B08_-_SOW_-_Phase_I_Archaeological_Survey_Fire_Shop.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge United State Fish and Wildlife Service

Wells, Maine

SCOPE: The service provider shall perform tasks under this Scope of Work for the US Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), as described below.

CONFIDENTIALITY: The information developed under this task agreement is the property of the U.S. government and shall be kept in strict confidence.

PERFORMANCE PERIOD: The work under this Scope shall be provided from approximately October 1, 2024 through May 30, 2025.

PROJECT IDENTIFICATION: The work of this Scope shall consist of the services described below for the referenced project. The historic resources management support project that is the subject of this scope of work shall be referred to as “Phase I Archaeological Survey for Proposed Fire Shop, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Wells, Maine.

I. Introduction

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing a construction of Fire Shop and associated facilities on the Rachel Carson Fire Shop Site (Figure 1). The project entails the establishment of a concrete building pad and subsequent construction of the building and associated utility hook-ups. The archaeology survey will address the area to be disturbed by this activity. Attachment A: Standards for Archaeological Resources Identification Studies Performed under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (P.L. 96-95) for Region 5, U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service Lands and Attachment B, proposed building layout also provide additional information regarding the layout of the proposed project.

Figure 1. Overview of the proposed project location.

II. Tasks / Description of Work

All work associated with this contract shall be conducted in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Standards for Archaeological Resources Identification Studies Performed Under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (P.L. 96-95) For Region 5, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Lands (Attachment A).

Additional contract requirements and stipulations are contained within this SOW.

The contract work will be divided into the following five tasks:

TASK 1: BACKGROUND RESEARCH

TASK 2: FIELD WORK

TASK 3: LABORATORY PROCESSING AND ANALYSES

TASK4: REPORT PREPARATION AND SITE FORMS

TASK 5: FINAL REPORT

http://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_0.htm.

http://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_0.htm.

TASK 1: BACKGROUND RESEARCH

Background research in libraries, archives, and other facilities as appropriate shall be used to provide both primary and secondary information. The most basic archival source which describes known sites and their locations is the National Register of Historic Places. Published and unpublished reports on previous investigations in or near the current project area are also essential sources. Contractor shall also consult Service land use records, construction drawings, cultural resource inventories, and related documents.

The background review will include project-specific natural characteristics and cultural patterns, and will synthesize the results of cultural resources investigations in the region to assess and update the existing documentation.

Other documentary materials which may be useful in locating potentially significant information:

- contractors’/developers’ maps and planning documents;

- railroad company records

- local records including deeds and probate documents

- records from logging companies;

- historic maps and atlases, including early U.S. Geological Survey quadrangles;

- insurance records and maps;

- publications on local prehistory and history;

- compilations of environmental data, (e.g., geomorphological studies and the Soil Conservation

Service’s soil survey books with aerial photographs);

- building permits;

- tax maps;

- ground disturbance records.

TASK 2: FIELD WORK

A. Subsurface Field Investigation

Subsurface field investigation will be performed within project parcels to carry out this task test pits of 50-x-50-cm dimensions will be placed within the subject parcel on transects at 8-m intervals. The transects may be placed within a staggered grid pattern on transects at 8-m intervals (see Attachment A) Additional test pits in the form of arrays (4, 50-x-50-cm test pits placed in cardinal directions) at 2.5-m intervals may be used to define boundaries of artifact loci.

All test pits will be backfilled following excavation and recording (cultural materials, soil profiles). Any visible post-contact cultural resources such as cellar holes, foundations or fieldstone walls will be recorded with scaled drawings and digital photographs.

Task 3: Laboratory Processing and Analyses

The Contractor shall be responsible for preparing and maintaining all artifacts, and material samples not expended in analysis, together with all associated records, photographs, maps, and other data, to the conservation and curation standards of the Department of the Interior (411DM) the SHPO, and 36 CFR 79.

The Contractor shall be responsible for labeling and packaging artifacts according to state guidelines, and transferring them at the conclusion of the study. In the artifact catalog/inventory in the technical report, each individual artifact will be assigned a unique artifact number.

Diagnostic artifacts shall be physically labeled with its unique artifact number, which corresponds to the artifact catalog in the report. These activities will include: cleaning, identification, and cataloging of any recovered cultural materials; the preliminary analysis of spatial distributions of cultural materials; and artifact photography of diagnostic or representative artifact types. Artifact cataloging nomenclature will meet Department of Interior Museum standards.

Following laboratory processing and cataloging activities, all cultural materials will be stored in acid-free Hollinger boxes with box content lists and labels printed on acid-free paper. These boxes will be curated in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards 36 CFR79 Curation of Federally-Owned and Administered Archeological Collections. At the conclusion of the project, all material will be stored at the Maine State Museum artifact repository.

Task 4: Report Preparation and Site Forms Upon completion of fieldwork, the contractor will inform the USFWS Regional Historic Preservation Officer of the results of the fieldwork, describe any archaeological sites that were identified, and make recommendations regarding the significance of any identified cultural resources and the need for additional work and consultation.

The technical report will follow the guidelines established by the National Park Service in the Recovery of Scientific, Prehistoric, Historic, and Archaeological Data (36 CFR Part 66, Appendix A) and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC). Appendices within the report will include any relevant correspondence, test pit forms and a catalog of any recovered cultural materials. One electronic copy of the draft technical report will be submitted to the Service for review and comment.

If archaeological resources are identified, MHPC site forms will be completed for all archaeological sites. These forms will include U.S.G.S. topographic map sections labeled with the quadrangle name and a graphic scale in meters showing the site location and Refuge boundary. State site numbers will be used throughout the report, for referring to both previously recorded and newly discovered sites using MHPC guidelines. This draft will be provided to the FWS/COR within 60 days of contract award.

The report shall include completed Maine State Site Forms and the contractor shall coordinate with the MHPC to obtain a permanent number for the sites.

The report will be based on the research completed during Task 1 along with information about the field survey completed during Task 2.

The focus of the report shall be to document and further develop the historical context of the parcels and describe the findings of field work that was performed in advance of the management projects. The report shall discuss the potential impacts of the proposed project on historical resources.

The report will contain, at minimum, the following sections:

• Title Page and Table of Contents

• Management Summary

• Introduction

• Environmental Setting

• Archaeological and Cultural Background

• Methodology

• Results

• Significance Evaluations and Recommendations

• References Cited

• Appendices

• Maine Archaeological Site Forms

Three bound hardcopies and one (1) electronic copy containing the draft report shall be submitted to FWS/COR for submission to the Refuge and MHPC.

TASK 4: FINAL REPORT AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE FORM

Final Report: The final report shall incorporate changes made in response to all Service and MHPC review comments. The contractor shall make any required changes to the draft report within 20 days of receipt of all review comments and submit a final report to the Service (3 bound hardcopy reports, one unbound report, and an electronic copy containing the final approved report).

III. GENERAL STIPULATIONS

1. The service provider shall provide all personnel, equipment, and services to perform all tasks necessary to perform the tasks described within this scope of work.

2. The service provider’s bid for the project should anticipate the need for a start-up meeting via telephone conference call.

3. The service provider’s Principal Investigator and Field Director/Crew Team Leader must meet professional qualifications standards outlined in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation (Appendix C, DO- 28, 1997).

4. The Service, not the Contractor, shall be responsible for all consultation and/or coordination with MPHC. Information for such consultations however, may be requested from the service provider and professional technical support needed for meetings or presentations may be required. The contractor will also coordinate with MPHC as necessary to obtain archeological site numbers and prepare site forms.

5. The contractor must obtain permission from copyright owners for all copyrighted material reproduced in the report. Proof of such permission must be provided to the FWS upon submittal of the draft report.

IV. PROJECT ORIENTATION

1. The Contractor shall identify to the COR any need for work beyond the scope of this study at the earliest possible time.

2. Approval of changes in the work that might result in adjustments in cost to Government and/or Contract time, and the approval of payment requests are reserved for the Contracting Officer. The acceptance of any change affecting price, terms, or delivery by the Contractor without the specific approval of payment requests, is reserved for the Contracting Officer.

3. Amy Wood is designated as the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) for the project.

Ms. Wood will serve as the primary point of contact for the FWS.

V. DELIVERABLES

Three deliverable products will be required for this investigation. These are as follows:

• Draft Report (an electronic copy in Adobe PDF)

• Final Report (an electronic copy in Adobe PDF, and 3 bound final copies and 1 unbound final copy.)

• Electronic mapping data collected while performing Task 2 in ESRI Shapefile format.

Project submittals must be made by email, mail or other carrier to the COR, at the address listed in the contact information section below.

VI. SCHEDULE

Note: The following time intervals for the project will be matched to specific dates once the contract is awarded. The initial date will be the project start-up meeting, which will be scheduled within two weeks of project award.

Milestones: (DAYS = CALENDAR DAYS) Day 1 Project start-up meeting (phone) Day 60 Submit Draft Report Day 80 FWS submits comments to contractor Day 100 Contractor submits final report to FWS Day 105 Project Closeout

VII. FEE AND PAYMENT

The contract will be awarded on a best value basis, and not the lowest cost technically acceptable. Some of the factors that will be considered when selecting the contractor include:

1) Previous experience preparing archaeological reports in Maine; 30%

2) Sufficient resources available to begin work immediately; 20%

3) Previous experience with Federal projects; and 25%

4) Professional qualifications of Principle Investigator and other staff members. 25% A separate quote shall be submitted for each Task. Partial payments will be made upon the completion of each Task. Direct costs should be included in the proposal and invoiced individually. The contractor shall submit invoices reflecting the ACTUAL AMOUNT of work performed. If less work is required than predicted, the contractor shall invoice FWS for a percentage of the quote for the relevant task. If more effort is required than predicted, a contract modification shall be required PRIOR to conducting additional work and/or the submission of overage charges.

The Government obligation for performance of this task order beyond this phase is contingent upon the availability of funds from which payment for contract purposes can be made. No legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment may arise for performance under this contract beyond the amount that has been authorized through the issuance of written task orders.

Approval of changes in the work that might result in adjustments in cost to Government and/or Contract time, and the approval of payment requests are reserved for the Contracting Officer. The acceptance of any change affecting price, terms, or delivery by the Contractor without the specific approval of payment requests, is reserved for the Contracting Officer.

Payment will only be made for work completed to date; however, the invoicing is at the discretion of the Contractor.

Travel costs and all other direct costs are reimbursable expenses, and shall be separated out in itemized task items. An estimate shall be provided, and the travel and direct cost reimbursements shall not exceed this amount. Travel and direct costs shall also be separated out in all invoices submitted, must be accompanied by receipts, and will be paid in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations.

VIII. CONTACT INFORMATION

Fish and Wildlife Service, Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

PRIMARY CONTACT and COR:

Amy Wood 1101 Casey Road Basom, NY 14013 Amy_wood@fws.gov 413-835-1787 mailto:Amy_wood@fws.gov

ATTACHMENTS:

ATTACHMENT A

STANDARDS FOR

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCE IDENTIFICATION STUDIES

PERFORMED UNDER THE

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES PROTECTION ACT (P.L.96-95)

FOR REGION 5, U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE LANDS

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of these standards is to ensure that archaeological resource identification studies on Region 5 (hereafter, the Region) U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (Service) lands permitted under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) meet the same performance standards required for studies done by the Regional Archaeological Staff or contracted by the Service. These standards apply to all non-Service entities in the Region, including private individuals, institutions, and corporations, as well as other federal, state, or local government agencies.

Performance to these standards is intended to ensure comparability and reliability of information on archaeological resources within Service property, and also to ensure that the Service’s requirements for background data collection, sampling method and intensity, and material analysis and conservation are fully understood by the applicant before permits are issued. The latter is particularly important if the applicant proposes a Phase I Cultural Resource Management (CRM) study as part of a project’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) compliance.

The Service understands that standards for Phase I survey fieldwork and reporting issued by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in each of the 13 states covered by Region 5 differ from these standards to varying degrees. ARPA applicants are assumed to be aware of the applicable SHPO standards. Where differences exist between the Service’s and the SHPO standards, the stricter standard will apply. If a direct conflict in requirements appears to exist, the Regional Historic Preservation Officer (RHPO) should be informed during the application process, so that the conflict can be resolved before the permit is issued.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

In addition to the requirements on the application form, all applications must be accompanied by a thorough description of the proposed study, illustrated with appropriate maps of the area. The text of the funding entity’s scope and applicants return proposal will usually suffice for CRM proposals. Grant proposals will often suffice for studies funded in that manner.

Curriculum vitae of key personnel, including all individuals directing work in the field, are also required, to confirm that they fulfill the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for practicing archaeology.

STUDY COMPONENTS

Studies will be accomplished in phases involving background and literature review, fieldwork, analysis of data obtained through the fieldwork, and management recommendations (including impact evaluation in the case CRM studies).

1. Background and Literature Review. This element should expand upon and synthesize extant data. It should include general prehistoric and historic background supplemented by locally specific archaeological data and paleoecological and geological reconstruction. Site records and reports of previous studies in the vicinity should be examined at the SHPO and elsewhere, to place recorded sites in context. In addition to published texts and maps, some recourse to unpublished records and collections, and interviews with knowledgeable individuals in the vicinity will probably be necessary. The resulting body of data will need to be synthesized, placed in the larger context of local, state, and regional prehistory and history, and explicitly tied to the report conclusions.

2. Fieldwork. Phase I fieldwork will typically be done with the intention of determining presence of archaeological resources. As discussed in the section on Recommendations (below), applicants undertaking CRM surveys are advised to also obtain a preliminary determination of vertical and horizontal dimensions of any located archaeological sites, the contextual integrity of cultural deposits, and cultural affiliation of components. The report should contain a justification of the methodology used, and detailed description of the testing program.

a. Standard Testing Strategy. The strategy outlined below is expected for all CRM related ARPA permitted fieldwork, unless a rationale for other approaches has been accepted by the RHPO. As outlined at the end of this section, alternative strategies may be desirable and effective for other types of studies or CRM studies in specific environments.

A staggered, 8-meter interval shovel test grid is the standard for work performed by Service Archaeologists and contractors employed by the Service in this Region. Shovel test pits shall measure 50 x 50 cm square, and shall be excavated to a depth of at least 50 cm below the ground surface and to the depth of sediments that are over 12,000 years in age. Extensive professional literature and the Service Archaeologists’ considerable personal experience have both consistently shown that larger intervals are unlikely to locate small sites expected in the environmental setting which characterize most of our Region’s National Wildlife Refuges. Conversely, most sites found by our surveys would have been missed by testing intervals exceeding this interval, especially if intervals of 15- 25 meters (minimum intervals in SHPO standards for some states) had been employed.

For similar reasons, use of small diameter excavation tools, such as post hole diggers, augers or corers, is not generally approved except as a supplement to shovel testing. The probability of intercepting archaeological material or features and correctly identifying them has been shown to decrease dramatically if such tools are employed exclusively.

However, these tools are often appropriate to recover evidence such as geomorphology, palynology, or evidence of modern disturbance.

All identified features must have soil profiles drawn, sampled, and analyzed using Munsell readings and USDA soil typology. All excavated soils must be screened through 1/4" (or finer) hardware mesh.

If a study area is known to have been plowed in the past, it is appropriate to supplement this testing strategy by shallow disking and a close interval walkover survey. Unless otherwise agreed, such a walkover does not completely substitute for subsurface testing.

The RHPO and the Federal Land Manager shall be immediately contacted if human remains (or suspected human remains) or objects of a clearly ceremonial or funerary nature are encountered, and archaeological work will immediately cease in that area.

The RHPO will initiate consultation with the SHPO and potentially affiliated communities, including Native American tribal governments.

b. Alternative Approaches. Different approaches (such as remote sensing technology, or variations in intensity of sampling) will be considered if appropriate rationale is provided by the permit applicants. Examples of studies which may require different approaches could include surveys undertaken for academic research, monitoring of long-term impacts (such as statewide environmental management programs), historic resource planning efforts, or emergency salvage of archaeological resources.

Examples of field situations which may require differing methods could include areas containing already located archaeological resources, areas known or expected to contain human remains, areas where substantial disturbance or modern soil accumulation can be documented, areas of deep alluvium, and wetland or marine environments.

3. Analysis and Curation In addition to the types and levels of artifact analysis generally required by SHPOs for Phase I surveys, radiocarbon, soil, floral, and faunal samples must be collected if found in uncontaminated contexts, and fully analyzed, including grain size for soil samples, standard or AMS dates for carbon, and genus/species level faunal and floral identification study. This requirement is intended to avoid a nationwide problem resulting from many early CRM surveys: curated samples remaining unanalyzed years after projects were completed and project funding terminated.

The applicant will be responsible for safeguarding and maintaining all artifacts, and material samples not expended in analysis, together with all associated records, photographs, maps, and other data, to the conservation and curation standards of the Department of the Interior and the selected curation facility.

The applicant will be responsible for labeling and packaging materials according to the facility standards, and effecting their transfer at the conclusion of the study. Any fees for curation shall be incurred by the applicant. The RHPO shall be notified of the transmittal by a copy of the Artifact Transmittal Form with an attached Inventory, signed by both the contractor and repository representative.

The applicant is responsible for ensuring curation of all records and materials recovered in this study at a repository approved by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The curation facility shall be identified in the final report. Curation facilities within the state in which the survey was done and supported by public funds are preferred. The RHPO will inform the applicant if a curation agreement for Service collections already exists with a repository in the state, and will assist the applicant in placing their collection there, if possible. Artifact catalog sheets must be appended to the final report.

4. Recommendations and Impact Evaluation. The purpose of the assessment of individual sites identified during the inventory stage is to recommend management strategies for them over both the short and long term. Discussion of their susceptibility to looting, damage from natural causes, or potential for educational interpretation is considered appropriate here, in addition to any assessment of immediate or long-term impacts which may occur as a result of a CRM permit applicant’s project.

In cases where a survey is done as part of compliance with NEPA and NHPA, the Service considers impact avoidance of archaeological resources within its lands as the recommended treatment of these resources. If avoidance cannot be assured, project proponents must thoroughly and explicitly describe why this is the case.

Therefore, any data obtained on site limits at this stage is an essential part of impact assessment, as is the discussion of potential eligibility for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Applicants are especially encouraged to consider this in scoping their proposals, as greater development of such information in a Phase I may enable their project to avoid impact, and save the cost and time of further archaeological studies. Permits for further studies for National Register eligibility and impact mitigation must be sought if avoidance of resources cannot be assured.

REPORT

The Service requires two copies of a draft report and two of a final report on archival quality paper, one bound and one unbound, detailing the work done, the survey results, and recommendations for further studies if necessary. The report shall include, (but is not limited to) the following elements: abstract, table of contents and list of figures, introduction, methodology, brief evaluation of previous work in the area, consideration of identified cultural resources in the area, analysis of data collected, recommendations, summary, and bibliography.

The abstract shall be a synopsis of the report, including an outline of the scope of study, field and laboratory methods, and results-both in terms of resources identified and in terms of recommendations for avoidance of resources or further archaeological study. The location of the study shall be noted in the abstract in terms of landform and drainage basin, as well as township, county, and state.

The introduction shall include, but is not limited to the following: the purpose of the survey, delineation of the study boundaries, and a general statement concerning the nature of the study conducted.

The background and literature review shall place the study area in its regional setting with regard to environmental factors affecting the location of cultural resources and the known culture history, which should be briefly summarized and explicitly linked to the applicant’s study location. The report shall contain a brief evaluation of previous archaeological and historical studies of the region, including dates, extent, and adequacy of past work as it reflects on the interpretation of what might be found in the study area

The methodology used in data collection and analysis shall be described in sufficient detail for a reviewer to understand what was done and why. This shall include a discussion of surveying and sampling procedures, the types of data collected, artifact and feature retrieval procedures, recording techniques, classificatory scheme, method of chronological determination, and any special analytical techniques.

Maps, diagrams, and photographs that show the survey areas, locations of individual excavation units, and locations of all identified cultural resources, shall be included. All maps will include a north arrow and graphic scale in metric measurement. For historic period resources, an English measure scale must also be provided. At least one map must be a section of a U .S. G. S. quadrangle showing the study area in relation to recorded sites and the federal land boundary. All excavation unit profiles, clearly showing artifact and sampling locations shall also be included in the report. If many profiles are involved, they may be places sequentially in an appendix, with typical and/or noteworthy ones illustrated in the main body of the report.

The inventory of all located cultural resources in the study area shall include an estimate of the aerial extent of the sites. The Service recognizes that the accuracy of this will reflect the level of field effort. As discussed in the preceding section, applicants for CRM survey permits are encouraged to strive for greater accuracy in this estimate than may be typical of Phase I survey, so that the Service’s policy of impact avoidance can be implemented where possible.

Recommendations for each site should discuss whether or not further work is needed to determine National Regional eligibility; current, past, and projected impacts to the site;

and (for CRM studies) whether or not project redesign can avoid impact on the site.

Reference should be made to SHPO Site Contexts during this discussion, but it should not be limited by them.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 5 Site Forms and state site forms shall be completed for all sites, and an artifact catalog shall be included in the report. State site numbers and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service site numbers shall be used throughout the report, for both recorded and newly discovered sites.

GUIDELINES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

1. All phases of the study shall be closely coordinated with the Service's Regional Historic

Preservation Officer at the Regional Office in Hadley, Massachusetts (Amy Wood, Tel.

413-253-8297). Applicants are required to maintain routine telephone contact with the Service's Archaeologist while work is being conducted, including notification of start and completion dates for fieldwork.

2. Applicants assume all responsibility for liabilities incurred to themselves, equipment, or to sites being studied during this work. All excavations must be backfilled at completion of fieldwork, and reseeding may be required at the direction of the Federal Land Manager (Refuge manager or equivalent).

3. Applicants are required to obtain a Special Use Permit from the Federal Land

Manager before beginning work and to maintain close contact with that person during field work.

4. As noted earlier, the RHPO and the Federal Land Manager will be immediately contacted if human remains or objects of a clearly ceremonial or funerary nature are encountered, and work will immediately cease in that area. The RHPO will initiate consultation with the SHPO and potentially affiliated communities, including Native American tribal governments.

5. In some cases, the Service may request a Native American tribal government to comment on a permit application. This consultation will be performed by the Service’s Regional Historic Preservation Officer, using information provided by the applicant. The Service may refuse to issue a permit or require modification of the applicant’s study based on comments received from the tribal government.

ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT B: PROPOSED BUILDING LAYOUT