CRNG heritage-solicitation answers_01_08_2024.pdf

Ques�ons & Answers 1- January 8, 2024-

CRNG Heritage Solicita�on Ques�ons

1. The scope of work states: “There are 75 known sites are within the project area and will be shared during the pre-field work mee�ng.” Can you please clarify if these sites are all within the required survey area or are spread across the en�re APE requiring travel between them outside of the survey area.

• These 75 resources are distributed throughout the APE, in areas that require survey and within areas that do not (ie: previously surveyed areas).

2. The scope of work separates “known site revisits/re-record” and “known site record updates.” The known site revisits/re-record category is described as “The contractor will rerecord known sites when new or revised informa�on has been iden�fied. The site rerecording effort will follow the same standards as the newly discovered sites described below.” Can you address if the 28 sites included in this category have been recorded in the last 10 years and meet Oregon SHPO standards? It is unclear if these sites will only need to be monitored or will require a site update.

• Supplemental paperwork must be appended to exis�ng site records for each site visit associated with this project. The level of documenta�on is dependent on the quality of the previous site record and the archaeological assemblage encountered. Ochoco Na�onal Forest will provide several field forms that can be used for simple site condi�on updates (site monitoring form), site updates (new sketch map, several newly documented items, etc..) and complete site record forms, as would be used for new sites. It is expected that the ques�ons regarding the 28 sites included in revisit/re-record category would be addressed as part of the work of the contracted agent.

3. Does this area have an average rate of sites per acres to accurately es�mate the number of new sites expected during the project?

• 594 acres have been previously surveyed within the current project APE. Thirty-eight archaeological sites have been recorded within these acres which equates .06 sites (38/594) per acre.

4. How is access with a four-wheel drive truck? Based on maps of the Lower Bridge Project Area there are few roads to allow access to the dispersed units. Will a UTV/ATV be permited off road if the units are a significant distance from the established road?

• UTV/ATV use is restricted to established roads. The use of UTV/ATVs may prove useful as some dirt two-tracks become impassible in 4WD trucks in inclement weather.

5. To save on expenses and �me will we be allowed to dispersed camp or use state/federal campgrounds in the vicinity of the APE?

• Use of formal USFS campgrounds by contractors will not be permited, as most USFS campgrounds are closed for the season. Dispersed camping on USFS land is permited assuming all guidelines provided in the Deschutes and Ochoco Na�onal Forest recrea�on Guidelines are adhered to.

6. With a bid opening date of January 4, what is the an�cipated award date? In the RFP, it says contractor should commence fieldwork no later than Jan 15, so we just wanted to specify if that means commence work in general (i.e., pre-field) and specify that pre-field �me will be required to procure permits, etc.

• Fieldwork must begin two weeks a�er receipt of a survey permit and record search results from the Ochoco Na�onal Forest.

7. Having worked with ODF on the ONF in 2022-2023, we wanted to see if the one lump sum at the end could be nego�ated, at least to 50% upon comple�on of fieldwork. Since this is much larger in scale compared to the previous project, that would be quite a bit of overhead to burden un�l the project is finalized.

• Par�al payment may be nego�ated upon comple�on of fieldwork and submital of the field work comple�on memo.

8. Finally, with a project close out date of 6/30, we just wanted to confirm that the proposed schedule is flexible to account for delays in fieldwork start due to weather, etc.

We ran into that issue on the ONF this year with snow on the ground and couldn’t get back out there un�l spring.

• There may be some flexibility with this date due to the �ght �meframes involved.

9. The deadline for start of fieldwork is listed as January 15th, 2024. Given the weather and permi�ng turnaround �me this is unlikely to be feasible. Is ODF flexible on the start date for fieldwork? We could s�ll meet the repor�ng deadline of June 2024.

• Fieldwork must begin two weeks a�er receipt a survey permit and record search results from the Ochoco Na�onal Forest.

10. Is the listed start date for fieldwork of 1/15/2024 correct? If bids are due on 1/4/2024 and an ARPA permit is required to conduct fieldwork, it seems difficult to be in the field by the target start date.

• Fieldwork must begin two weeks a�er receipt of a survey permit and record search results from the Ochoco Na�onal Forest.

11. I see that no subsurface testing is allowed when sites are found. Does that also apply to the survey areas in general, or are there situations where subsurface testing may be required?

• No subsurface tes�ng is allowed under this contract. Supplemental excava�on will require a separate permit and contract.

12. Since NRHP evaluations are required for each new resource found and no subsurface testing is authorized at the resources, will these be preliminary evaluations? Will there potentially be a need for subsurface testing at a later phase?

• Yes. Eligibility recommenda�ons can be considered preliminary. In instances that eligibility recommenda�ons cannot be made based on surface assemblages, further tes�ng/research can be recommended to determine site eligibility, and the site can be listed as “Unevaluated”. Supplemental research and tes�ng (i.e.

excava�on) will be beyond the scope of the current contract.

13. Will logging of individual pedestrian transects be required? I ask because we’ve had that requirement on recent projects and it will affect our equipment needs.

• No. Individual transect data will not be required; however high-quality maps depicting survey coverage in detail are required as a part of the survey report.