A04_Statement_of_Work.docx

Bureau of Land Management Kemmerer Field Office Smith’s Spring Metal Detector Survey Statement of Work for Archaeological / Geophysical Services

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Statement of Work (SOW) for Archaeological / Geophysical Services

1.0 General

1.1 Background

Congress tasked the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) with a mandate to manage public lands for a variety of uses, such as energy development, livestock grazing, recreation, and timber harvesting while ensuring that natural, cultural, and historic resources be maintained for present and future use.

The proposed project fulfills the BLM’s mandates under Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to proactively assess potential direct and indirect impacts to cultural resources on BLM-administered public lands and to develop plans to protect such heritage resources from impact.

More specifically, this project also fulfills the BLM Kemmerer Field Office (KFO) Resource Management Plan’s (RMP) Heritage Goals (HR:3.1 & HR:4.1) to:

1) identify other cultural resources in the planning area by defining priority geographic areas for new field inventory based on a probability for unrecorded significant cultural resources, pursuant to Section 110 of the NHPA; and

2) manage National Historic Trails (NHTs) and other historic trail resources for long-term heritage, recreational, and educational values.

The BLM KFO is seeking to hire an archaeological consulting firm that has both the requisite expertise and a current Wyoming BLM Cultural Resource Use Permit for the BLM KFO, to conduct an intensive Class III inventory supplemented with a metal detector survey of a segment of the Sublette Cutoff National Historic Trail (NHT) and associated emigrant campsite.

More specifically, a 2014 Class III cultural resource inventory conducted by a BLM KFO Archaeologist for the Bebb Spring exclosure identified a previously unrecorded Class 1 segment of the Sublette Cutoff NHT as well as the likely location of a mid-19th century emigrant campsite that is alluded to in contemporary historical accounts.

All cultural resources located within this discretionary location will be recorded and/or updated using Wyoming Cultural Property Forms, and evaluated to make recommendations of eligibility, where needed, for the National Register of Historic

Places (NRHP). The investigation will be completed as a proactive, Section 110 project. There is no pending Section 106 undertaking for the project area.

The segment of the Sublette Cutoff NHT that descends the west flank of Rock Creek Ridge passes present-day Bebb Spring, which has tentatively been identified as the Smith’s Spring campsite based on details provided in Andrew Child’s 1852 Overland Route Guide to California and in two recensions of J. Goldsborough Bruff’s 1849 emigrant diary. Both the NHT trace and likely emigrant campsite retain integrity of location, setting, feeling, and association given the minimal human impacts to the location on account of its remoteness and difficulty of access. As a result, the NHT and possible campsite have the potential to address integrity of materials by yielding additional information in the form of a mid-19th century historic assemblage associated with emigrant traffic over the NHT. The project location is approximately 10 miles southeast of Cokeville, WY.

1.2 Objective

Proper management planning and protection of these important heritage resources requires additional cultural resource inventory and documentation. Although, the location is not currently subject to impacts by energy development, it potentially possesses important archaeological data that can provide a more complete understanding of the Emigrant experience. To that end, the proposed investigation addresses a data gap represented by the paucity of archaeological research conducted on emigrant campsites (The Way West, 2014:91). Reminiscences and early 20th century accounts of emigrant campsites indicate that “…these camp locations contained discarded goods, dead livestock, and many human graves.” (The Way West, 2014:91- 92). The results of the investigation will also be utilized to enhance management guidelines for these resources and interpretive signs to promote public education.

1.3 Scope of Work

Contractor shall: conduct a background files search for and an intensive field inventory utilizing metal detectors of the approximately 5 acres representing the inferred campsite and approximately 5 acres representing a 2,300-foot-long by 100-foot-wide corridor centered on the adjacent portion of the NHT trace. In addition, site documentation, evaluation, and updates as needed based on the results of the survey and geophysical investigations. The boundaries of the geophysical investigation areas can be adjusted or expanded to better define anomalies in Area margins, as allowed by the scope and budget.

Contractor shall adhere to Class III inventory and reporting standards as defined by the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office Format, Guidelines, and Standards for Class II and III Reports. Adherence to Wyoming SHPO Metadata GIS and Photographic Standards is required. All diagnostic artifacts shall be described in detail and photographed with an indicated scale.

Contractor shall complete Wyoming Cultural Property Forms with NRHP eligibility determinations for all newly discovered cultural resources. Site forms for the Smith’s Spring and Sublette Cutoff NHT shall be created/updated with any new information that is derived from the results of the inventory and geophysical investigations.

The contractor must possess a current BLM Wyoming Cultural Resource Use Permit (CRUP) for this project-specific work, and will follow the permit stipulations. The contractor shall also adhere to Wyoming BLM guidelines relating to cultural resources on BLM administered lands and Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office’s Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation.

The contractor must notify the BLM KFO Authorized Officer, by telephone and with written confirmation, immediately upon the discovery of Native American affiliated human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony (as defined in 43 CFR 10.2) and must immediately stop any activities connected with such discovery and make a reasonable effort to protect the discovered remains or objects.

1.4 Period of Performance

The period of performance of this contract is from the date of award until December 31, 2025.

1.5 Place of Performance

The fieldwork will be conducted at the confidential location of these resources, located approximately 10 miles southeast of Cokeville, WY. (The location will be shared with the contractor upon award). Report preparation may be performed at the contractor’s facility. Access will be on unmaintained two-track roads.

1.6 Applicable Documents

Current Wyoming BLM Cultural Resource Use Permit, obtained from the BLM Wyoming State Office https://www.blm.gov/programs/cultural-resources/archaeology Class III inventory and reporting standards as defined by the Protocol between the BLM and the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), including the SHPO Format, Guidelines, and Standards for Class II and III Reports. https://wyoshpo.wyo.gov/index.php/programs/review-and-consultation- s106/agreements/bureau-of-land-management-protocol-2014

2.0 Specific Requirements/Tasks

2.1 Task One

2.1.1 Background literature / file search in WyoTrack

2.1.2 Fieldwork Notification request via WyoTrack

2.1.3 Fieldwork

2.2 Task Two

Draft Report submission to the BLM KFO via WyoTrack and one, unbound hardcopy

2.3 Task Three

Final submission of adequate Class III inventory report

3.0 Delivery or Deliverables

The contractor shall prepare a Class III level technical report, including Wyoming Cultural Properties Forms and Wyoming Isolated Resource Forms, following the standards set forth in the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office Format, Guidelines, and Standards for Class II and III Reports. The contractor shall enter the project in the automated WyoTrack program including data input for the final report, relevant Wyoming Cultural Property Forms, shapefiles, and associated documentation. The report shall include photographic documentation, maps produced with GIS information, and figures/diagrams produced from the results of the geophysical investigations.

One (1) unbound version of the draft report shall be submitted to the BLM for initial review and comment. The BLM shall be allowed 30 days for review. The contractor shall make revisions and prepare the final report in accordance with BLM recommendations.

The contractor shall submit to the BLM one (1) unbound copies of the final report with color maps depicting the locations of newly discovered/suspected burials and other cultural resources along with GPS coordinates, figures/diagrams and photographs upon completion of the project. The final report, site and isolate resource forms, all GIS information (including original field data files and GIS shapefiles), and all photographs taken as part of this project will also be submitted in electronic format. Thumb drives are acceptable for electronic submission. The final report, site forms, and isolate resource forms may either be in Microsoft Word (Windows 10 compatible) or PDF files. The preferred digital formats for images are JPEGs.

Copies of field and research notes and maps associated with this project shall be submitted to the BLM upon completion of the project. Either digital format via WyoTrack or paper copies are acceptable.

Notifications:

The contractor shall notify the BLM at least two weeks before commencing fieldwork, and when field work is completed, by emailing the BLM Archaeologist and by submitting a fieldwork request through WyoTrack. Email notifications shall also be sent when the draft and final reports are mailed to the BLM. All correspondence and reports shall be delivered to the BLM Archaeologist via WyoTrack.

Confidentiality:

To protect site information from unauthorized disclosure, all site location and content information must be kept in strictest confidence in accordance with federal law. The contractor shall make the information available only to the BLM Archaeologist and must take whatever internal measures are necessary to ensure that confidential material is protected. All BLM and Wyoming Cultural Use Permit Stipulations will be followed.

Notice to contractors:

All information and data related to this project that the contractor gathers or obtains shall be both protected from unauthorized release and considered the property of the government. The contracting officer will be the sole authorized official to release verbally or in writing, any data, the draft deliverables, the final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. Press releases, marketing material, or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, must not be publicized without the written approval of the contracting officer.

4.0 Meetings / Communications

4.1. Post-award Kickoff Call

Within 5 business days of contract award, the BLM KFO will conduct a post- award kickoff call or Teams meeting (specific date and time to be mutually agreed upon).

4.2. Pre-fieldwork Notification

The contractor shall notify the BLM at least two weeks before commencing fieldwork.

4.3. Fieldwork On-Site Meeting

The contractor shall meet with the BLM Archaeologist at the project location upon the commencement of fieldwork.

4.4. Post-fieldwork Notification

The contractor shall notify the BLM Archaeologist via email when field work is completed.

4.5. Intermittent Project Status Reviews

At the sole discretion of the BLM KFO, intermittent project status reviews may be conducted on an informal basis by telephone or teleconference. The BLM KFO anticipates no more than two intermittent project status reviews per month.

5.0 Required Travel and Other Direct Costs (ODCs)

This contract will be a fixed price contract travel will be built into the contract price and not separately reimbursed.

6.0 Government Furnished Property/Equipment/Information

Maps of the project area, detail and overview, will be supplied to the successful applicant. Also, the BLM Kemmerer Field office will supply the successful applicant with an ArcGIS shapefile of the geophysical investigation areas.

Contractor will furnish all other property/equipment/information necessary to perform the contract.