Midewin 2023 Cultural Resources PWS.docx

Phase I Cultural Resources Survey

PERFORMANCE BASED SERVICE CONTRACT

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie 2023

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

C.1 GENERAL

C.1.1 Authority. The investigations to be conducted under this Scope of Work are initiated and influenced by a number of Federal requirements. These requirements include, but are not limited to, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended; the National Environmental Policy Act; 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; and the Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979. Potential vendors must evidence a working knowledge of these Acts and the Forest Service’s compliance program.

C.1.2 Introduction: The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, 30239 S. State Route 53, Wilmington, IL 60481 intends to award (1) contract consisting of a Basic Requirement and 2 additional Options for Phase I Cultural Resources Survey services as described in this document. Options will be awarded based on available funding at the time of award. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s).

The entire area described in the Base Bid, Option 1, and Option 2 below will require systematic shovel testing per Illinois Guidelines for Archaeological Reconnaissance Surveys (Exhibit A). Per prior Department of the Army consultation with Illinois SHPO and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), all Arsenal structures and infrastructure have been determined as not eligible for listing in the National Register, making the effective date for any potentially eligible properties to be prior to 1941 (Joliet Arsenal construction date).

Basic Requirement: The objective of this project is to conduct a Phase 1 (identification of cultural resources) inventory and recommendations as to the potential of historic properties for listing on the National Register of Historic Properties to facilitate the demolition and removal of 88 abandoned World War II Era ammunition storage bunkers (also called “igloos”) on an approximately 517 acre parcel of land on Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP) in Will County, Illinois. The bunker group lies within a chain link fence enclosure within most of section 1, TWP 33N/Range 10 East of the 3rd PM, the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of section 2 T33N/R10E, and the S ½ of Sec 36 of T34N/R10E. The setting of Group 66 is mostly European short grasses with little tree cover and generally flat terrain. A small parcel of approximately 51 acres from the northern edge of group 66 to the south bank of nearby Prairie Creek is more heavily wooded. The displaced earth-covered bunkers themselves are each approximately 81 feet x 66 feet (.09 acre) and are not subject to survey.

Option 1: Extend the survey area southward to encompass 253 additional acres of Group 64, a parcel containing 34 WWII Era ordnance storge buildings immediately south of the Group 66 Project area. The storage buildings are each approximately 50 feet x 250 feet (.27 acre) and are not subject to survey.

Option 2: Include survey in Group 68 containing 23 abandoned World War II Era ammunition storage bunkers (also called “igloos”) on an approximately 157 acre parcel of land. Group 68 is located approximately 4 miles west/southwest of Groups 66 and 64. The displaced earth-covered bunkers themselves are each approximately 81 feet x 66 feet (.09 acre) and are not subject to survey.

C.1.3. Purpose. This contract will provide the U.S. Forest Service with technical services related to cultural resource survey on an approximately 517 acre parcel of National Forest System land and an optional 410 acres of Forest Service land (Groups 64 and 68). These technical services will assist the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in its efforts to comply with the statutes referenced above.

C.1.4. General Requirements. The Contractor shall provide all labor, equipment, supplies, services, permits, and licenses necessary to perform Phase I cultural resources survey on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie (MNTP).

The contract performance period will be 210 days after the date of contract award.

a. Confidential Nature of Information: The Contractor shall not divulge and shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that no member of their staff or organization divulges, information on specific sites or their locations to any person other than as directed by the Contracting Officer (CO) or duly authorized representative of the CO (COR). This includes written, photographic, and digital information relating to site locations, artifacts, features, etc. All services, reports, documents, and material required by this contract shall become the property of the Forest Service. The results of this research may be used for theses, dissertations, research projects and publication subject to prior written approval of the Forest Service – written approval to be provided by the CO or duly authorized representative of the CO.

b. Archaeological Resources Protection Act Violations: Should the contractor commit, observe or obtain knowledge of violations of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA), these shall be reported no later than the close of the business day to the Prairie Archaeologist or a Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer. Areas in which violations are detected must be left alone because they are potential crime scenes. No contract work is to be conducted in these areas until the Prairie Archaeologist and Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer are consulted.

c. Human Remains: No human remains will be knowingly excavated, excessively handled, or intentionally removed. In the event human remains are discovered, all work within a minimum of 50 meters of the find will immediately cease. The Contractor will immediately notify the COR of the findings. No photographs will be taken of the human remains. All personnel shall leave the area, excepting key personnel (C.1.4.a). The find locus will be flagged, protected with a natural covering or artificial covering (such as tarps, etc.) as reasonably available, and a UTM (NAD1983) coordinate will be recorded to assist USFS and authorized personnel in locating the find locus. Additional measures may be taken to further protect the location from looting and vandalism, including surveillance measures by Law Enforcement personnel. The COR will immediately notify the Prairie Supervisor, Prairie Law Enforcement, and the Prairie Archaeologist. As appropriate they will notify Law Enforcement, the Will County, Illinois coroner and/or appropriate Federal Tribal Representative(s) and will work in accordance with the processes set forth in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the Eastern and Southern Regions of the USDA Forest Service Policy for the Treatment of Human Remains as well as applicable civil statute.

C.1.5. Personnel. The Contractor must ensure all personnel performing the work meet the following:

a. Contractor Key Personnel: Key personnel assigned to any project on the Prairie must meet the minimum professional qualifications for prehistoric and historic archaeology, history, architectural history, or historic architecture as identified in 36 CFR 61, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines-Professional Qualifications Standards (http://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_9.htm). Key personnel are defined as those who function in the Principal Investigator, Field Supervisor/Crew Chief, and Laboratory Director roles. (Individuals may serve in multiple roles under this requirement).

b. Field or Laboratory Crew: Field/laboratory crew members directly supervised by key personnel must demonstrate completion of (or satisfactory progress toward) a bachelor’s degree in anthropology, archaeology, history or a closely related field, or six months previous experience in archaeological field or laboratory work. Completion of an archaeological field school is considered satisfactory qualification for an initial position (first archaeological job) if that individual will be directly supervised by a higher qualified individual.

In the event of the discovery of human remains in the laboratory, the contractor will immediately report the discovery to the CO and COR. The COR will notify the Prairie Supervisor, Forest Service Law Enforcement, Forest Service Archaeologist and Tribal Liaison, Will County, IL Coroner and/or Federal Tribal Representative(s) as appropriate, and will work in accordance with the processes set forth in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and the Eastern and Southern Regions of the USDA Forest Service Policy for the Treatment of Human Remains.

c. Changes in Contractor Key Personnel: Changes must be approved by the Contracting Officer (CO). The CO reserves the right to reject any proposed personnel that do not meet the requirements as stated herein. The Contractor shall submit a written request accompanied by a description of the duties of proposed personnel and the vitae of any new personnel to the CO. Written approval from the CO must be received by the Contactor prior to new personnel beginning work under this contract.

d. Changes in Field or Laboratory Crew: The Contractor shall submit the vitae of new crew personnel to the COR prior to the initiation of fieldwork or when new crew personnel are hired.

e. Tribal Orientation: As occasionally offered, but no more than annually, key personnel may be required to attend Tribally-conducted training on subjects of significance to consulting Tribes.

C.1.6. This performance work statement consists of completing the tasks/subtasks in C.5 to the Quality Assurance Plan/Requirements in C.7.

C.2 DEFINITIONS

C.2.1 Standard Definitions.

a. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL): The maximum allowable deviation from perfect performance that may occur before the Government will invoke payment deduction. An AQL does not allow a contractor to knowingly offer defective service but limits reduced payment to circumstances in which defective performance results in a measurable reduction in the value of services rendered.

b. Defective Service: A unit of service which contains one or more defects or nonconformance with specified requirements.

c. Digital media: Any Media that are encoded in machine-readable formats. Digital media can be created, viewed, distributed, modified and preserved on digital electronics devices to include, but not limited to CDs, DVDs, USB, and USFS-approved cloud storage.

d. Performance Standards: Identifies the key service outputs of the contract that will be evaluated by the Government to assure contract performance standards are met by the contractor.

e. Quality Assurance (QA): Those actions taken by the Government to assure services meet the requirements of the Performance Work Statement (PWS). QA performed by the Government does not relieve the Contractor of their responsibility to practice internal QA.

f. Contracting Officer: The Contracting Officer (CO) has overall responsibility for the administration of the contract and for overseeing the overall performance of the contractor.

g. Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): A Government employee appointed by the CO to help the CO with contract administration. This person may also be responsible for surveillance of contractor performance.

h. Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP): An organized written document used for quality assurance surveillance. The document contains specific methods to perform surveillance of the contractor.

i. Quality Control Plan: Those actions that will be taken by a contractor to control the performance of services so that they meet the requirements of the PWS.

j. Business Day: Business days include Monday through Friday, excluding Federal Holidays. Submissions received after 12:00 PM local time will be accepted the following business day.

C.2.2 Technical Definitions Peculiar to this Performance Work Statement

a. Archaeological Survey. For the purposes of this contract a Phase I cultural resource survey is defined as the intensive, systematic inspection of the land surface and associated subsurface inspection techniques sufficient to identify and record any historic properties, as defined under 36 CFR 800.16(l) that may be present within the surveyed area. Subsurface inspection in the context of this parcel of land is typically defined by shovel-testing and is to be performed in accordance with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) survey methodology (Exhibit A).

The expectations and intent of Phase I survey on MNTP are consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s standards and expectations for “Intensive Survey” (https://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_2.htm), which should document:

1. The kinds of properties looked for;

2. The boundaries of the area surveyed;

3. The method of survey, including an estimate of the extent of survey coverage;

4. A record of the precise location of all properties identified; and

5. Information on the appearance, significance, integrity and boundaries of each property sufficient to permit an evaluation of its significance.

b. A shovel test will be the primary method of site detection for Phase I investigations and is defined as the columnar excavation of soils using a shovel and subsequent sorting of the excavated material by passing it through an archaeological screen or sieve fitted with 0.25-inch hardware cloth. Shovel tests are generally at least 40 centimeters in diameter. Shovel tests shall be excavated downward until impenetrable substrata or sterile soil (usually B horizon for cultural resources although features may extend deeper), are encountered, or until it is no longer reasonable to continue excavation by hand and shovel. Shovel tests need not be excavated in levels, either arbitrary or natural. For artifact recovery purposes a shovel test may thus be treated as a single unit of analysis and may therefore be recorded as either positive (containing cultural material) or negative (without indication of cultural material or modification). For positive shovel tests, the approximate depth(s) of any artifact(s) recovered shall be noted on the shovel test form or within the appropriate field notes. All natural and cultural strata revealed in positive shovel test profiles shall be recorded using metric depth measurements and described in terms of textural class and color (using the Munsellâ Soil Color Chart). Additional strata descriptions should be provided as needed, such as moisture, natural rock content, and estimated number and size of rocks/roots etc. The results of all shovel tests (positive and negative) should be recorded in field notes or shovel test forms. Upon completion of recordation, all shovel tests must be backfilled as closely as possible to their original condition and sod caps replaced.

c. A Site: is operationally defined as a locus of purposeful human activity. Single artifacts such as a stone tool, or multiples of the same artifact such as three pieces of the same window glass or three tertiary flakes of the same material should be recorded as isolates. A locus of multiple artifacts or features suspected to be greater than 82 years old (as of time this document was prepared, 82 years would be 1941, what is locally referred to as “Pre-Arsenal”) will be treated as sites.

d. Deviations in Site Definition. These criteria may be modified, where appropriate, based on a professional archaeologist's judgment, and with the prior approval of the COR or designated technical representative. Any deviation from the standard definition should be discussed in the resulting cultural resource report.

e. Isolated resources are considered ineligible for NRHP consideration, although State Smithsonian numbers may be assigned by IHPA. Note: If a cultural deposit has not met the minimum site definition threshold but the Contractor feels the deposit merits consideration beyond that typically accorded an IF, a sound argument for doing so should be presented in the report. MNTP will take such arguments under full consideration.

C.2.3. Prior to commencement of literature search or fieldwork, the Contractor must have obtained access to the Illinois Inventory of Archaeological Sites (IIAS) and the Illinois Cultural Resource Management Report Database. Details on access are available at the Illinois SHPO/IHPA site at this page: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnrhistoric/Preserve/Pages/Archaeology.aspx. Prior to requesting initial access to IIAS or CRM Report Database, the Contractor should contact COR or designated technical representative. Submitting site forms, literature search on sites within one half mile of the project area and the submission of required GIS data is all done electronically. For report preparation specifics the Contractor is referred to C.5.10 and to the format requirements for “full-text report” as per the Illinois SHPO’s "Guidelines for Archaeological Reconnaissance Surveys and Reports” at: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnrhistoric/Preserve/SiteAssets/Pages/Archaeology/Archaeological%20Guidelines.pdf. All reports will be in keeping with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeological Documentation available online at https://www.nps.gov/history/local-law/arch_stnds_7.htm. Reports and site forms must be provided to the COR or designated representative prior to submission to the SHPO. If the process or documents are unfamiliar to the contractor, information will be provided at pre-work meeting, if necessary. Further, prior to commencement of field work the contractor must have applied for, and received a Permit for Archaeological Investigations under the Authority of the Organic Act of 1897, 16 USC 551 (Form: FS-2700-30). Application for the permit included as (Exhibit B). Shovel testing and scrapes to expose and define the limits of buried or partially buried features are considered to be non-, or minimally ground disturbing and are covered under the authorities cited. Should more intensive ground disturbing activities be required, the contractor must apply for and receive a permit under the authorities of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act (ARPA) after contacting the CO or COR.

C.3 GOVERNMENT FURNISHED PROPERTY (MAPS, DRAWINGS, SPECS, ETC.)

C.4 CONTRACTOR FURNISHED CRITICAL ITEMS/SERVICES

C.5 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT TASKS/CRITICAL SUBTASKS

C.5.1 Pre-work Meeting

C.5.1.1 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 addressed, including, (but not limited to):

a. Establishing a start work date on the contract;

b. Performance time defined in the task order;

c. Review of the undertaking and project objectives;

d. Review of project and maps to become familiar with the location of the project;

e. Inventory or investigation strategy and methods, presentation of data, levels of analysis and evaluation, and deliverables;

f. Coordination and access to the project area with MNTP personnel.

g. Discussing planned fieldwork schedule and a communication plan (e.g. key contacts, phone numbers);

h. Coordination with consulting parties on requested monitoring or site visitation by those parties. Such requests must be submitted to MNTP by the consulting party. The Prairie will notify the contractor of the request, and the contractor will support MNTP (with maps, notes, site location, etc) in its effort to coordinate and arrange such visits, should any be requested.

C.5.2 Plan of Work

Prior to commencing fieldwork, the Contractor shall submit to the COR for review and approval curriculum vitae for Key Personnel and abbreviated vitae or qualification statements for field crewmembers as well as a proposed plan of work that describes the schedule for submission of deliverables (C.5.10), estimated number of person-days for fieldwork, and strategies for accomplishing the scope of work defined in each task order issued under this contract.

C.5.3 Pre-field Files Search

C.5.3.1 Prior to commencing fieldwork, the Contractor shall submit to the COR for review and approval a written narrative description with accompanying tables and figures, as appropriate, documenting that all pre-field file searches and historic records data searches are complete for the project area and within a half-mile radius of the project area. At a minimum, the pre-field file and historic records search shall include gathering data from the following sources:

a. Prairie cultural resources survey information;

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

c. IHPA records: IHPA records can be checked virtually, using the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, “Illinois Inventory of Archaeological Sites (IIAS)” website https://maps.dnr.illinois.gov/portal/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=91ce4b91ea9c4c2687fa37098b0c26d9. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to obtain and maintain access to this application;

d. Historic maps and aerial photographs on file with MNTP, IIAS viewer (georeferenced plat maps) and, for historical imagery, the Will County (Illinois) GIS Data Viewer (https://gisapp.willcountyillinois.com/Html5Viewer/Index.html?viewer=Data_Viewer)

e. Other records that may be consulted if available and appropriate to an undertaking include county histories, deeds, historic maps (e.g., USGS topographic quadrangles, NRCS soil survey maps, GLO plat maps, etc.), insurance maps, and any other pertinent documentation, knowledgeable informants from the community, or other pertinent resources. Land ownership maps (plat maps) for the project area are available from MNTP Heritage program manager for the years: 1862, 1873, 1893, 1902, and 1909. 1909 being the last year that historic structure locations were depicted.

C.5.3.2 Results of the pre-field review shall be documented by the Contractor and will include the following, as appropriate:

1) Previous cultural resource surveys within one half mile of the current project area. At a minimum, lists of previous research shall include titles, authors, survey year(s), acres surveyed, the level of effort expended (e.g., “intensive” or “reconnaissance”).

2) An additional table describing previously recorded sites within one half mile but outside the current project area. At a minimum, State assigned trinomial Smithsonian numbers will be listed for sites outside the Project Area. For sites within the Project Area, Smithsonian numbers, NRHP status, the temporal affiliations provided on the Illinois Archaeological Site Recording Submission Form, and/or the type of sites (e.g., “trash scatter,” “open campsite”) will be described. Please distinguish between sites located inside/immediately adjacent to the current survey area and those outside, but within one-half mile of it.

3) Cartographic sources reviewed (e.g., LiDAR, GLO, and other archival maps) should be cited in the pre-field review. If the sources are found to reveal site leads, they should also be reproduced as figures within the body of the final report, with the current survey area superimposed upon them.

Please note that the above are to be reproduced and presented in the final report or as an appendix, as described below in C.5.10.2(e). Contractor shall ensure that sufficient Contractor staff are present on-site and sufficient time allowed to complete the Pre-field literature Search (C.5.3). MNTP personnel will be on hand to assist in completion of this task but shall be limited to a supporting role.

C.5.3.3 The COR will have 20 days from receipt to review and approve delivery item C.5.3. The Contractor shall be required to correct and revise any errors noted by the COR, and resubmit the document(s) for additional review and approval. The Contractor shall accomplish the correction, revision and re-submittals of documents within 15 days of notification by the COR of the rejection of the submittals.

C.5.4 (Reserved)

C.5.4.1 (Reserved)

C.5.4.2 (Reserved)

C.5.5 Fieldwork

The Contractor will adhere to the methodologies found in the attachments for the identified survey type (Exhibit A) and commonly accepted landform definitions (Exhibit F), some of which are further discussed at the following Internet address:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_052234.doc IL SHPO site forms also require conformity with topographic nomenclature described on pages 4 and 5 of “IIAS Submission Guidelines (exhibit C)

C.5.5.1 At a minimum, the Contractor shall abide by the following fieldwork guidelines:

a. The Contractor will notify the COR via email prior to entering the Prairie to conduct fieldwork.

b. Field employees and vehicles: Contractor personnel shall wear protective clothing while working on National Forest lands, including a bright orange safety vest or similar clothing during hunting season. While on National Forest lands, contractor vehicles shall be clearly marked with distinctive signs or plaques identifying the name of the company. Contractor vehicles operated within the fence line of MNTP are also required to display a uniquely numbered placard to be hung from the rearview of the vehicle. A limited number of placards will be issued to contractor vehicles at the pre-field work meeting. Unmarked private vehicles are not permitted within the fence line of MNTP which is a Non-motorized unit of the Forest Service. It is recommended that Contractor employees driving privately owned vehicles meet with marked contractor vehicles bearing placards at a trailhead public parking lot, and carpool into project area.

f. The Contractor will send weekly email updates to the COR describing number of acres inventoried and sites identified/visited. Updates are to be submitted every seven calendar days, beginning on the first Monday after a full week into the fieldwork. The weekly email updates need not occur during periods out of the field.

g. Loci recorded in the field should be at least 82 years old (pre-1941) and must meet one or more of the criteria outlined in C.2.2.d and C.2.3;

h. Should potential human remains and/or associated artifacts be encountered during any aspect of the project, all work within a radius of 50 m of the point of discovery will be stopped immediately and the Contractor will immediately notify the COR. Possible remains and/or associated artifacts shall be left in place and covered with natural materials or tarps to afford some protection. The COR, in consultation with appropriate persons, will advise the Contractor when, and if, work can resume in the vicinity of the point of discovery;

i. The purpose of a Phase I survey is to identify, within the Area of Potential Effects (APE), any cultural resource that is listed on, eligible for, or may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) pursuant to criteria set forth in 36 CFR 60.4. As such, appropriate recommendations of NRHP eligibility shall be developed and submitted for all sites recorded or revisited, based on data recovered during the course of Phase I investigation. No data recovery beyond the constraints of typical Phase I-level investigations is expected in the formulation of management recommendations. Management recommendations are required for each new site recorded or previously recorded site that is revisited, and shall be consistent with nomenclature published by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA). They will therefore consist of:

a. Phase I archaeological reconnaissance has located no archaeological material.

b. Phase I archaeological reconnaissance has located archaeological materials; site(s) does (do) not meet requirements for National Register eligibility; Project clearance is recommended.

c. Phase I archaeological reconnaissance has located archaeological materials; site(s) may meet requirements for National Register eligibility; Phase II testing is recommended.

Recommendations of “unevaluated eligibility” should be the exception rather than the rule.

j. All sites will be recorded in their entirety, even if the boundaries go outside of the identified survey boundary and may extend to the perimeter of Forest Service land. Contractor will highlight combustible features in site descriptions and note whether they are significant or non-significant (National Register contributing or non-contributing). All previously recorded sites identified within the survey area during the pre-field search will be revisited and site updates completed, provided there is not a previously existing adequate record (no more than 5 years old as of the date of the pre-field search); an “adequate record” exists when: Contractor can relocate the site in the field, the site form meets professional standards (and includes a legible site sketch map), site boundaries were previously determined by appropriately implemented shovel testing and/or metal detecting, a datum was established, etc. At a minimum, all previously recorded sites must be revisited to relocate the datum and flag the site boundary. There is no need to revisit/re-record sites that have been previously determined not eligible for the NRHP absent additional information and/or observations that might bear on the site’s NRHP eligibility; an IHPA comment letter concurring with previous NRHP eligibility determinations must be on file. For revisited sites, an adequate site update includes

a. A legible site sketch map that distinguishes between old STs and new STs.

b. All information that is known about the site, including old and new information. The MNTP will review previous and revisit site forms. All info must be included. Statements such as “no change from previous”, and the like, are not acceptable.

c. Updated NRHP eligibility determinations, if appropriate.

k. Site delineation: The goals of site delineation are to determine the horizontal and vertical boundaries of a site, to recover an assemblage of artifacts that is sufficient for developing a defensible description of site formation processes (occupational intensity, function, etc), to assess potential for surface and/or subsurface features, and to determine the depositional integrity of the deposit, thereby providing a level of documentation sufficient to allow for a reasonable and defensible NRHP eligibility recommendation (“not eligible,” “eligible,” or “recommended for Phase II”) to be offered for each site. Site delineation procedures must also be used to distinguish sites from Isolated Finds (see C.2.3.a, above).

Sites identified through observable structural features shall be further investigated through subsurface and visual examination. Excavation of up to four (4) shovel tests aligned in a cruciform pattern around each structural feature/structural remnants (based on the cardinal directions, the landform, or in accordance with the orientation of each feature) shall be required to determine if associated artifacts are present below the ground surface and to delineate their extent.

All artifact loci identified by shovel testing during the course of a survey shall be further investigated through additional subsurface and visual examination. Any cultural resource detected through shovel testing shall be systematically delineated on a full 5-meter interval grid, in the cardinal directions relative to all positive tests, including positive radials. Any subsequent positive tests will cause the grid to expand in the same manner. Testing will continue in this manner until two consecutive negative tests are excavated in each direction, or until the edge of the landform is encountered, which may be defined as any change in the slope of the ground surface that exceeds 20% or as other overtly observable natural landform edges, such stream-courses, areas of severe disturbance, etc.

Two consecutive negative tests off of all positive tests (including positive radials) secure a site boundary, or in the case of obvious landforms (steep slopes, etc), standing water, or areas of extreme disturbance (as discussed and agreed to by contractor, COR and designated subject matter expert), such features may be considered boundaries. However in the case of known disturbances in the project area such as excavated rail lines (tracks have all been removed) and bunkers/igloos, the cardinal lines will be continued and the shovel tests will resume at the undisturbed edge of the disturbance/structure.

Site delineation shovel tests shall be assigned Cartesian provenience designations based on both relative direction (N-north, E-east, S-south, W-west) and metric (m) distance from an arbitrary grid datum (not to be confused with the site datum). All tests excavated during the course of delineation shall be marked with biodegradable flagging tape, regardless of status. All tests excavated during the course of delineation shall be mapped and labeled therein, regardless of status. Upon completion, all delineation shovel tests will be backfilled and sod caps replaced.

If an archaeological site is identified by artifacts visible on the ground surface, its boundaries are to be defined by measurement of the extent of the artifact scatter, preferably in cardinal or grid cardinal directions. A sample of opportunistic shovel tests must be placed within a surface scatter site to determine the depth, if any, of the cultural deposit, and backfilled when recordation is complete. Site boundaries should also reflect the positive results of shovel testing that extends beyond a surface scatter of artifacts. (see also C.5.5.1.j.)

l. The Prairie follows a limited collection policy for Phase I work.

1. On historic sites, artifact samples will only be collected from the surface if: (1) characteristics are noted that will permit artifact dating or likely site purpose (e.g. bottles or bottle fragments that contain sufficient information to date the artifact; or in the case of site purpose, discarded used ox shoes and bent, forged shoe nails). (2) identification is not possible in the field; (3) items possess a high degree of scientific value or are of museum quality; (4) it is reasoned to be necessary by the Principal Investigator or Crew Chief for analytical purposes or to prevent probable loss or destruction from the proposed undertaking; (5) are at risk due to theft or vandalism. All diagnostic historic materials from shovel tests will be collected with the exception of redundant historic diagnostics. Field analysis of non-diagnostic artifacts left in the field will include at a minimum: description, material type, provenience, and count and a scaled photograph.

2. On precontact components, all diagnostic artifacts will be collected and bagged separately by provenience, then returned to the lab to be cleaned, analyzed, and catalogued. Lithic materials not found locally, should also be collected. For collection and analysis of artifacts recovered from subsurface context, a shovel test may be viewed as a single unit of provenience/analysis. Collection does not apply to redundant materials such as fire-cracked rock, for which count and provenience shall be noted, and the materials returned to their original location/shovel test. (Exceptions shall be made when deemed necessary by the Principal Investigator or Crew Chief, for analytical purposes). Laboratory analysis of collections and samples must follow standard and professionally acceptable procedures for maintaining artifact provenience, integrity, stability, and security. In particular, artifact analysis, if intrusive or damaging to artifact integrity and stability, must be agreed upon by the COR and the Contractor. Please also note that for sites with a large surface expression, a representative sample may be collected in lieu of full collection, along with tools and diagnostics. The COR should be contacted if questions arise. .

Artifacts left in the field should not be placed into plastic bags prior to being put back into their original shovel test holes but shall simply be placed back into the holes, covered with soil and noted in field records.

m. Any artifact collection will be done with reference to its provenience in relation to the grid datum or site datum, as appropriate. All materials collected during performance of this contract are, and shall be, the sole property of the U.S. Government. All materials must be returned, with the rest of the material collected, “curation ready” to MNTP according to the standards outlined in Exhibit D, Illinois State Museum Curation Guidelines. MNTP will receive and accept all materials prior to final payment (see also clause C.5.12.1.d.2). MNTP will submit the collection to the Illinois State Museum for curation at government expense.

n. The Forest Service will assign Forest Service site numbers to sites recorded in the field following review of preliminary site descriptions to confirm their status as sites. These site numbers will be provided to the Contractor.

· USFS Site Numbers are 11 characters long (i.e. 0915000####)

· 0915 = Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie code

· 00 = District code (2 digits)

· # = Site number (5 digits). This will be an arbitrary temporary number provided to the contractor. MNTP will submit the contractor provided site form to IHPA. Since MNTP lies entirely within Will County, “11Wi” will be understood, and MNTP will change the internal Forest Service site number to reflect the sequential site number when assigned by IHPA.

Once the permanent Smithsonian number is provided by IHPA, the Forest Service will provide that number to the contractor. A list, cross-walking temporary site numbers with permanent site numbers will be included as an annex or appendix to the final report and the author or authors of the report will perform a universal “search and replace” within the document. The crosswalk document will be included as a part of the final report so future researchers will be aware should they work with field notes, inventories or artifact bags bearing the temporary numbers. Where space is an issue (e.g., on site location maps), abbreviated forms of the FS number may be used following approval by the COR.

o. Historic lines of rock walls; Likely the result of Euro-American farmers piling the stones struck during field clearing to the edge of a cultivated parcel should be recorded as components of sites where historic research can reasonably associate the rock wall with a farmstead site. A minimum of two scaled digital photos of each rock wall and surrounding area taken from different angles shall be made for each individual rock wall encountered, and a corresponding UTM coordinate recorded; the direction of each photo, the date, and site association (if applicable) shall be entered into the Photo Log. UTM coordinate shall be recorded for the beginning and ending of rock walls. Rock walls, where a portion of what is a clearly continuous wall is missing may be recorded as a single feature. Where narrative descriptions of such features are presented, a brief statement (including reference to relevant aerial photo, etc.) defining the characteristics and/or criteria used in determining their historic period origin will be included.

Note: if historic stacked rock or rock alignments can be placed in context (i.e., associated with a core farmstead or defined field area, such as through review of aerial photography), then they are recorded in aggregate as sites or site components which may or may not be NRHP contributing (per C.2.3.b.1);

p. Earthen mounds/mound remnants suspected of being Native American in origin shall be noted, photographed and recorded with location but may not be shovel tested or otherwise disturbed.

q. At a minimum, the first, last, and every third shovel test or test equivalent, i.e., shovel scrape, tree tips, exposed surface (road, trail, burrow), etc. along each transect will be flagged with biodegradable flagging to assist the COR/CI during field inspections. At a minimum, the tape will be marked using permanent marker to include the transect number, test number, and excavators initials. The first shovel test on each transect shall be distinguished by double-flagging, with BOT (“Beginning of Transect”) clearly written on the tape. Likewise, the last test shall be double-flagged, with EOT clearly written, to indicate “End of Transect”. Upon completion of recordation, all transect shovel tests will be backfilled as closely as possible to their original condition and sod caps replaced.

r. The Contractor should be aware that not all roads identified on maps provided are accessible by passenger car. Many are not passable in adverse weather. The COR should be notified if reasonable access to a survey area is foreclosed for any reason.

C.5.6 Field Inspections

Formal field inspections shall be conducted by the COR or their designated representative in order to allow the COR to determine that all fieldwork is proceeding on schedule and has been completed in accordance with the Performance Work Statement. Informal field inspections may be conducted at the discretion of the CO and/or the COR at any time without the Contractor's knowledge of, or attendance at, these informal inspections.

C.5.7 Interim Report(s)

Every calendar week an informal progress meeting will be held, in person, in office or in the field, or by mutual agreement via phone or computer teleconference, between a designated contractor’s representative and the COR or their designated representative. The contractor shall prepare Field Update Reports every 15 days and submit them to the COR for record.

Upon completion of all field work associated with the Base Bid and any approved Options, the contractor shall compile the Interim Report. The interim Report is to be completed and submitted to the COR within 14 days of completion of fieldwork, along with Quality Control inspection documentation (C.5.8) for that period of field work. The Interim Report will include:

a) A description of what areas have been surveyed,

b) The number of sites located, legible copies of portions of 1:24,000 scale maps showing what areas have been surveyed and site locations,

c) A brief description of the sites, their UTM coordinates, preliminary NRHP recommendations for each site, and a copy of field site sketch maps.

d) A brief description of any historic features recorded, UTM coordinates, and photographic overviews and/or draft sketch maps of any historic features recorded.

e) Where rock piles or walls of uncertain cultural affiliation are encountered, photographs depicting the feature(s) from various angles may be transmitted to the COR(s) prior to Interim Report submission in order to procure an expedited, provisional opinion on cultural affiliation while field crews remain in the area;

f) Unless printed copies of Interim Reports are specifically requested during the pre-work meeting, digital copies may be conveyed to the Prairie electronically via email or by transfer to a project-specific Collaborator Folder created in an Agency-approved “Cloud” storage area.

The COR will have 14 days from receipt to review the Interim Report and submit comments to the Contractor.

C.5.8 Quality Control Inspection Documentation

Quality Control inspection documentation as defined by the Contractor in the Technical Proposal shall be included with each Interim Report submission. Failure to include such documentation will result in delays to Field Inspections and acceptance of fieldwork.

C.5.9 Draft Report

C.5.9.1 The Draft Report shall incorporate all elements of the Final Report (see C.5.10.2) and Illinois SHPO Exhibit A and should be as near a grammatical approximation of the Final Report as possible. In instances where no cultural resources are identified in a surveyed parcel of land, it is permissible to use the Illinois SHPO’s Archaeological Survey Short Report (Exhibit E) At a minimum, Contractor shall provide a copy of the Draft Report, including all graphics and associated forms, to the COR; the due date and number of additional copies will be determined at the pre-work meeting. Forest Service site numbers will be obtained by the Contractor prior to submitting the Draft Report and will be incorporated into the text and graphics of the document.

The Draft Report and all associated materials should contain Forest Service temp site numbers as “placeholders” for Smithsonian/state site numbers/trinomials to be issued by Illinois SHPO. Following the COR’s review and incorporation of any required changes into project documentation, trinomials will be obtained by the contractor directly from SHPO. Once the Contractor receives the Smithsonian/State site numbers they will incorporate them into the text, tables, and graphics of the final document, in such a way that they can be accurately associated with their spatial locations.

Unless printed copies of Draft Reports and associated forms are specifically requested during the pre-work meeting, digital copies may be conveyed to the Prairie electronically via email or by transfer to a project-specific Collaborator Folder created in an Agency-approved “Cloud” storage area.

C.5.9.2 The COR will have 30 days from receipt to review the Draft Report and submit comments to the Contractor. The Contractor shall be required to correct and revise any errors noted by the COR and incorporate corrections and revisions into the Final Report (C.5.10).

C.5.9.3 Collections and associated documents, notes, photos, inventories, (paper documents must be provided in both hard copy and electronic format) and must be received by the CO or COR in a format acceptable to the Illinois State Museum (Exhibit D). This material may be turned over in commercially available “banker boxes” so long as they can easily be transferred to Illinois State Museum (ISM) curation boxes and weigh no more than 25.9 lbs., in ISM boxes which are 15.5 inches long, 10.5 inches wide and 10 inches high.

C.5.10 Final Report

C.5.10.1 A written report shall be prepared for each task order issued under this contract. Final reports submitted shall follow the guidelines outlined below. All reports will be in keeping with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeological Documentation, and will be informed by the format requirements for “full-text report", as per the Guidelines from the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for Phase I Archaeological Surveys and Reports" (Exhibit A) or the Archaeological Survey Short Report form (Exhibit E).

C.5.10.2 At a minimum, the Final Report shall contain the following sections:

a. Title Page:

1) Name and location of project area;

2) Name and address of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie;

3) Forest Service Project Number, as assigned by the COR, in accordance with the following formating guidelines:

· USFS Project Numbers are 14…