained through WY BLM’s UAS program. Unless otherwise specified, this will include all formats: shaded relief, hill shade, digital surface model, and orthomosaic.

Additionally, the contractor will need to access specific BLM LFO cultural resources program records, including a report that was written and submitted by Metcalf Archaeological Consultants, Inc., for AECOM and BLM’s National Operations Center (NOC) – but was ultimately rejected and is therefore not available in WY SHPO records

– that contains information about the sites to be re-recorded. Select reference materials such as paper copies of the BLM’s original (1986) Oregon/Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trails Management Plan are also available. The BLM LFO will assist in making these paper records available digitally to the contractor.

All government supplied data and files (and all data generated by the contractor) shall be maintained in a manner consistent with the Wyoming Permit for Archaeological Investigations (PAI) Conditions (see attached).

V. Proposed Funding Schedule

Work schedule and partial payment shall be divided into four phases.

Phase I – Background Research and Inventory Strategy Development: 60 days from award; 15% partial payment

Phase II – Fieldwork (Inventory and Site Re-Recordings): 130 days from award; 35% partial payment

Phase III – Draft Deliverables (Report, New and Updated Site Forms, GIS/GPS Shapefiles and Maps) Submission: 160 days from award; 25% partial payment

Phase IV – Final Deliverables Submission: 180 days from award; 25% partial payment

VI. Deliverables

The contractor will first submit a draft of all files relevant to the development of the inventory strategy. Citations of any relevant peer-reviewed research or “gray literature” (i.e., federal agency reports) used to develop the strategy should be included as a “Works

Cited” document, either standalone or incorporated into the written description. The BLM will then have up to seven (7) calendar days to review the inventory strategy proposal and either request revisions or accept as-is. Due to complexities of large file-sharing, either WyoTrack or a USB thumb drive (or external hard drive) may be used.

After the acceptance of the final inventory strategy and prior to the start of fieldwork, the contractor must submit a fieldwork authorization to the BLM through WyoTrack. Upon acceptance of the fieldwork authorization, this request and approval is automatically incorporated into the project through WyoTrack, and fieldwork may begin immediately.

The contractor shall submit one Class III inventory report for the project. The report shall include all Wyoming Cultural Property Forms (WCPFs) for newly identified NHT associated sites or NHT segments, previously identified NHT-associated sites, and Rocky Ridge itself. The report shall be prepared in a manner consistent with the requirements and standards described in the 2012 Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office – Format, Guidelines, and Standards for Class II and III Reports. Reports and WCPFs must also include photographic documentation and maps produced with relevant GIS information as described in this document. Draft and final versions of the report and companion WCPFs should be submitted through WyoTrack.

The contractor will first submit an electronic version of the draft report and WCPFs to the BLM. The BLM will be allowed up to 15 calendar days for review and to provide revisions. The contractor will then make the requested revisions and submit the updated draft report and WCPFs to the BLM for a final review and approval.

The final report, companion WCPFs, supplemental documents (e.g. photo sheets, additional maps), and shapefiles shall be submitted through WyoTrack for BLM review and approval. BLM LFO personnel will work with WYSHPO to ensure the report and WCPFs are properly incorporated into statewide data. A USB drive or external hard drive shall be mailed to BLM, containing all GIS information (must include field GPS data and final shapefiles), photographs taken during the project, field notes, and research notes.

Notifications: The contractor shall notify the BLM at least 7 calendar days before commencing fieldwork. Notification shall be both via a Fieldwork Authorization Request in the WyoTrack system submitted to the BLM Lander Field Office, and via an email to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

The contractor shall also notify BLM when fieldwork is completed by email and/or phone call to the COR. Notification shall communicate brief synthesis of preliminary findings. Email notifications shall also be sent when the final report is mailed to the

BLM.

Confidentiality: To protect site information from unauthorized disclosure, all site location and content information must be kept in strictest confidence. The contractor shall make the information available only to the COR and must take whatever internal measures are necessary to ensure that confidential material is protected. All BLM and Wyoming Permit for Archaeological Investigation (PAI) Conditions (see attached) shall be followed.

VII. Evaluation and Award Criteria

Respondents shall supply a written proposal, including specific proposed methodologies for the project, a list of key personnel that discusses the nature of each individual’s involvement in all phases of the work and demonstrates their qualifications (resumes), a statement of availability to perform the work, and a list of references. Respondents will then be evaluated on the specific evaluation criteria listed below:

1. Quality of the Proposal

A. Technical Approach: The extent to which the respondents’ proposed methods, techniques, procedures, and criteria demonstrate an understanding of the project objectives and requirements and provide a sound approach to accomplishing the work described in the solicitation.

B. Project Management and Coordination: The extent to which the proposal provides a clear and effective plan for managing the project and coordinating activities with BLM Wyoming.

2. Respondent Qualifications and Experience

A. Qualifications of the Respondent and Key Personnel: The qualifications and relevant experience of the respondent and key personnel, including possession of a current BLM Wyoming Permit for Archaeological Investigation and experience conducting comparable cultural resource investigations.

B. Relevant Experience: The respondent’s demonstrated experience successfully conducting cultural resource inventories and related archaeological investigations in Wyoming.

C. Past Performance: The respondent’s demonstrated past performance, including technical competence, successful project delivery, adherence to project budgets and schedules, and the quality of references provided.

3. Availability and Capacity to Perform

A. Staffing and Organizational Capacity: The extent to which the respondent demonstrates sufficient staffing, organizational capacity, and available resources to successfully complete the project within the required timeframe.

B. Schedule: The extent to which the respondent's proposed schedule demonstrates the ability to meet or exceed the project milestones and completion dates identified in the solicitation.

4. Bid Price

Order of Importance

Technical factors, when combined, are considered:

☒ Significantly more important than price

☐ Approximately equal to price

☐ Significantly less important than price