A04_SOW.pdf

SCOPE OF WORK

ARCHEOLOGICAL OVERVIEW AND ASSESSMENT

BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK, JACKSON, PENNINGTON, AND OGLALA LAKOTA

COUNTIES, SOUTH DAKOTA

AND

SCOTTS BLUFF NATIONAL MONUMENT, SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTY, NEBRASKA

Reference Numbers:

PMIS Number 113349B

SCOPE

Performance Period: The work of this task agreement shall be completed within 18 months from the date of contract award.

Confidentiality: Information developed under this contract will include locations of sensitive archeological properties; these data shall be shared with project proponents as required but will otherwise be kept in strict confidence.

Project Identification: The work of this project shall consist of the services described below for the referenced project. In all related documents, the project shall be referred to as Archeological Overview and Assessment, Badlands National Park, South Dakota and Archeological Overview and Assessment, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska.

INTRODUCTION

The National Park Service (NPS) is contracting an Archeological Overview and Assessment (AOA) each for Badlands National Park (BADL) in Jackson, Pennington, and Oglala Lakota (formerly Shannon) Counties, South Dakota and Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska.

The project involves conducting a thorough investigation of existing records, documents, and reports to produce an overview of the archeological resources associated with each park.

Additionally, the AOAs will include a description and evaluation of known and potential archeological resources within each of the management units at BADL and within SCBL along with consensus-driven recommendations for their protection, management, and potential research directions. The contractor shall prepare draft and final versions of each AOA that will include maps depicting known sites, previously surveyed areas, and other results of the studies.

The reports shall meet the criteria for an AOA as identified in NPS Director’s Order 28, which describes an AOA as follows:

This report describes and assesses the known and potential archeological resources in a park area. The overview reviews and summarizes existing archeological data; the assessment evaluates that data. The report assesses past work and helps determine the need for and design of future studies. It is undertaken in a park or regional geographical framework and may be a part of multi-agency planning efforts. (NPS-28 1997:25)

The AOA is baseline park documentation that will be used to inform other planning documents.

In a 2021 memo on cultural resource funds, the NPS Washington Support Office (WASO) provides further guidance, stating:

An Archeological Overview and Assessment (AOA) is intended to give the current state of knowledge about known archeological resources within a park boundary and assess the full range of potential site types and associated cultures. …. The AOA should have a list of affiliated tribes to be contacted when archeological projects take place, and the assessment section should be flexible enough for the addition of information as new resources are identified.

BACKGROUND

Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park, established in 1939, includes 244,000 acres in two main units: the North Unit and the South Unit, which is further subdivided into the Stronghold Unit and Palmer Unit. The South Unit is located entirely on Pine Ridge Reservation and has been managed by the National Park Service in cooperation with the Oglala Sioux Tribe under a memorandum of agreement since 1976.

Located in the White River drainage of western South Dakota, the park is known for its highly eroded landforms and its spectacular geology and paleontology. The park contains one of the world’s richest fossil beds and is particularly informative regarding the history and geological processes that occurred along the boundary between the Eocene and Oligocene epoch. The park also protects a substantial remnant of native prairie and encloses the largest mixed-grass prairie within the national park system. It is home to bison, bighorn sheep, and black-footed ferrets among many other native species. These characteristics have made the area within the park attractive for human activities for millennia despite its challenging geography and climate.

In fact, the park’s foundation document highlights archeological and ethnographic resources as fundamental park resources and considers one of the park’s purposes to “preserve and interpret the archeological and contemporary history of use and settlement of lands within the park.”

Lands within the park hold great spiritual and historical significance.

Despite these facts, little systematic archeological work has occurred within the boundaries of BADL; less than six percent of park lands have been surveyed. Currently, there are 352 recorded archeological sites within the park with another 78 resources designated as “other archeological resources” and recorded at the local park level only. Most of these sites remain unevaluated for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. One site, 39JK4 (Johnny site), is determined eligible for the National Register; another 11 sites have been recommended as eligible. The majority of recorded sites are lithic scatters that contain debitage, tool fragments, bison bone, and sometimes pottery. Isolated Paleoindian artifacts have been found in surface contexts in the park, but most diagnostic artifacts date to later times with Plains Village tradition sites being relatively abundant throughout the park. Notably, however, the Lange-Ferguson site, a Clovis mammoth kill and butchering site, is located just south of the park on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Most archeological work within BADL has occurred near NPS development within the park’s North Unit. Notably, the South Unit was formerly a bombing range during World War II and saw later use as an artillery range. Therefore, the possibility of encountering munitions and explosives of concern should be taken into consideration when fieldwork is undertaken in the South Unit. Yet, one of the last Ghost Dances occurred on Stronghold Table, located in the South Unit, precipitating the 1890 Wounded Knee Massacre.

Scotts Bluff National Monument

Scotts Bluff National Monument was established in 1919 by Presidential Proclamation, marking the first time that the Antiquities Act was used to preserve a landscape based on the westward expansion movement "Manifest Destiny." The monument currently encompasses 3,003 acres of prairie and bluff habitat located in the Panhandle of western Nebraska. The monument is dedicated to preserving Scotts Bluff, South Bluff, Mitchell Pass, and the remnants of the Oregon-California Trail. The monument preserves the historical scene, the associated geological features, and natural and cultural resources in perpetuity. In the 19th century, approximately half a million European Americans traveled up the Platte and North Platte Rivers on their way to lands that later became the states of Oregon, Utah, and California. The chain of rock formations in western Nebraska marked the change in terrain between the prairies to the east and the mountains to the west. The main route of travel was south of the park, through Robidoux Pass, until 1851. The previous year, anonymous laborers physically altered the area known as Mitchell Pass by filling gullies and building earthen ramps into the side of ravines. This allowed wagons the opportunity to safely navigate "The Gap," now known as Mitchell Pass. This became the primary route in 1851 and cut approximately 8 miles off the trail route. During 1852, the peak migration year, up to 50,000 people passed through the area. Later, the Pony Express and the transcontinental telegraph used this route. The completion of the transcontinental railway in 1869 greatly reduced the number of emigrants using the Oregon Trail as transcontinental travel by railroad became available.

According to their 2015 foundation document:

The purpose of Scotts Bluff National Monument is to preserve the scenic, scientific, geologic, and historic integrity of Scotts Bluff. The monument preserves remnants of the Oregon Trail through Mitchell Pass and affords views of surrounding formations that, along with Scotts Bluff, were primary landmarks along the emigrant trails (the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express National Historic Trails) used for westward expansion.

Scotts Bluff National Monument’s fundamental resources and other important resources include:

Historic trail ruts Geology and paleontology Views to, from, and of the bluffs Scotts Bluff as a landmark for westward expansion William Henry Jackson Collection of artwork and personal effects Archeological resources The developed landscape of the Monument Mixed-grass prairie ecosystem Other museum collections

Most importantly for this SOW, there are over 50 known archeological sites in the monument; at least half a dozen of those may be eligible for listing in the national register. Preliminary site reports indicate that sites may range in age from as old as 6000 BCE up through the time of historic significance, the Emigrant Trails (1840s-1860s), with the oldest confirmed date of about 1500 BP to 350 BP.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY, COLLABORATIVE, AND CONSULTATIVE APPROACH

It is important that this project takes a multidisciplinary, collaborative, and consultative approach to the resources at BADL and SCBL. In addition to a literature review of historical and archeological works from many different types of sources, research for the AOAs may require interviews with BADL, SCBL, and Midwest Archeological Center (MWAC) staff; South Dakota Archaeological Research Center staff, History Nebraska staff, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Historic Preservation Office, and federally recognized tribal members. Staff from these institutions may offer their working knowledge of relevant topics, along with literature and archival materials not available to the general public.

Many tribal nations are associated with the lands within BADL. Listed here are the associated tribes of BADL: Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Blackfeet Tribe, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Northern Cheyenne Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Omaha Tribe, Ponca Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Santee Sioux Tribe, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, Southern Cheyenne and Eastern Arapaho Tribes, Spirit Lake Dakota Nation, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara), Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, and Yankton Sioux Tribe.

The associated tribal nations of SCBL, with whom park staff consult, are the following: Apache Tribe of Oklahoma, Northern Arapaho Tribe, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, Kiowa Indian Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and Northern Cheyenne Tribe.

The contractor will arrange virtual meetings with BADL and SCBL at the beginning of the project to which these tribes will be invited and near the end of the project when there is a >90% draft in editing. All consultation will be conducted as official park business through the BADL and SCBL superintendents. If any tribal members wish to be more involved with the project, the contractor will be encouraged to aid in that involvement to the best of their ability.

This scope of work provides a template for the AOA, but the details of how this project is conducted will rely on consultation with the parties discussed here.

PURPOSE AND ANTICIPATED BENEFITS

The purpose of this project is to collect and synthesize specific data concerning the spatial, historical, and cultural context of archeological resources in BADL and SCBL. In addition, the AOA will identify and prioritize areas where future research is needed and how best to manage all known sites. The need for an AOA at BADL is recognized in the park’s 2017 foundation document and is designated a high priority.

Changes in management priorities, archeological survey methods, property acquisitions, and other issues have made a reassessment of data regarding the nature, location, and condition of specific archeological resources necessary. Historical and cultural context for park management units will be developed for use in interpretation and evaluation of known and potential archeological sites. Areas of potential archaeological sensitivity will be identified through previous research, environmental factors, and documented prior disturbance to aid in management decisions and guide future research. Archeological sensitivity must be determined in active consultation with the NPS and stakeholders (THPOs and SHPOs).

From this project, the parks will acquire a concise set of baseline documentation for their archeological resources. The project will help update the parks’ cultural resource GIS data and add to the larger understanding of archaeological sites within their boundaries. The work will provide a foundation for effective and sustainable protection, preservation, interpretation, and management of each park’s archeological resources.

PROPOSED METHODS

1) Communication is important in ensuring that this AOA project is successful. A start-up meeting will be held through a conference call to review each item of the scope of work and any issues relevant to its successful execution. On-site visits to the parks would also be very helpful in gaining familiarity with their resources and landscapes that can inform the overviews. The contractor may also be invited to tribal consultation meetings or meet with tribal partners during the site visits. Meetings or conference calls will also be utilized for updates on project progress and to discuss draft submittals.

2) Given the unique geographic features, levels of preservation, previous research, and park management goals, the separate units of BADL will be covered in individual chapters. The Introductory, Natural Setting, and discussion of the Native American and Historic period regional summaries can be reported in the context of the entire park.

Separate reports will be prepared for BADL and SCBL.

3) Detailed historical research will be a part of the work required to produce the AOA. The research will help develop a framework of significance for known and potentially preserved archeological resources establishing the appropriate cultural contexts as defined by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. Sources of information will include (but are not limited to) previous surveys, historic resource studies, cultural landscape reports, LiDAR images, historic maps, and town and county histories. This information is available online, at local libraries, the state SHPOs, the South Dakota State Archaeological Research Center, the Midwest Archeological Center, and at BADL and SCBL. NPS documents may also be found online at the Integrated Resource Management Applications website at https://irma.nps.gov/Portal/. The contractor should document, based on historical research, the Native American Peoples affiliated with the parks’ landholdings. This information may be contained in historic research studies, ethnographic overviews and assessments, or cultural affiliation studies available for the parks. A digital copy of all maps and pertinent historical documents located during the research that are not available at MWAC or the parks will be a project deliverable. In addition to the historical maps, maps documenting utilities or other disturbances should be located and reviewed to assess site integrity. Utility and development maps can be accessed at the Technical Information Center and searched through eTIC https://etic2.nps.gov/.

4) Accessing key sources on history, previous archeological surveys and documented archeology sites for review will be a part of the project. These sources include archeological studies as well as some primary sources, such as field notes and artifact collections; periodic access to the South Dakota and Nebraska SHPOs will be required for this project. Once collected, past archeological and geophysical site reports, field notes, and park archeology compliance files should be evaluated. These resources should also be utilized to evaluate the potential levels of significance and sub-surface integrity of potentially significant archeological sites.

5) Locating archeological collections from the parks and determining if they are housed to NPS standards will also be a part of the work for the AOA. A trip to the repositories may be necessary to assess the curation standards. Most collections for these parks are likely stored either at MWAC or at the parks.

6) The AOAs will also include GIS maps that identify known sites, existing archaeological resources, areas that have been previously investigated archeologically, and sensitivity for prehistoric and historic resources. Archeological base maps are currently maintained at the Midwest Archeological Center for both parks and are considered in good condition; however, some survey coverage may be missing, and some sites may not be included. The geodatabase for each park will be provided to the contractor and any updates will follow the same format including completion of all the feature-level metadata.

7) In addition to the geodatabase, MWAC maintains attribute information for 430 archeological sites and resources at BADL and 75 archeological sites and resources at SCBL in the NPS Cultural Resource Inventory System (CRIS). These records are considered in good condition; however, there may be some missing information. Read-only access to these records will be provided by MWAC.

8) At the park and management unit level, recommendations for future research should be developed and prioritized. Thematic areas, shortcomings in the existing data, and ways to improve the CRIS records should also be identified.

9) The results of the research, data collection, and data synthesis will ultimately be submitted in the report.

REPORT CONTENT

The reports must contain the following components:

i) Table of Contents

ii) List of Tables

iii) List of Figures

iv) List of Appendices

v) Abstract (no more than a three-paragraph summary of the research methods and principal findings)

vi) Acknowledgments

1) Introduction. This chapter must summarize project objectives and describe project personnel. It should include a summary of the research methods and principal findings.

2) Natural Setting. This chapter must summarize the geology, hydrology, flora, and fauna in the vicinity of the park and include a diachronic discussion of site evolution from the last glaciation to the present. Since these topics have been covered extensively in previous literature, this chapter may be succinct; however, it should reflect current knowledge and scholarship.

3) Culture History. This chapter will discuss all periods of human activity relevant to the area up to ca. 50 years before present. This chapter must summarize broad historical trends and key events in local history pertinent to the park. Since these topics have been covered extensively in previous literature, this chapter may be succinct; however, it should reflect current knowledge, scholarship, and terminology.

4) Management Units. Only one management unit is present within SCBL, but each of the main management units at BADL (North Unit and South Unit) will have its own section devoted to each of the following topics:

a. Brief summary information of the natural setting and culture history unique to that area of the park. This section is not necessary for SCBL as it will already have been covered.

b. Evaluation of previous archeological work – This section must list, describe, and evaluate each previous archeological project conducted within the specific unit boundaries at BADL and within SCBL as a whole. Critically evaluate survey methods, excavation strategy, results, and reports and discuss cataloging and artifact storage, and implementation of any report recommendations.

c. Documented disturbances – This section will discuss construction and environmental disturbances that can be documented either through plans, textual citations, photographs, or interviews, which have affected the integrity of the archeological resources at the parks. Extensive map and construction documentation research will be required to assimilate the necessary information. Interviews with park staff may also be needed.

d. Known and potential archeological resources – This chapter will identify known and potential archaeological resources based on the collection of maps, photographs, textual information, and archeological survey and excavation data. The chapter should include known and potential archeological resources for both the historic and pre-contact periods. Overlay maps should be developed (historic maps produced to digitally overlay a current base map) to illustrate the evolution of the park unit and its cultural resources. The results of the documented disturbances should be brought to bear on the identification of archeological resources. This chapter should contain information pertinent to the CRIS database and should briefly describe all CRIS sites and sub-sites.

e. Recommendations – Each management unit chapter must summarize those sites that have the highest research and /or public significance for each of the periods and contexts. This chapter must include a list of important research questions for each unit that the archeological resources of the park can address. Recommendations, prioritized by site, should be made for additional documentary research, geophysical survey, and subsurface testing. This chapter must include management recommendations for individual and groups of sites and identify potential threats to them. Recommendations should also be made for scholarly and public educational initiatives and activities. This chapter must be prepared in active consultation with the NPS and stakeholders (THPOs and SHPO).

5) Park Recommendations. This chapter should summarize the management unit chapters and address broader, park-wide research questions and management recommendations for BADL. This section is not necessary for SCBL as it contains only one management unit.

6) Figures. Figures must include key historical and archeological site maps. Known archeological site locations must be identified on an approved GIS base map, showing present-day topography and buildings. GIS-generated maps must conform to NPS standards. The contractor and NPS must concur on the list of figures.

7) References. This section must be formatted according to the American Antiquity style guide provided on the Society for American Archaeology website. Cartographic resources will be listed separately.

A draft chapter for a management unit from each park must be delivered between 6 and 11 months after startup. Comments will be provided 30 days after submission. Draft reports will be submitted for review within 16 months after startup. Final reports will be based on any comments received on the draft reports.

GIS LAYER PREPARATION

Several GIS layers will be created from the documents gathered during research. All layers will be compatible with ArcGIS Pro 2.9.2 or greater. These GIS layers could include geo-rectified scans of selected historic maps and aerial photographs not already maintained at MWAC or the park. Additional GIS layers will include known archeological resources, structures and roads, previous cultural resource study areas, and a base map. A park base map, which includes this information, is currently maintained at MWAC and is in good condition, but additions or edits may be required. The MWAC geodatabase and base map will be provided to the contractor.

DELIVERABLES

Deliverables for the project will include the following:

An electronic draft of a management unit chapter from each park in Microsoft Word format

Electronic copies of each draft report in Microsoft Word format 15 hard copies of each final report, including one unbound copy of each on acid-free archival paper Complete electronic versions of the final documents in Adobe PDF format that are compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Digital copies of all maps and pertinent historical documents discovered during project research, which the park(s) or MWAC does not already have Updated GIS geodatabase of archeological site and survey information

All digital data and GIS information will be delivered on a flash or external drive.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

Following the award of the contract, NPS staff will schedule a kick-off meeting within 30 working days to finalize the project schedule and work plan.

Day 1: Project Start-up Meeting

0-6 Months: Site visits and perform preliminary research; review and begin collection of site data, previous reports, and artifact collection status. Submit outline for draft management unit chapters. Call at end of 6 months to discuss outline, progress, and schedule.

6-11 Months: Continue research and submit draft management unit chapters.

12 Months: Meeting/call to discuss progress and get input on draft management unit chapters.

16 Months: Submit draft reports.

16-17 Months: NPS review of draft reports. Meeting/call at end of review period to discuss comments on deliverables and finalization of reports.

17-18 Months: Contractor completes reports using earlier draft and NPS comments. Submit final reports.

18 Months: Final invoice and project closeout.