Attachment_A_-_Robertson_Draw_SOW_letter_report.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

Bureau of Land Management

Eastern Montana District – Billings Field Office

SECTION 110 SITE ASSESSMENT FOR ELIGIBLE AND UNEVALUATED SITES

AFFECTED BY THE ROBERTSON DRAW FIRE IN CARBON? COUNTY

STATEMENT OF WORK

I. Introduction and Background:

The Bureau of Land Management’s Billings Field Office (BiFO) is proposing a site assessment of eligible and unevaluated sites burned in the 2021 Robertson Draw Fire in Carbon County.

The fire consumed over 30,000 acres of BLM public lands, burning over 62 recorded archaeological sites, 50 of which are located on lands managed by the BiFO. Nine sites have already been determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), ten are not eligible, and the remaining have not been evaluated for NRHP eligibility. The selected contractor shall locate and complete condition assessments and for the eligible sites, as well as evaluations to examine whether the sites are still eligible for the NRHP. Four the currently unevaluated sites shall have condition assessments competed, as well as evaluations for the

NRHP.

II. Project Location:

The Robertson Draw Fire and sites to be visited are in Carbon County; see attached project location map.

III. Specific Background:

There are nine sites within the Robertson Draw Fire perimeter on BLM land that are eligible for the NRHP and 32 sites that remain unevaluated, only four of which are part of this SOW. The BiFO does not know the condition or statuses of these archaeological sites, hampering reseeding or other efforts to restore or rehabilitate the burned grounds into a natural state. All nine of the eligible sites shall be visited, reevaluated and site update forms completed.

Of the unevaluated or unresolved sites, four will be revisited per this SOW. Condition assessments shall be completed for these sites. Eligibility determinations shall be competed when possible.

Letter report documenting the site location and update project shall be prepared at the end of the project, including information about sites that could not be relocated and changes to evaluation statuses of sites currently considered eligible for the Register.

Table 1: Eligible sites in project area.

Site # Site Type 1 Time Period Owner NR Status

24CB0702

Combo Prehistoric/Historic Combination BLM Eligible

24CB2444 Rock Cairn(s) Prehistoric Late Period BLM Eligible

24CB2445 Rock Pile(s) Prehistoric Late Period BLM Eligible

24CB2447 Rock Cairn(s) Prehistoric Late Period BLM Eligible

24CB2511 Rock Cairn(s)

Prehistoric More Than One Period BLM Eligible

24CB2520 Rock Cairn(s) Combination BLM Eligible

24CB2542

Combo Prehistoric/Historic

Historic More Than One Decade BLM Eligible

24CB2544 Tipi Ring Combination BLM Eligible

24CB2550 Tipi Ring

Prehistoric More Than One Period BLM Eligible

Table 2: Additional sites to visit.

Site # Site Type 1 Site Type 2 Time Period Owner NR Status

24CB0625 Tipi Ring No Indication of Time

Private and BLM Unresolved

24CB2548 Tipi Ring

Firehearths or Roasting Pits, FCR

Prehistoric More Than One Period BLM Undetermined

24CB2549 Tipi Ring Prehistoric More Than One Period BLM Undetermined

24CB2551 Rock Cairn(s) Prehistoric More Than One Period BLM Undetermined

IV. Objectives.

A. General Bureau Objective.

The overall Bureau objective is to meet the requirements of Section 110 by completing condition assessments for historic properties that have been impacted by the Robertson Draw Fire. Site evaluations would also be helpful in future management decisions for currently unevaluated sites and previously recorded sites where eligibility statuses may have changed.

B. Specific Study Objectives.

To fully assess the fire damage on 13 sites within the Robertson Draw Fire perimeter that were either considered eligible or unevaluated. The BiFO needs updated CRIS forms for these sites, with site boundaries if those have changed, photos and descriptions of sites, using both information provided by previous site recordings and on-the-ground observations of the sites. Site evaluations should be conducted using existing guidance from the Montana SHPO, the National Register Criteria (36 CFR 60.4), and the National Park Service National Register Bulletins.

V. Statement of Work.

A. The Contractor shall conduct a site file and literature search with the Montana SHPO to obtain site forms, reports and shapefiles to complete project tasks. The purpose of this file search is to ensure that the Contractor can complete the tasks required in this SOW. The BLM Billings Field Office will provide any additional project maps and any other background materials not available via the SHPO data request.

B. The Contractor shall contact the Billings Field Office within fifteen days of recipient of the contract for:

• Maps

• A Field Work Authorization (FWA)

• Additional background information on the project area and the Robertson Draw Fire

C. The Contractor shall locate specified archaeological sites located in the project area after obtaining a field work authorization from the BLM Billings Field Office. The Contractor shall serve as the Principal Investigator and Field Director of a project crew charged with locating these sites, and with writing a letter report describing the sites that were found and those not located. The bid proposal shall clearly outline the fieldwork methods and personnel to be used in the survey.

D. The Contractor shall use information provided by the SHPO to locate cultural resources in the project area and generate CRIS forms.

E. Shovel or auger testing shall only be conducted as needed to establish potential for site deposition, site boundaries, or significance for those sites within the fire perimeter.

F. The Contractor shall:

1. Rely on previous site recording, reports and shapefiles to relocate, update and evaluate sites when possible.

2. Collect time diagnostic artifacts; e.g., projectile points and ceramics. Consider whether lithics are local or non-local to the best of the contractor’s knowledge.

3. Locate each cultural property on a United States Geological Survey (USGS) or GIS generated 7.5' quadrangle topographic1:24K map.

4. Possess or have access to high grade GPS equipment. GPS accuracy standard for cultural resource location data shall be a mean error+/- 5 meters or less, at a 95% percent confidence level Data to be submitted to the BLM shall include SITS numbers in attribute tables.

5. Record all cultural properties on Montana CRIS site or site update forms, as appropriate. Site forms shall be completed following the SHPO’s CRIS Instructions.

6. Take plenty of photographs. Photographs are the visual aspect of what you have described in a site form, so what you discuss must be visible in the photographs. Include at least two photos of each cultural property. Include photos of artifact clusters/features. Photographs of select artifacts shall be included. Label all photos with a description and orientation. Photos shall not contain people, shadows or gear, except when used for scale. A photographic record shall be maintained and included in the final submission.

7. Map sites in the field with the use of archaeological mapping software, available online. Site maps should be hand drawn or prepared using ArcGIS or an equivalent program and should include cultural features, artifact clusters, basic site contents, locations of all collected artifacts, and topographic contour lines. While it is not necessary to map all artifacts, indicate areas of artifact concentration. Any topographic feature discussed in the site form shall also appear on the sketch map, scaled appropriately.

8. Although scale maps of all sites based on the location of a site datum should be prepared, a physical site datum shall not be established unless specific rationale is presented to the BIFO archaeologist. When GPS technology is not available (i.e. no satellite coverage) all prehistoric cultural properties or historic material scatters shall be mapped by compass and tape or paced in meters. When utilizing GPS technology, note the type of equipment and level of accuracy employed.

9. The BLM will review completed site forms for adequacy prior to the submission of final deliverables. The BLM reserves the right to request site forms be submitted as many times as necessary to verify appropriate changes have been completed.

F. Collections.

1. Collections shall be labeled and catalogued, using BLM catalog cards, and shall be processed in accordance with Billings Curation Center (BCC) packaging standards (forms and packaging requirements are available from the Billings Curation Center).

2. All collections belong to the United States Government and will be delivered directly to the BCC by the contractor as part of submitting the project deliverables. A copy of the letter report and site forms related to the collections shall be included with the collections.

G. Methodologies.

The Contractor shall determine the methods and techniques necessary for completion of this study. The proposed plan of work including proposed schedule of work to be completed, the use of qualified personnel in each stage of the project should be included in the quote. The Contractor shall conduct the work according to the proposed work plan and procedures so specified.

H Technical Direction

The performance of work will be subject to the technical direction of a COR appointed in writing by the Contracting Officer. The term "Technical Direction" is defined to include, without limitation, the following:

1. The COR may provide information to the Contractor which assists in the specifications or technical portions of the work description.

2. The COR approves adequacy of reports, site forms, and any other material submitted by the Contractor as required by the contract.

3. The COR may conduct site visits to verify the Contractors work at any point over the duration of the contract.

I. Analysis and Report Preparation.

Upon completion of the current project, prepare a professional quality letter report, summarizing work efforts of the project.

VI. Health and Safety Concerns

The Field Director shall ensure that all field work is done a safe manner. Areas considered by the Field Director to pose health or safety concerns shall not be entered by any field crew members. In such cases, the Contractor shall immediately report these conditions to the BLM BIFO Archaeologist who will then advise the contractor on how to proceed.

VII. Acceptance

Final acceptance of all items/services to be delivered under this contract shall be the responsibility of the Contracting Officer. The government may withhold final payment pending completion of any necessary rework by the Contractor.

VIII. Deliverables (to be submitted to the COR)

A. The Contractor shall submit hard and digital copies of typed site forms or site updated forms, as appropriate, to the BLM COR for review.

B. One hard and digital copy of the draft letter report.

C. Two (2) copies of the final summary letter report, unless collections are made. The report shall be typed and printed on 8 ½ " x 11" paper and shall be single-spaced. A copy of the report and any site forms associated with the collections shall also be provided with any collections.

D. One completed Cultural Resource Annotated Bibliography System (CRABS) form.

E. Two sets of final site forms with original color photos, unbound and stapled individually.

F. All catalog records and associated forms as specified by the Billings Curation Center.

Packaging requirements for collections made shall be obtained from the BCC.

G. Two electronic copies (thumb drive or CD) of the report, site forms, photos, GIS data and associated metadata if changes were made to GIS data provided by the SHPO. If no changes were made to the original data, GIS files are not required.

H. If data has been modified from the original, site boundaries shall be delivered in a single shapefile; a geodatabase is preferred but not necessary. The Contractor will use the Zone 12 as the projected coordinate system. KMZ files are not acceptable.

IX. Period of Performance

A. Contact with BIFO shall begin no later than 15 calendar days after the order has been issued.

B. Draft site forms shall be submitted within four months of the completion of field work.

C. Copies of the draft letter report shall be submitted within six months of completion of field work.

D. The COR will review all deliverables and comment on their adequacy within 25 calendar days of submission. Final deliverables of collected artifacts, associated documentation, final letter report and completed CRABS form are due within three months of submission of draft letter report.

X. Payment Schedule

A. Payment shall be tied to completion and acceptance of tasks identified in Section IX. Period of Performance per the following: A (10%), B (40%), C (30%), and D (20%).

B. Invoices shall not be submitted unless the contractor has received approval from the COR.

Invoices shall include the Purchase Order number. Rejected invoices are the responsibility of the contractor for not following this instruction.

Map Reference:

BLM Surface Management Status Map 1:100,000-Scale Red Lodge, Montana 2017.

Tolman Flat 1986 7.5’ Topographic Quadrangle

9S21E9S20E

8S21E8S20E

343336 323135343332

27282930252627

222120192423222120

151617181314151617

98712111098

45612345

3332313635343332

272830 292526272829

22212024 19232221

151618 1713141516

Ho well Gulch Rd

Denvers Way

Ri oL n

Li ne C reek

Ruby Creek

Sto neBlu ffL n

Robins on Rd.

Sunda nce Rd

Line Creek Spu r

Boundary Rd

Rub y C ree k R oad

Fre edo mTrl

Gold C reek Road

Meeteetse Trail Rd

LineCreek Rd

Line Creek

Robertson Draw

Roberton Draw Road

20082

123.2C123.2D

20073

123.1B 123.1A

20071

Copyright:© 2013 National Geographic Society, i-cubed 0 0.6 1.2 1.80.3

Miles

Legend Fire Perimeter

Federal Lands BLM - Public Domain

USFS

State Lands State Land

Private or Undetermined Lands Private or Undetermined