Solicitation_AG-7J18-S-17-0010.pdf

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17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN OFFER

OFFEROR

7A86

HOT SPRINGS AR 71901

100 RESERVE STREET

OUACHITA NATIONAL FOREST

CODE 16. ADMINISTERED BYCODE

X

X

X

541990

SIZE STANDARD:

100.00 % FOR:SET ASIDE:UNRESTRICTED OR7J18

RFPIFB

10. THIS ACQUISITION ISCODE

RFQ

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

13b. RATING

NAICS:

SMALL BUSINESS

09/15/2017 1400 CT

08/15/2017

501-321-5324JAY TOBIN

(No collect calls)

INFORMATION CALL:

FOR SOLICITATION 8. OFFER DUE DATE/LOCAL TIMEb. TELEPHONE NUMBER a. NAME

4. ORDER NUMBER3. AWARD/ 6. SOLICITATION

AG-7J18-S-17-0010

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS 1. REQUISITION NUMBER PAGE OF

1 58 OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24, & 30

TELEPHONE NO.

17a. CONTRACTOR/

15. DELIVER TO

RUSSELLVILLE AR 72801

605 W MAIN

9. ISSUED BY

7.

2. CONTRACT NO.

EFFECTIVE DATE

$15.00

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THIS CONTRACT IS A

RATED ORDER UNDER

DPAS (15 CFR 700)

13a.

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

8(A)

OZARK-ST FRANCIS NATIONAL FORESTS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

(WOSB) ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

24.

AMOUNT

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UNIT PRICE

22.

UNIT

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QUANTITY

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SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

19.

ITEM NO.

OZARK - ST. FRANCIS NATIONAL FORESTS

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY SERVICES Per the Schedule of Items and Performance Work Statement

001 Archaeological Survey Services Product/Service Code: B503 Product/Service Description: SPECIAL

STUDIES/ANALYSIS- ARCHEOLOGICAL/PALEONTOLOGICAL

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

HEREIN, IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

XX

DATED

JAY G. TOBIN

. YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION (BLOCK 5),

INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE SET FORTH

COPIES TO ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DELIVER

ARE

ARE

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ALL ITEMS SET FORTH OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY ADDITIONAL

SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED.

27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA

26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

OFFER

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Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

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STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 2/2012) BACK

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SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

19.

ITEM NO.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY CLAUSE

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information

(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202)720-2600

(voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272

(voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

32f. TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

32d. PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

58 2 of

AG-7j18-S-17-0010 Archaeological Survey Services

Ozark-St. Francis National Forests

ARCHAEOLOGICAL/CULTURAL RESOURCE SERVICES

Big Piney Ranger District (Hector/ Jasper, AR); Boston Mountain Ranger District (Ozark, AR); Magazine Ranger District (Paris, AR); Pleasant Hill Ranger District (Clarksville, AR); St. Francis Ranger District (Marianna, AR); Sylamore Ranger District (Mountain View, AR).

OVERVIEW

This solicitation will result in Performance Based, Indefinite Delivery - Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) Multiple Award Task Order Contracts (MATOC) as best meets the needs of the Government as determined by the awarding Contracting Officer. These contracts will have a base period, which runs through May 31, 2018 and four option years, which if exercised could extend contract performance through May 31, 2022. There is no guarantee that any options will be exercised by the Government.

Individual task orders will normally be competed among MATOC awardees. The Government expressly reserves the right to limit competition in order to meet minimum contract obligations or as may otherwise be determined to be in its best interests. Prices are subject to negotiation on any competed task orders.

The Government reserves the right to adjust the quantity ordered on any task order based on the availability of funds.

Offerors must quote on all items to be eligible for award.

AUTHORIZED ORDERING ACTIVITIES: Task orders may only be issued by warranted contracting officers or purchasing agents on behalf of the Ozark-SF National Forests.

SCHEDULE OF ITEMS

ITEM

NO.

QTY

UNIT

BASE

PERIOD

OPTION

1 Conduct Cultural Resources Survey

1A Literature Search and

Pedestrian Survey 0-99 Acres $ $ $ $ $

1B Literature Search and

Pedestrian Survey 100-499 Acres $ $ $ $ $

1C Literature Search and

Pedestrian Survey 500-999 Acres $ $ $ $ $

1D Literature Search and

Pedestrian Survey 1000+ Acres $ $ $ $ $

2 Phase I Site Testing 1 Site $ $ $ $ $

3 Phase II or III Site

(Evaluation) Testing* 1 Cubic Meter $ $ $ $ $

4 National Register

Nominations 1 Structure $ $ $ $ $

Final Report (Electronic Copy and Bound Copies)

1 Each $ $ $ $ $

6 Curation Fees 1 Cubic Foot $ $ $ $ $

7 Reporting Previously

Tested Sites** 1 Cubic Meter $ $ $ $ $

*Evaluation testing will not likely be ordered on the same task order as survey services. Costs for this testing will include excavation, analysis and reporting.

**Reporting previously tested sites will not likely be ordered on the same task order as survey services.

Costs for this reporting will include analysis of previously excavated material and reporting.

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

GENERAL OVERVIEW

The purpose of the proposed contract is to provide an array of archeological and cultural resource services to the Ozark-St. Francis NF as detailed in the Schedule of Items and this Performance Work Statement.

SCOPE: The contractor shall provide all materials, labor, equipment, tools, transportation, supervision, expertise, permits, licenses and other incidentals necessary, except as otherwise provided, to successfully complete all aspects of professional cultural resources services for a wide variety of activities on National Forest lands in Arkansas. The primary tasks will be archeological survey (both tract surveys and linear projects) and site evaluation. However, tasks may not be limited to archeological survey and evaluation.

Additional tasks may include directing tribal heritage crews in various projects, historic buildings/structures/features inventory and evaluation (i.e., CCC constructed culverts, trails, or other improvements), survey of linear features (trails, roads, etc.), artifact analysis, collections management, cultural resource recording, site monitoring, site fencing/protection, GPS services, archeological site relocation and marking, preparation of National Register of Historic Places nominations, prehistoric and historic synthesis, cultural resources overviews, cultural resource management plans, historic preservation plans, archaeological and historical interpretation, or other cultural resource planning documents, report preparation, analysis of and reporting on previously tested/excavated sites, preparation of GIS layers, database entry, scanning of Forest Service records (historic, archival, and archeological), and documents written for the lay audience.

The Contractor shall demonstrate knowledge and use of global positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS) mapping, digital image processing, scanning, digitizing, and other technical competencies.

Authority: The services performed under this Scope of Work are initiated and influenced by a number of Federal requirements. These requirements include, but are not limited to National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA); the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); Executive Order 11593 (Protection and Enhancement of the Cultural Environment); the Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974; the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA); the Archaeological Resources Protection Act Of 1979, as amended (ARPA); and the Programmatic Agreement between the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest and the Arkansas and Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Offices.

LOCATION: Project areas include lands within all district/zones of the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest.

Specific locations, area data, and maps will be issued with each task order.

Acreages will be listed on each task order that have been determined by global positioning system (GPS) or geographic information system (GIS). For purposes of this contract, quantities listed on each task order are considered actual and not an estimate.

PERFORMANCE OF SIMILAR WORK BY THE GOVERNMENT: Nothing in this contract restricts the Government from performing any of the work with its own organization and workforce.

CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVE: The contractor shall provide a contract representative for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate(s) who shall act for the contractor when the contractor is absent shall be designated in writing to the contracting officer. The contractor representative or alternate shall have full authority to act for the contractor on all contractual matters relating to daily operation of this contract. The Contractor Representative designated by the contractor shall have the ability to read, write, and speak English and communicate with crew members.

CONTRACTOR ACCESS: If the contractor must unlock a gate, the Contractor is required to relock the gate upon entry and egress.

EQUIPMENT CLEANING – INVASIVE SPECIES OF CONCERN

(a) The contractor shall ensure that any equipment intended for use during contract performance, either mechanical or otherwise, shall be free from invasive species of concern before use on this contract or any subsequent task order.

(i) Prior to commencing work on a project, the contractor shall advise the Forest Service of previous equipment cleaning measures and make equipment available for inspection upon request. Forest Service shall have 2 days, excluding weekends and Federal holidays, to inspect any equipment to ensure it is free of invasive species of concern. Equipment shall be considered clean when a visual inspection does not disclose seeds, soil, vegetative matter, and other debris that could contain or hold seeds of invasive species of concern. After satisfactory inspection or after such 2 day period, the contractor may proceed with work as directed by the Contracting Officer (CO)

(ii) If the contractor desires to clean equipment on National Forest land, such as at the end of a project or prior to moving to or through an area that is free of invasive species of concern, the contractor shall obtain prior approval from CO as to the location for such cleaning and measures, if any, for controlling impacts.

(b) The respective District Offices maintain a current list and maps of areas known by the Forest Service that are infested with invasive species of concern and are available upon request. The parties shall promptly communicate with one another with respect to description or designation of additional locations; discovery of locations of new species or new infestation; and addition of species to the list of invasive species of concern and any potential impact on contract operations.

PROTECTION OF EXISTING VEGETATION, STRUCTURES, EQUIPMENT, UTILITIES, AND

IMPROVEMENTS

(a) The Contractor shall preserve and protect all structures, equipment, and vegetation (such as trees, shrubs, and grass) on or adjacent to the work site, which are not to be removed and which do not unreasonably interfere with the work required under this contract. The Contractor shall only remove trees when specifically authorized to do so, and shall avoid damaging vegetation that will remain in place.

(b) The Contractor shall protect from damage all existing improvements and utilities (1) at or near the work site, and (2) on adjacent property of a third party, the locations of which are made known to or should be known by the Contractor. The Contractor shall repair any damage to those facilities, including those that are the property of a third party, resulting from failure to comply with the requirements of this contract or failure to exercise reasonable care in performing the work. If the Contractor fails or refuses to repair the damage promptly, the Contracting Officer may have the necessary work performed and charge the cost to the Contractor.

(c) Treatment applications shall not be applied within Streamside Management Zones that are designated by a painted unit boundary and/or as designated by the COR, unless specifically authorized by the COR and aquatic labeled herbicides are being used.

(d) The Contractor shall take every precaution necessary to prevent pollution of any stream. All streams shall be kept free of Contractor generated debris. Heavy equipment shall not operate within the streamside management zones as designated by the COR. The COR will designate stream crossings.

(e) Improvements such as fences, gates, property boundaries, corner monuments and trees that are marked or identified with paint, signs, tags, and/or blazes shall be protected by the contractor.

(f) Trees that are located adjacent to roads, fire lines, fences, private property, right-of-ways, or other structures and are designated for treatment shall be severed and felled so as not to damage, lean on, clog or otherwise obstruct existing structures or facilities.

(g) The contractor will notify the COR immediately of any damaged structures and repair damages that have resulted from the contractor’s operations.

(h) Tracked equipment shall be loaded or unloaded onto unimproved roads or within the area to be treated.

(i) Lead off and wing ditch structures that have been constructed for system roads shall be protected.

(j) Some treatment areas will be in very wet areas or undrained flats and will not have vehicle access:

vehicles will be prohibited from those areas. It these cases, the task order will include designated parking or access routes.

(k) The Contractor shall take every precaution necessary to prevent digging, gouging and moving soil. The Contractor shall prevent excessive rutting and compaction by operating his equipment only when suitable soil conditions exist, as determined by the COR or Inspector. The Contractor shall prevent damage to trees left standing.

CLEANING UP: The Contractor shall at all times keep the work area, including storage areas, free from accumulations of waste materials. Before completing the work, the Contractor shall remove from the work and premises any rubbish, tools, equipment, and materials that are not the property of the Government.

Upon completing the work, the Contractor shall leave the work area in a clean, neat, and orderly condition satisfactory to the Contracting Officer or their designee.

PERFORMANCE TIME: All task orders issued will include contract delivery or performance schedule in terms of specific calendar dates or contract time for completion. To facilitate timely inspections, the contractor shall provide the Government of their proposed operation schedule. The contractor shall notify the Government of schedule changes.

All work shall be performed during the time period of one-half hour after sunrise to one-half hour before sunset, Monday through Friday, unless time changes are approved by the COR or Inspector.

PRIVACY ACT: Work on this project may require that personnel have access to Privacy Information.

Personnel shall adhere to the Privacy Act, Title 5 of the U.S. Code, Section 552a and applicable agency rules and regulations.

CONFIDENTIAL NATURE OF INFORMATION: The Contractor shall not divulge, and shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that no member of its staff or organization divulges, information on specific sites or their locations to any person other than a duly authorized representative of the Forest Service unless otherwise authorized in writing by the Forest Supervisor. This includes the use, or posting, of photographs encoded with GPS coordinates. The results of this research may be used for theses, dissertations, research projects, and papers and publications subject to the prior, written, approval of the Forest Supervisor. Copies of reports may not be made accessible over the Internet without first receiving written approval of the Forest Supervisor to ensure that sensitive site locational information is not revealed.

COPYRIGHT: The Contractor agrees to indemnify the U.S. Government against any claim of copyright infringement which may result by reason of publication, by the U.S. Government, of material in any report pertaining to the contract work submitted by the Contractor wherein any such previously printed material is not identified in the reports as copyrighted. The Contractor agrees that no rights at common law or inequity shall be asserted, and no claims to copyright by statute shall be established by the Contractor in any materials produced in the performance of this contract, and that all materials and deliverables become the property of the U.S. Government. The results of this project may be used for research and other reasonable and lawful purposes by U.S. Government and non-government agencies and individuals subject to prior written approval of the Forest Service.

Key Personnel: The Contractor shall assign to this contract the following key personnel: Contract Manager, Principal Investigator, and Field Director. Key personnel shall meet the minimum criteria established in the Department of Interior's Guidelines for Professional Qualifications and/or Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (as amended) and/or Office of Personnel Managements X-118 Qualifications.

(a) The contract proposal must include full curriculum vitae for the Contract Manager, Principal Investigator, Field Director and Consultants in support of their academic qualifications and experience.

Employment under the terms of this contract for key personnel not identified at the time of the contract proposal is subject to approval of the Contracting Officer's Representative. During the performance of the contract, the Contractor shall make no substitutions of key personnel without prior approval of the CO.

(b) The Contractor shall provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitutions, complete resumes for the proposed substitutes, and any additional information requested by the Contracting Officer or COR. Proposed substitutes should have comparable qualifications to those of the persons being replaced. The Contracting Officer will notify the Contractor after receipt of all required information of the decision on substitutions. The contract will be modified to reflect any approved changes of key personnel.

For all projects, the Contractor must insure all personnel performing the work meet the following:

(c) Contract Manager: The Contractor shall provide a contract manager who shall be responsible for the performance of the work. The name of this person and an alternate(s) who shall act for the Contractor when the manager is absent shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer. The contract manager or alternate shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all contract matters relating to daily operations of this contract.

The Contract Manager or alternate shall be available during normal duty hours within seventy-two hours to meet on the National Forest with government personnel designated by the Contracting Officer to discuss problem areas, if necessary.

(d) Principal Investigator: The minimum professional qualifications for the Principal Investigator are: 1) a graduate degree in anthropology with an archaeology emphasis; 2) demonstrated ability to carry out research to completion as evidenced by timely completion of previous contracts undertaken within the past three years and no current contracts which are past their completion dates; 3) one year of full- time professional experience in archaeological administration, research or management relevant to Arkansas archeology; 4) supervisory field and analytical experience; 5) meet any current requirements of the Arkansas State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPO) for a person functioning as a Principal Investigator;

(e) Field Director: A minimum of a bachelor's degree in anthropology, archaeology, history, or a closely related field with a minimum of six months general archaeological field experience including a field school and one year of previous field archeological supervisory experience conducting similar work;

(f) Field or Laboratory Crew: Completion of or satisfactory progress toward a bachelor's degree in anthropology, archeology, history or a closely related field, or six months previous experience in archeological field or laboratory work.

Completion of an archeological field school is considered satisfactory qualification for an initial position

(first archeological job) if that individual will be constantly supervised by a higher qualified individual;

Definitions & Acronyms. All terms that have meaning other than that contained in a dictionary and task-specific acronyms.

Government Furnished Items. The Government will provide the following:

District Administrative maps, quantity - one per contractor per calendar year. Map will be provided at pre-work or when provided notice to proceed.

Electronic GIS shape files or two copies of Topographic Quad Sheets of project area(s) will normally be provided with awarded task order.

Contractor Furnished Items. The contractor will provide the following:

(a) Labor within regulation standards. As required to meet time constraints set forth in each individual task order.

(b) Employees and Vehicles: Contractor personnel shall wear protective clothing while working on the National Forest lands including orange safety vest or similar clothing during hunting seasons; however, the field crew is not expected to work in the woods during the first two weeks of the modern gun season in Arkansas. While on the National Forest lands Contractor vehicles shall be clearly marked with distinctive signs or plaques identifying the name of the company.

During fieldwork Contractor personnel shall check in with the district office and designated contract inspector each day and give their intended work location and number of personnel and shall provide the Forest Service with emergency telephone numbers.

(c) Equipment and Facilities: The Contractor must provide or demonstrate access to field and laboratory equipment necessary to conduct whatever operations are defined in this Statement of Work and the Task order. The Contractor must have adequate facilities necessary for proper treatment, analysis, and storage of specimens and records likely to be obtained from a given project awarded under this contract. This does not necessarily include such specialized facilities as pollen, geochemical, or radiological laboratories, but it does include facilities sufficient to properly preserve or stabilize specimens for any subsequent specialized analysis

CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

Pre-work Meeting and Notice to Proceed: After the award of the task order, and prior to commencing work, the Contractor shall be required to attend a pre-work meeting with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). During the pre-work meeting numerous subjects will be discussed including, but not limited to:

(a) Review of the undertaking and project objectives;

(b) Review of project and maps to become familiar with the location of the project;

(c) Inventory strategy and methods, presentation of data, levels of analysis and evaluation, and deliverables;

(d) Coordination and access to the project area with District personnel;

(e) Provide a copy of the planned fieldwork schedule and a communication plan (e.g. key contacts, phone numbers) to the Forest;

(f) Performance time defined in the task order;

(g) Establish a start work date on the contract, and issue the Notice to Proceed. No work shall be done on the contract prior to the issuance of the Notice to Proceed.

Plan of Work: Prior to commencing the fieldwork, the Contractor shall submit to the COR for review and approval a proposed plan of work that describes the schedule for submission of deliverables, estimated number of person-days for fieldwork, and strategies for accomplishing the scope of work defined in each task order issued under this contract.

Pre-field Files Search: Prior to commencing the fieldwork, the Contractor shall submit to the COR for review and approval a written narrative description documenting that all pre-field file searches and historic records data searches are complete.

At a minimum, the pre-field file and historic records search shall include gathering data from the following:

(a) Forest cultural resources inventory information;

(b) The current National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) listings;

(c) Arkansas Archeological Survey;

(d) Arkansas SHPO

(e) Historic maps, aerial photographs, and land status records on file with the Forest;

(f) Other pertinent records, publications, informants, etc.

The Contractor, shall document in writing, both positive and negative findings from any of the above sources.

SPECIFICATIONS

General. This is a performance based, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract. The contractor shall furnish all labor, equipment, supervision, transportation, supplies (except government furnished) permits, licenses and incidentals necessary to perform cultural resource survey services on "as needed” basis on the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest, in Arkansas. This statement of work consists of completing the tasks/subtask.

Technical:

(a) Cultural Resources Survey

Compliance with Section 106 requires that the cultural resources in the project area be located, and sufficient data retrieved to evaluate sites for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in order that a determination of effect can be made. The project area will be subjected to pedestrian survey as directed in the task order. Since management decisions and directions for future work are often based on initial survey results, it is essential that enough information be obtained to make informed decisions or determinations. Consequently, subsurface shovel testing, which can provide information about artifact depth, site boundaries, and deposit integrity is required.

The Contractor shall locate, identify, record and evaluate historic, ethno-historic and prehistoric properties (Cultural Resources) that could be affected by proposed management activities on National Forest lands in Arkansas.

Tasks may include, but are not limited to, archeological survey, evaluation, artifact analysis, collections management, cultural resource recording, prehistoric and historic synthesis, report preparation, global positioning system (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS) mapping, digital image processing, scanning, digitizing, locating, and marking archeological sites located on National Forest lands in Arkansas.

In general, inventory shall be an intensive survey as defined in the Arkansas State Plan for the Conservation of Archeological Resources in Arkansas, edited by Hester A. Davis (1982), Appendices B and C revised 2010. Surveys will be performed on a 30 meter grid as described in the Programmatic Agreement between the Arkansas SHPO, tribes of record, and Arkansas' National Forests or as otherwise directed in the task order. Cultural resources in the project area are to be re-located, and sufficient data retrieved to define site limits/condition and evaluate sites for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) at the survey level if at all possible. Shovel tests should be of sufficient depth (no less than 30cm or until sterile soil is encountered.). Surveys on slopes between 0 and 12% transects and shovel tests will be placed at no greater than 30 meter intervals. Surveys on slopes between 12 and 25% transects will be conducted at no greater than 100 meter intervals, and shovel tests will be only emplaced in micro-geographic areas with less than 12% slope. Surveys on slopes greater than 25% will have transects spaced at no greater than 100 meter intervals, where feasible. Areas with over 60% slope are hazardous, and may be visually inspected at greater intervals when necessary. On these slopes shovel tests will not be required.

If during the survey of areas over 12%, slopes are encountered which are less than 12%, then these flatter areas will be surveyed at the appropriate transect and shovel test spacing. All rock outcrops and rock faces (60-100+% slope) will be examined for rock shelters, rock art or other evidence of cultural utilization; if they can be safely explored. The Contractor shall record sufficient data to determine time period, type/function, size, and preliminary National Register of Historic Places eligibility of each resource, so far as the data available will allow.

To accomplish these objectives, the Contractor shall review existing sources of information on the environment, prehistory and history of the general project area, including Forest Service Land Status Files;

conduct an intensive field survey of the areas defined on the maps, and/or GIS Shapefiles, provided with the Task Order, flag boundaries of all sites in the field (with COR approval); complete Arkansas state site inventory records for each site discovered; analyze the results of this investigation, including, but not limited to, recommendations regarding site significance in terms of National Register of Historic Places criteria; and prepare, furnish, and deliver to the Forest Service an original hard copy draft report and fifteen

(15) copies along with one (1) electronic copy describing the methods and results of the study. Following the completion of the fieldwork, the Contractor shall visit each newly documented site with the Zone Archeologist; the Zone Archeologist may elect not to visit specific sites (i.e., isolated finds).

The contractor shall evaluate each cultural resource site and make a recommendation regarding its eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places using all criteria listed in 36 CFR 60.6, USDI- National Register Bulletin 15, and guidance in the State Plan for the Conservation of Archeological Resources in Arkansas and provide all appropriate site, feature, and artifact documentation needed to support a determination of eligibility. An eligibility recommendation of "Undetermined" may be made, with justification, when eligibility is inconclusive based on field observations. Where no further work is recommended the contractor shall give reasons for arriving at this conclusion. Similarly, where further work is recommended, it will not be adequate to write simply that the work is necessary. Recommendations should include statements about what information is to be expected to result from further research and why this information would be significant to the area's history or prehistory.

These recommendations shall be framed as a series of research questions, which the data contained in the particular site, can possibly answer. In other words, National Register recommendations should be justified.

Since management decisions and directions for future work are based on initial survey results, it is essential that enough information be obtained to make informed decisions. Consequently subsurface testing, which can provide information about depth, site boundaries, and deposit integrity is required.

The survey area identified will be examined as directed in the task order. Based on previous experience and prior surveys operational site locational strategies have determined that sites are not randomly distributed across the landscape. Rather, prehistoric and historic sites concentrate on flat ridges, saddles and gaps, upland flats and knolls, stream river bottoms, terraces and benches, coves, along old trails and roads, and near stream confluences. Rock shelters and quarries can be on steeper slopes of over 60% slope. Slope and proximity to water emerge as the two primary variables in site probability models. Within the Ozark-St.

Francis National Forest the site probability breaks out as follows:

(i) High: slopes of 0-12%, and/or close to permanent water sources (floodplains and stream terraces).

(ii) Moderate: slopes of 13-20%, farther from permanent water sources.

(iii) Low: 21-59% slopes, and far from permanent water sources.

(iv) Moderate to High: steep slopes, rock outcrops and ridge crests in those areas where rock formations are exposed at the surface.

All of the high and moderate areas will receive 100% coverage, shovel testing enough to determine if sites are present or absent, and the extent and depth of the sites.

Visual examination will be conducted of all slopes of greater than 20%, (including item #4 in the above list) as occasional stone quarries, and rock shelters may occur in much steeper areas, even on sheer cliff faces. Some petroglyphs (or pictographs) have been found in the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest and their occurrence should always be considered a possibility.

The entire survey area shall be examined by parallel pedestrian transects spaced at an interval not to exceed the State Plan in the high and moderate areas. A landform guided, or direct gradient, approach shall be used where initial discovery transects are placed through the center of high site probability areas. Transects will generally follow the landforms within the stand and a strict, grid and baseline system is not always necessary. Transects do not have to be straight lines, but should conform to local topography in order to best examine high site probability areas. Transects shall not run across ridge crests at right angles, but shall be oriented to follow parallel with the ridge crests.

Shovel tests shall be placed along transects at intervals not to exceed the State Plan across all high probability areas. Subsurface testing will be conducted in all areas except those that are justified not to require subsurface testing (excellent visibility (76-100%), disturbance, or slope greater than 20 percent).

Cleared areas, such as trails, roads, tree throws and tree bases will be examined when available.

The entire project area must be investigated to an extent to ensure location of all reasonably locatable sites.

All landforms expected to contain sites will be subsurface tested following the State Plan. Additional tests may be necessary to define site limits and larger tests may be needed to assess and/or evaluate sites. The normal shovel test depths in much of the Ozark-St. Francis Mountains vary from between less than 5 cm to over 30 cm depending on the area. Occasional terrace and ridge top deposits may have as much as a meter depth. All high probability landforms expected to contain sites must have a minimum of three (3) subsurface tests excavated each, regardless of landform size.

A State of Arkansas Site Form will be completed for all new sites and a revisit form will be completed for all previously recorded sites in the project area.

Site definition to be used during survey should follow those utilized by the Ozark-St. Francis National Forest. An archaeological site must be at least 50 years old, and is characterized by any of the following criteria: 1) A single prehistoric artifact whether on the surface or recovered from a shovel test, 2) An area yielding three or more artifacts from the same broad cultural period on the surface within a 30-m radius for historic sites; 3) An area with visible or historically-recorded cultural features (e.g., cemetery, rock shelter, chimney fall, rock walls, rock alignments, fields, stone piers, stone cairn, earthwork, rock pile, historic road alignments (i.e., GLO, mining, railroad trams, etc.). All sites are to be recorded on state site forms and plotted on 7.5' USGS topographic maps at a scale of 1:24,000.

Within the Ozark-St. Francis Mountains, historic agricultural sites commonly include fields partially or fully enclosed by stone walls or stone alignments and contain field-clearing stone piles within the interior.

In these cases, the site is the field and the walls, alignments and field clearing piles are features within the site. The individual stone features, in this case, should not be recorded as separate sites. Exceptions to the shovel testing requirements are the interior of rock shelters, cemeteries, where graves are suspected, and within 30 meters of dipping vats.

Historic landscape features, including agricultural terraces, old road beds, trash scatters and trash piles less than 45 years old are generally not considered sites. Those between 45 and 50 are on the cusp of becoming historic and will be considered as sites on a case-by-case basis.

An isolated find is defined as a single artifact recovered from the surface or shovel test where no other cultural materials are found within a 30 meter diameter area. All prehistoric isolated finds are to be documented as a site, and will be assigned a Forest Service site number once the site forms are received by the Forest Archeologist. Isolated finds are, by definition, not considered eligible for listing on the NRHP.

For cases where an isolated find is unique, and potentially may be considered eligible for inclusion in the NRHP, it should be documented and justified as such. Deposits of cultural artifacts that have no integrity, such as road fill, stream gravels, or other situations where artifacts clearly are re- deposited, also should be considered isolated finds and documented as re-deposited isolates or sites so that future investigations will not misinterpret them as valid "sites."

When a site is located in the field, it shall be recorded on an Arkansas Archaeological Site Form. Visible surface remains and artifacts, local topographic features, and systematic shovel testing shall assist in determining the site extent, stratigraphy, integrity, and content. Site descriptions shall include maps showing the locations of shovel test pits, surface remains, topographic features such as large rocks, roads, water drains or gullies; and site boundaries such as to aid in locating the site on the ground from the map and surface features. All features, surface remains, and shovel tests will be clearly labeled on site maps.

Historic sites may be identified by structural or landscape remains such as chimney bases, eroded building outlines, foundation piers, graves, prospecting pits, ornamental plants, dams, quarries, and wells. The dimensions of raised house outlines shall be measured and sketch mapped with the placement of chimneys and other above ground features noted. These natural and cultural features shall be included on site maps.

The presence of wood or other perishable materials will be noted in site descriptions.

All site boundaries shall be determined by shovel test units excavated in a cruciform pattern. This cruciform pattern may be laid out to follow the cardinal directions or in alignment with the natural landform. Intervals between shovel test units shall not exceed 10 m on sites 100 meters or less in diameter.

The edge of a site will be defined when at least two negative shovel tests in a row are encountered or when a clearly recognizable and definable natural boundary occurs. Surface materials shall be treated as positive shovel tests and need not be excavated if subsoil clay is exposed. A modified shovel test grid may be used on sites greater than 100 meters in diameter. One base line of shovel test pits shall be excavated at 10-meter intervals through the center of the site along the highest elevation (ridge crest). Radial lines of shovel test pits at 10-meter intervals shall be excavated perpendicular to the base line every 30 meters. One of these radial lines shall cross the base line near the center of the site. All shovel test units, both site discovery and boundary definition units, shall be included on site maps.

Metal detectors may be used on historic sites to supplement shovel testing. The purpose of this use is to assist in defining site boundaries and artifact distributions. Not all finds must be investigated, but the general distribution of artifacts at the site should be noted on maps and in the site descriptions.

The midpoint between the last positive shovel test and the first of the two negative tests shall constitute a boundary. For historic sites, positive metal detector finds will be treated the same as positive shovel tests for determining boundaries. Any questions about appropriate systematic shovel testing and metal detecting procedures must be directed to the COR before completion of fieldwork, and any changes from the above described procedures or from the accepted proposal must be approved in writing by the COR.

If the site extends outside of the project boundary, but is still on national forest lands, the Contractor shall continue surface and subsurface investigations to determine the overall site limits.

If an archaeological site extends onto private land, the Contractor shall make observations of surface remains and exposed surfaces, but the Contractor shall not excavate on or collect artifacts from private land unless prior permission is obtained by the Forest Service. The Contractor shall make an estimate of the site dimensions on private land from surface indications and topography.

There may be previously recorded cultural resources within the project area. The Contractor shall attempt to relocate all previously recorded sites using the same field methods as noted above for general field survey. However, if a previously recorded site has been adequately defined in previous surveys, i.e., sufficient shovel tests were excavated to ensure overall site dimensions, components present, integrity, and potential for features, then additional shovel test excavations may not be required. A new Arkansas Archaeological Site Form shall be completed for each previously recorded site where previous documentation was not to current standard, otherwise completion of a revisit form will suffice. A list of the previously documented sites to be revisited will be included in the Task Order and adequacy of previous documentation will be noted. If a previously documented site "can't be relocated" after sufficient investigation then the contractor shall get guidance from the COR.

Site locations and survey areas will be plotted with hand held Global Positioning System (GPS) units. All shovel tests must be GPS'd and included as a GIS shapefile submitted at the completion of the project. Site locations and associated shovel tests are to be included in individual shapefiles; survey areas and coverage are to be submitted in a fourth shapefile.

All survey transect locations should be flagged with biodegradable flagging tape. This may include hanging flagging tape at each shovel test location, and double flagging tape at each positive shovel test location.

All site perimeters will be flagged with non-biodegradable flagging to identify their extent. Positive shovel tests should be double flagged with two colors of non-biodegradable ribbon to denote a positive shovel test location. In addition, all sites should have a to-scale site sketch map prepared to denote the extent and orientation of the site, which includes all features.

For newly recorded sites, temporary field numbers will be assigned using a system developed by the Contractor. A copy of the site form for each site recorded or updated shall be delivered to the COR for review prior to being submitted for permanent site numbers. The Forest Service shall examine the Contractors site forms and recommendations and will make the final determinations of National Register of Historic Places eligibility. If the COR finds the site forms unacceptable, then the COR will return the forms to the Contractor for correction. If the COR finds the form acceptable, a Forest Service site number will be assigned to the site and provided to the Contractor. The Contractor will then submit the final site form to the Arkansas Archeological Survey to obtain an official state site number.

(b) Other Work.

Additional tasks may include directing tribal heritage crews in various projects, historic buildings/structures/features inventory and evaluation (i.e., CCC constructed culverts, trails, or other improvements), survey of linear features (trails, roads, etc.), artifact analysis, collections management, cultural resource recording, site monitoring, site fencing/protection, GPS services, archeological site relocation and marking, preparation of National Register of Historic Places nominations, prehistoric and historic synthesis, cultural resources overviews, cultural resource management plans, historic preservation plans, archaeological and historical interpretation, or other cultural resource planning documents, report preparation, analysis of and reporting on previously tested/excavated sites, preparation of GIS layers, database entry, scanning of Forest Service records (historic, archival, and archeological), and documents written for the lay audience. Detailed specifications for these tasks will be identified in individual task orders.

(c) Report Requirements.

Overall, information on data review methods, field methods, and laboratory methods employed and the results thereof, must be given. A specifically constructed model is not required, but a statement of the theoretical orientation pertinent to the project area and project subject must be addressed. Names of Principal Investigator and all other personnel used in field and lab work must be given.

At a minimum, the report should include high quality color photographs of sites investigated as a result of this project. Additional color photographs or reproductions, or measured drawings, as appropriate, shall be provided which show details of features, profiles, artifacts, or other evidence of human occupation to aid in the understanding of the site and to assist in assessing National Register eligibility. The report shall include color photographs of a representative sample of diagnostic or other interesting artifacts as appropriate.

Individual site maps shall include both positive and negative shovel test pits. Site maps may be either color or black and white line drawings. GIS may be used to produce project maps; however, these maps shall be reproduced in color. Maps generated in GIS should include USGS topographic features such as contour lines. However, the green color overlay of the map shall be turned off to allow better view of the other map features. National forest lands should be white while private property should be shaded in transparent gray.

Contact the Contracting Officer's Representative if there are questions or issues concerning GIS or other graphics.

All identified cultural resources as well as areas physically surveyed shall be shown on a project base map using USGS topographic quad maps. Project maps shall be reproduced at a scale of 1:24,000. The scale shall be included on all maps and drawings. The maps showing the location of the archeological sites shall be bound separately. No foldout maps or pages larger than 8.5 x 11 inches shall be used in the report.

After fieldwork is completed, all recovered artifacts shall be cleaned and sorted. At a minimum, artifacts shall be analyzed by provenience unit and classified into raw material, technological, and functional categories based on accepted typologies and artifact classifications used in the project vicinity.

The report must meet acceptable standards of scholarship and professionalism as prescribed by the Society of American Archaeology (SAA), and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA). It should adhere to the guidelines provided in the Guidelines for Cultural Resources Fieldwork and Report Writing in Arkansas (2010).

All GPS data points, lines and polygons shall be collected using NAD83 UTM coordinates; all archeological site forms must specify that UTM coordinates are in NAD83. All GIS data (shapefiles, etc.)

shall be compatible with ESRI ArcMap10.1.

(i) Title Page: The final report shall include on the title page the following items:

a. Report Title, include the following: scope of…