Scope_of_Work_SDFO_Cultural_Inventory.pdf

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Scope-of-Work for

Class III cultural resources inventory and report preparation for the FY2025 Eastern Montana-Dakotas District (EMDD) South Dakota Field Office (SDFO) fuels reduction and prescribed fire projects in 7 units. Each requires cultural resources inventory in accordance with Sections 106 (54 U.S.C. § 306108) and 110 (54 U.S.C. § 306102(b)(3)) of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA, 54 U.S.C. § 300101 et seq.); the BLM Manual 8110, Identifying and Evaluating Cultural Resources (BLM rev. 2004); and the BLM Montana/Dakotas Cultural Resources Handbook H-8110-1, Guidelines for Identifying Cultural Resources

(BLM 2003).

I. General Background.

A. Authority. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is mandated to manage lands under its jurisdiction for public use. Managing public lands entails implementing a variety of land disturbing activities which includes actions that are considered undertakings (36 CFR § 800.16[y]) as the actions entail use of federal lands, money, and/or authorizations. For all proposed undertakings partially or fully under its jurisdiction, Section 106 of the NHPA requires the BLM to consider the potential impacts to historic properties prior to authorizing implementation.

B. Class III cultural resources inventory is an intensive field survey and is a professionally conducted pedestrian inventory of the entire project area with detailed documentation of cultural resources within that area. Class III cultural resources inventory is a systematic inspection of the land surface carried out by walking a series of close-interval parallel transects until the area has been thoroughly examined.

Artificial exposure of the subsurface (via auger or shovel testing) is sometimes a necessary part of this effort and should be included in identification efforts if vegetation density reduces ground/surface visibility below 30 percent; soil conditions are conductive to aggradation; or are stable. Contact the COR- Archeologist for details on how to proceed. Class III cultural resources inventories are generally appropriate for project-specific cultural resources identification and evaluation efforts (BLM 2004).

II. Specific Background.

A. Project Area Setting. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) SDFO, proposes to conduct a Class III cultural resource inventory of selected BLM land parcels in Fall River and Custer Counties, South Dakota.

There are seven target areas are located generally in the in the southern Black Hills of South Dakota near Edgemont. The total acreage of the project area is 2,985 GIS acres. The total acreage for this contract is 2,985 acres. The legal locations are described in the Appendix 1. Maps are included in Appendix 2.

B. The survey area consists of typically timber and-or mixed grasses with juniper encroachment.

i. Each of the identified areas are listed by legal location in the Appendix 1 and by map in Appendix 2 will require intensive Class III pedestrian cultural resource inventory. The target area has a total acreage of 2985 GIS acres.

C. All encountered cultural resources over 50 years old must be formally recorded. All previously recorded cultural resources within each unit on BLM-administered land must be revisited in the field. The Contractor shall complete South Dakota archaeological site forms for all new encountered cultural resource sites. The Contractor shall complete updated site forms for all previously recorded cultural resource sites if changes to the sites are observed or it has been more than 10 years since original recording. Drafts of all site forms shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)

2 | P a g e with the draft inventory report. The COR will review all draft site forms, offer corrections and provide recommendations as applicable, and accept revised language prior to assignment of Smithsonian site numbers. The Contractor is responsible for submitting all Historic Period site and structure forms as well as prehistoric site forms to the South Dakota Archaeological Research Center and South Dakota Historic Preservation Office for site numbers. These site numbers shall be referenced in the final report.

D. Diagnostic and/or unique cultural material may be collected at the discretion of the Contractor. Any collected materials shall be stored and processed according to the requirements of the Billings Curation Center, the preferred repository.

III. Objectives.

A. General Bureau of Land Management Objective. Document and record cultural resources on the identified units to meet its obligations under Sections 106 and 110 of the NHPA.

B. Field Office Objective. To reduce hazardous fuels buildup and improve wildlife habitat in the SDFO.

C. Specific Study Objectives. To professionally identify, evaluate, and report the findings of the inventory based primarily on surface indications, cultural resources located on the lands identified. Site evaluations shall be conducted using existing guidance from the BLM, the SHPO, the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) criteria (36 CFR 60.4), and the National Park Service National Register Bulletins. Impacts and effects to cultural resources should be considered in relationship to vegetation mastication, vehicle & equipment traffic, and prescribed burning.

IV. Statement of Work.

A. Project-Specific Cultural Resources Inventory Strategy. The Contractor shall perform complete Class III cultural resources inventory at all identified units for fuels treatments and reduction projects. There are 7 project units identified.

1. A separate inventory report shall be prepared per county with each of the respective units identified within, details in Section M.1.

2. Maps specific to each project area are found in Appendix 2.

3. Tabular locational data for each inventory area is described in Appendix 1.

B. Individual Unit Descriptions.

1. Unit 1 - Battle Mountain located in Fall River County is 520 GIS acres in size; there are no previously known recorded site within the unit boundary.

2. Unit 2 - Iron Shoe located in Custer County is 120 GIS acres in size, there are no known previously recorded cultural sites within the unit boundary.

3. Unit 3 - Fossil Cycad located in Fall River County is 317 GIS acres in size four previously recorded sites are within the unit boundary. Only one of these is unevaluated for the National Register (39fa0497). Three are prehistoric and one is indicated as paleontological (39FA0499) and should only be revisited for inspection of the presence of cultural materials and the site record updated accordingly.

No paleontological work is to be conducted.

4. Unit 4 - East Edgemont-Igloo located in Fall River County is 1239 GIS Acres and has 17 previously recorded sites within the unit boundaries. Nine of the sites are unevaluated for the National Register with are determined eligible for the National Register.

5. Unit 5 - Canyon Rim located in Custer County is 200 GIS Acres with no known previously recorded sites within the unit boundary.

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6. Unit 6 - Hell Canyon-Elk Mountain located in Custer County is 349 GIS Acres with one previously recorded unevaluated resource within the unit boundary.

7. Unit 7 - Pilger Mountain located in Fall River County is 240 Acres with three previously recorded site within the unit boundaries. Two of these sites are unevaluated for the National Register.

C. Key Personnel Qualifications.

1. Personnel qualifications shall be consistent with the BLM Manual 8150, Permitting Uses of Cultural Resources (BLM 2004). The Contractor must have a BLM Montana Cultural Resources permit that will be valid for the duration of the Period of Performance. The Contractor may submit a copy of the valid permit in place of individual personnel qualifications as part of their bid on the Contract.

2. The Contractor must be the Principal Investigator and Field Director listed on the permit.

D. Cultural Resources Records Review and Fieldwork.

1. The Contractor shall conduct a file and literature search at the South Dakota State Historical Society, and shall contact EMDD Archeologist CJ Truesdale for additional cultural resources records information. The purpose of this file search is to ensure that the Contractor is familiar with the appropriate context and all previous work conducted in the vicinity of the project areas as well as the types and frequencies of cultural resources that may be encountered during fieldwork. This information shall be discussed in the cultural resources inventory report.

2. The Contractor shall notify Eastern Montana-Dakotas District Archeologist, CJ Truesdale via email at least seven (7) days prior to the planned date to begin fieldwork. The BLM will provide a written confirmation via email. The crew chief(s) shall be in possession of copies of the contract and BLM confirmation email or Fieldwork Authorization at all times during fieldwork. All fieldwork shall be completed within the date range identified in the Period of Performance. Qualified crew chiefs shall be present at all times during fieldwork.

E. Recordation of Archeological Sites.

1. Archaeological sites shall be defined according to the criteria provided in the BLM Handbook H-8110-

1, which specifies that the minimum criterion for defining an archaeological site consists of the remnants of past human activity that:

a. Contain at least five artifacts in an area with a diameter of 50 feet, approximately 14 meters-squared;

b. Contain at least one archaeological feature in spatial association with at least one artifact; or

c. Consist of a traditional cultural property (TCP) as defined by National Register Bulletin No. 38.

TCPs may include locations with no physical cultural resources that are considered significant due to association with the ongoing traditions of a group, ethnic community, or Native American tribe.

2. Locations containing fewer than five artifacts and lacking archaeological features shall be recorded as isolated finds. Isolated finds shall be documented on accepted BLM or SHPO isolated find forms.

3. The Contractor shall update all previously recorded archaeological sites within the project area, all updated and new archaeological sites shall use accepted BLM or SHPO site record or update forms and shall comply with BLM and SHPO guidelines regarding how such forms should be completed.

For all previously recorded archaeological site locations visited at which no cultural resources were encountered, a BLM site monitoring form shall be completed.

4. When Historic Period architectural buildings, structures, remnants, roads, mines, or related items are encountered, the archaeological site record form shall detail the results of the land title and mineral

4 | P a g e patent examination, General Land Office (GLO) records and maps, and any pertinent records available from other sources.

5. Additional and supplemental information can be found in the South Dakota Guidelines for Complying with federal and State Preservation Laws (2023).

F. Excavating and Testing Archaeological Sites. Formal archaeological site excavation shall not be conducted pursuant to this contract. Excavation and testing shall not be conducted on surface lands that are not administered by the Montana-Dakotas BLM.

1. Limited shovel or auger probes may be performed if warranted to support a determination of eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Probes may only be conducted if all of the following conditions are met:

a. The contractor must provide to the administrating archaeologist identified locations of probes and demonstrate in writing that limited testing would aid in establishing the potential for a subsurface archaeological component(s) or determine the extent of the archaeological site boundary.

b. Any shovel or auger testing shall avoid negatively impacting site integrity.

c. Shovel and auger probes shall be limited in quantity within individual archaeological site boundaries and shall not disturb any features or other potentially significant elements of the archaeological site.

d. All probes must be reviewed and approved by the administrating archaeologist with written permission to proceed prior to placing probes.

e. Each probe must collect the following minimum information: GPS location, soil characteristics (texture, structure, level-horizon changes, Munsell color (optional), level-horizon depth(s) & Final probe depth, and before & after photographs are required for each probe.

G. Recommendations of Eligibility. The Contractor is required to evaluate for and make supported recommendations of eligibility for listing in the NRHP for all archaeological sites (new or existing) encountered during fieldwork. Eligibility recommendations shall provide detailed justifications as regards why an archaeological site does or does not merit listing in the NRHP and must be sufficient to allow the EMDD archaeologist to make a determination of eligibility. The Contractor is not delegated the authority to make determinations of eligibility. Cultural resources recorded as isolated finds are not eligible for listing in the NRHP.

Eligibility recommendations must be either “eligible” or “not eligible” unless previously approved by the EMDD archaeologist. Some circumstances may warrant a recommendation of “undetermined-unevaluated” for listing in the NRHP. Under such circumstances, the BLM may allow the Contractor to recommend the site “undetermined” for listing in the NRHP; the Contractor must first obtain agreement from the EMDD archaeologist that such a recommendation is warranted and must also include in the inventory report and archaeological site record form a discussion of the appropriate treatment needs that would allow the EMDD to make a determination of eligibility in the future.

H. Assessment of Impacts to Cultural Resources and Treatment Recommendations. For each archaeological site encountered, the Contractor shall discuss how specific types of implementation activities might affect cultural resources within the site boundary. For archaeological sites recommended undetermined or eligible for listing in the NRHP, the Contractor shall also recommend treatment options that would prevent impacts to cultural resources, including avoidance buffers and specific minimization or mitigation strategies (ex. hand tools only, no chemical ignition within site boundaries, archaeological monitoring during or after implementation, etc.) as applicable.

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I. GPS and GIS. The Contractor shall use handheld GPS units while completing fieldwork. GPS units with sub-meter accuracy are required for documenting all features and testing units.

1. The Contractor shall furnish all GPS units; all locational data shall be recorded in Universal Transverse

Mercator (UTM) units (Zone 13) and shall refer to the 1983 North American Datum (NAD83).

2. Inventory areas and archaeological site boundaries shall be recorded as polygons. All unique and/or diagnostic artifacts shall be recorded as points, to include tools, pottery, historical artifacts with makers marks or known date ranges (ex. solarized glass, soldered cans), and other appropriate artifacts. All collected artifact locations shall be recorded as points. Isolates shall be recorded as points. All GIS data must be contractor generated original content.

J. The Government Shall:

1. Perform onsite spot-checks during fieldwork and after submission of table summarizing the results of the inventory and site shapefiles to the COR.

2. Provide initial GIS data of the inventory units to contractor.

K. The Contractor Shall:

1. Conduct Class III cultural resources inventory throughout the entirety of each inventory unit. The selected inventory units within project area interiors shall be subjected to block inventory. All inventory coverage shall be conducted by pedestrians walking in parallel transects. Transect interval spacing shall not exceed 30 meters. Modifying inventory transect intervals may be done if topography or ground surface conditions require (ex. dense grasses and sod) obscure visibility to the extent that narrower transects or testing is needed. Such modification must be described and justified in the text of the inventory report. Inventory shall not exceed 100 acres per person per day.

2. Place a physical site datum, such as rebar or PVC. A digital site datum (GPS point) may be used in place of a physical datum provided the location is recorded on a GPS unit with sub-meter accuracy with a confidence interval of at least 95 percent, is supported by a minimum of ten individually collected points, and describes any GPS correction. Regardless of the emplacement method, the datum location shall be provided in UTMs in the archaeological site record form.

3. The cultural resources inventories are intended to be non-collection inventories. Exceptions to this would include unique diagnostic artifacts and samples suitable for chronometric or isotopic dating-analysis (for example, projectile points that are from the Paleoindian to Early Archaic time periods, obsidian, prehistoric pottery). Other artifacts that may garner additional interest or study, or at risk for destruction, loss, or unauthorized collection may also be collected at the discretion of the Contractor. Guidance as regards the propriety of collection applies only to surface lands administered by the BLM. Collection is not authorized on lands that are not administered by the BLM.

4. Record all cultural resources on respective SD SHPO forms for archaeological site records, archaeological site monitoring records, and/or isolates. All archaeological site boundaries shall be thoroughly documented, regardless of whether the site extends beyond the project area. All features must have individual GPS points/polygons and photographs. If the recordation strategy for an archaeological site does not entail recordation of 100 percent of the identified artifacts on a site, a detailed justification shall be provided that describes why the strategy was appropriate, any sampling methodology implemented, and how the artifacts recorded relate to the artifact types and density on the site overall. Any artifact sample recording effort must be approved prior by the EMDD Archaeologist.

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5. Rerecord and/or update all previously recorded archaeological sites within of the project area.

Describe any changes in site condition and causes observed during the current visit as compared to previous recording events; provide updated eligibility recommendations.

6. Provide at least two 3-inch by 5-inch unmodified digital photographs of each archaeological site.

Standing structures shall be photographed on all sides to illustrate architectural features. Photograph labels shall include a photograph number, brief description, orientation, and location in UTMs. A photographic record shall be maintained.

7. Identify the United States Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5-minute quadrangle topographic map(s) upon which each archaeological site is located. Prepare site location maps at a scale of 1:24,000 that show the site boundary, project area, and inventory area overlaying the 7.5-minute quadrangle topographic map. Each site location map shall include a title with the project and site identifier, north arrow, scale bar, reference scale, and legend. The site boundary shall be clearly labeled. Only one site boundary shall be shown on the site location map. All maps shall be full-page maps on 8.5” x 11” standard copier paper.

8. Prepare site sketch maps for all archaeological sites. Maps shall display assemblage elements including features and artifacts, topographic contour lines, distinctive natural or human-made features, intrusive elements, and locations of any collections. Where appropriate, artifact concentrations may be displayed as polygon features rather than plotting each artifact point individually. All prehistoric artifacts and features shall be recorded using the International System of Units (centimeters, meters, etc.). All Historic Period artifacts and features shall be recorded using the United States customary system (inches, feet, etc.). Where GPS accuracy allows, assemblages may be recorded using GPS data. Where GPS accuracy does not allow, assemblages shall be mapped using a compass and taping and/or pacing.

9. Develop detailed recommendations for avoidance and/or protection for archaeological sites containing elements that would be altered or damaged by project implementation activities, examples like impacts to wooden structures, and rock art as applicable.

10. The Contractor shall obtain Smithsonian numbers from the SHPO for all archaeological sites encountered that do not have a previously assigned Smithsonian number, follow South Dakota SHPO guidelines. Draft archaeological site record forms shall be submitted as part of the draft inventory report. Smithsonian numbers shall be included on the draft archaeological site record forms. The contractor is responsible for addressing SHPO comments on site forms. Isolated finds shall not have Smithsonian numbers assigned and shall instead use unique identifiers assigned by the Contractor.

11. The Contractor shall generate original professional reports and associated forms and provide the BLM with GIS data for all inventory, archaeological site, and isolate find locations. GIS data shall meet the data requirements for the EMDD and the SHPO consistent with Section I.

L. Collections (if Applicable).

1. Collections are not authorized on any lands not administered by the BLM-SDFO, for exemptions see

Section IV.K.3 above. Contact the COR or archeologist with questions or for guidance. Any collections shall be properly labeled, catalogued using BLM catalog cards, and processed in accordance with Billings Curation Center packaging standards. The BLM will provide forms and packaging requirements to the Contractor if needed.

2. Cultural resources on surface lands administered by the BLM are property of the United States Government. The curation facility for any collections associated with this contract is the Billings Curation Center. The Contractor shall submit all collections directly to the Billings Curation Center.

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Accession numbers and dates of transfer of custody shall be included in the relevant final archaeological site record form(s) and the final inventory report(s) to the extent possible. The Contractor is responsible for securing all collections until custody is transferred to the Billings Curation Center. The EMDD archeologist will receive a receipt directly from the Billings Curation Center.

3. If collections are made, the Contractor is responsible for producing an additional hard and digital copy of the relevant inventory report(s), which shall be submitted to the Billings Curation Center along with all collections.

4. The BLM will bear the cost of curation fees but will not cover fees potentially associated, such as the costs of printing the additional report, vehicle fuel, or drive time.

M. Analysis and Report Preparation.

1. Upon completion of the Class III cultural resources inventory fieldwork for each project area, the

Contractor shall prepare original professional quality report(s) that addresses the general categories outlined below, as described in Appendix 4 of the H-8110-1 Handbook. Individual reports, see section IV, should be written as follows: 1) Fall River County, and 2) Custer County. A total of 2 reports shall be prepared. Each report shall contain the following:

a. Title Sheet. Must include the project numbers assigned by the BLM and the Contractor as well as the signature of the Principal Investigator(s).

b. Abstract. Provide a brief abstract of the inventory and results that consists of no more than 250 words. The abstract shall outline the report contents and refer to specific highlights from the narrative.

c. Table of Contents. Table of contents must include all chapter titles and all subheadings to the archaeological site number level.

d. Introduction. Provide an overview of the project including its purpose and design features. Include a table of all tracts inventoried for this project as described by their legal land descriptions.

e. Literature Search. Provide a brief but complete discussion on the work that has previously been conducted within at least one half mile of the project area. Identify all previous cultural resources inventories in a table or appendix that includes the SHPO records search number and lists each unique identifier for reports, date, BLM report number (if available), year, proponent, and project title. Identify all previously recorded archaeological sites in a table that includes the Smithsonian number, the year of the most recent site recording event, the general age of the archaeological site, and the current NRHP-eligibility status.

f. Environmental and Cultural Setting. Provide a brief but complete overview of the environment in which the inventory tracts are located. Also provide a brief overview of the cultural setting of the inventory areas that describes the prehistory, Historic Period, and recent past.

g. Inventory Results. Provide a summary description of each cultural resource encountered in the inventory report as well as on the appropriate forms. Indicate results from preliminary evaluation and any problems connected with recordation of the cultural resource. Include photographs of cultural properties located during the inventory. Use graphics and tables as appropriate to summarize findings.

h. Summary and Recommendations. Discuss the results of each inventory in summary form. Include the following:

i. Identify the sites recorded, whether the sites are prehistoric or Historic Period, and what type of site is represented.

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ii. Evaluate each cultural property for its eligibility for listing in the NRHP. The Contractor shall use an appropriate prehistoric and/or historical context in which to evaluate cultural properties and shall employ the National Register Criteria in those evaluations. The Contractor shall clearly describe the rationale used to determine which sites are eligible, potentially eligible, and not eligible.

i. References Cited. Include a list of all sources cited in report.

j. Appendices. Appendices to the reports shall be included. Appendices shall include project area inventory maps and photographs, archaeological site record forms as applicable, archaeological site monitoring forms as applicable, isolated find forms as applicable, and any other supporting documentation deemed relevant.

k. Maps and Graphics. Provide appropriate maps, charts, tabulations, and graphics necessary to support the report narrative.

2. Preservation, Packing, and Packaging. Submitted collections shall adhere to the standards identified for the Billings Curation Center.

V. Specifications and Standards.

A. The Contractor shall adhere to the guidelines and standards for BLM cultural resources inventories, which can be found in the H-8110-1 Handbook it can be made available at the SDFO upon request.

B. The Government owns the information, reports, forms, data, maps, or information generated as a result of this contract; all materials and deliverables are government property-information. Proper citation of published works using data as a result of this effort is required.

VI. The Contractor Shall Not:

A. Complete consultation with Native American groups.

B. Sign or approve on environmental documents on behalf of cultural resources or Native American religious concerns.

C. Employ the use of prompt engineering technologies (Artificial Intelligence models) to produce, write, complete, analyze, or summarize, any of the information, data, or results of the on the ground inventory effort. No work generated or submitted by these means is acceptable. Documents and language will be inspected at the discretion of the BLM archeologist, COR, Authorized Officer, or Contracting Officer.

VII. Government Provided Information.

A. The BLM will provide GIS data for all inventory unit boundaries.

B. The BLM will share cultural resources data and project data located at either the Miles City or Billings

Field Office’s that are relevant to the proposed projects and not available through the SD-SHPO.

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VIII. Deliverables.

A. The Contractor shall prepare the cultural resources inventory report(s) and associated forms (including site records, isolate forms, and monitoring forms, as applicable) for all projects inventoried under Section IV.A & B. of this scope of work.

B. Address for deliverables:

Bureau of Land Management

Eastern Montana-Dakotas District Attn.: CJ Truesdale, Archaeologist

111 Garryowen Road Miles City, MT 59301

C. Report(s): One (1) copy of each draft Class III cultural resources inventory report with associated maps, photographs, isolated find forms, and other supporting documentation. The report and forms shall be typed in single-spaced Times New Roman, 12-point font. All text, tables, figures, and images. All pages shall be printed single-sided or double-sided on 8.5" x 11" standard copier paper. Draft submission may be substituted consistent to the requirements of section H below, where draft deliverables are acceptable digitally on a USB drive-device.

D. Forms: One (1) copy of each draft archaeological site record and archaeological site monitoring form. The forms shall be typed in single-spaced Times New Roman, 12-point font. All pages shall be printed single-sided or double-sided on 8.5" x 11" standard copier paper.

E. One (1) draft GIS database with feature classes for each project area and a feature class for archaeological sites shall be submitted, that contains all site visited in association with the project area. The attribute table shall include, at a minimum, the Smithsonian site number as assigned by the SHPO, the temporary/field archaeological site number assigned by the Contractor, and the NRHP eligibility recommendation. The feature class for each project area shall have an attribute identifying the project area. It is the contractor’s responsibility to create these data. Resubmission of BLM provided data will not be accepted.

F. One (1) complete bound hard copy of each final Class III cultural resources inventory report with associated maps, photographs, isolated find forms, and other supporting documentation are required. One

(1) hard copies of each final complete archaeological site record form and-or final archaeological site monitoring forms with Smithsonian site numbers and photographs are also required.

G. All project area and site locations must be mapped using USGS 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps as a base dataset. They may be produced digitally; however, all site location maps must be at a scale of 1:24,000 (hard copy maps will be checked using a land location tool), must display a reference scale at 1:24,000, must be full-page at a minimum size of 8.5” x 11” (including title bar, north arrow, scale bar, and legend). Project area maps must show all surveyed areas within the map frame, all cultural resources (including sites and isolated finds) appropriately labeled with applicable unit and site numbers. For project areas and site maps larger than may fit on one 8.5” x 11” sheet, multiple 1:24,000 maps must be included.

One overview map at a scale appropriate for viewing the full project and inventory areas must also be included. Site overview maps are also required at a scale appropriate for viewing the full site boundary.

Additional maps for inventories and sites are strongly encouraged as needed to convey resource information such as spatial association, site density, use of imagery, or additional data sources.

H. Digital submission shall consist of final digital copies, PDF preferred, of each final report with all associated forms. Submitted PDF’s must be a minimum of 500dpi resolution to be acceptable. See section

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IV. Final GIS data will also be submitted consistent Part E of this section. Additional information related to finished artifacts points, features as points or polygons as appropriate, artifact concentrations as polygons, and any disturbances or unique features within or affecting sites as points or polygons is acceptable. Electronic submissions must be included in the mailed or in-person delivery of the final deliverables on USB storage device. Emails and secure links, such as FTP’s or the like, are not acceptable per DOI policy.

I. The contractor shall provide two (2) USB flash drives containing each of the reports, associated forms, and final shapefiles suitable for display in ArcGIS. Feature classes shall include inventoried area polygons, site boundary polygons, site datum points, finished artifacts points, features as points or polygons as appropriate, artifact concentrations as polygons, and any disturbances or unique features within or affecting sites as points or polygons as appropriate. Each attribute table shall include the BLM project number, the Contractor project number, the Smithsonian site number as assigned by the SHPO (as applicable), the temporary/field identifier for the site or isolated find as designated by the Contractor (as applicable), a brief description of the nature-type of the site or isolated find (as applicable), and the final eligibility recommendation offered by the Contractor (as applicable).

J. One digital copy of the photograph record for each project area.

K. One digital copy of all field notes for each project.

IX. Period of Performance.

A. The Period of Performance is 29 September, 2025 to 30 September, 2026.

B. All fieldwork shall be completed no later than 1 July, 2026.

C. The brief summary of results with GIS data for each project area shall be submitted no later than 15 July, 2026.

D. Submission of either hard and-or digital copies of all draft cultural resources inventory report(s) and associated forms, documentation, and GIS shall be submitted to the BLM no later than 1 August, 2026.

E. The BLM shall review the draft cultural resources inventory reports and associated forms, documentation, GIS, conduct spot checks and provide corrections and feedback within four (4) weeks of submittal.

F. All final deliverables, including reports, forms, maps, GIS, and transfer of custody of collections to the

Billings Curation Center, shall be received by the BLM no later than 30 August, 2026.

X. Payment.

Payment shall be made on the following schedule:

1. Completion of prefield Meeting, Documentation of File Search Completion, and BLM Confirmation of Contractor Intent to Begin Fieldwork……………………………………………………………… 15%

2. The BLM Receives Documentation of Completion of Fieldwork………………………………… 20%

3. The BLM Receives the summary brief lists of Archaeological Sites in Each Project Area with Site

Numbers, Brief Descriptions, Eligibility Recommendations……………………………………… 10%

4. The BLM Notifies the Contractor that the Draft Report(s) are Accepted…………………………. 30%

5. The BLM Accepts All Final Deliverables, To Include Reports, Forms, GIS, and Acceptance of Any

Collections by the Billings Curation Center……………………………………………………….. 25%

Appendix 1: legal land description of inventory parcels

Unit 1: Battle Mountain Fall River County:

Township 7 South, Range 6 East:

Sec. 20 SE;

Sec. 21 SW, SWSE;

Sec. 28 SWNW;

Sec. 29 NWNE, NENE, SENE;

Unit 2: Iron Shoe Custer County:

Township 6 South, Range 3 East;

Sec. 24 NENE, NWNE, SWNE;

Unit 3: Fossil Cycad Fall River County:

Township 7 South, Range 3 East;

Sec. 35 SWNE, NESW, SWSW, SESW, SE;

Unit 4: East of Edgemont/Igloo Fall River County:

Township 9 South, Range 3 East:

Sec. 2 NWSE, SWSE, SESE;

Sec. 11 NENE, NWNE, SWSW, SESW, SWSE, SESE;

Sec. 12 NWNW, SWNW;

Sec. 14 NE, NW;

Sec. 15 SWNE, SENE, SWSW, SESW, SE;

Sec. 22 NE;

Unit 5: Canyon Rim

Township 6 South, Range 3 East;

Sec. 10 SWNE, SESW;

Sec. 15 NWNW, SWNW, SENW;

Map 6: Hell Canyon/Elk Mountain

Township 4 South 2 East:

Sec. 31 Lot 4;

Township 5 South 1 East:

Sec. 1 Lot 2;

Sec. 2 Lot 3; SWNE, SENW, NESE, NWSE;

Sec. 10 NWSE;

Township 5 South East 2:

Sec. 18 NENW;

Map 7: Pilger Mountain Fall River:

Township 7 South 3 East;

Sec. 10 NENE, NESW, NESE, NWSE;

Sec. 11 NWNW, SWNW;

Appendix 2 - Unit Maps