SOW_Class_III_Cultural_Mgmt_Survey.pdf

Statement of Work – Class III Cultural Resource Management Survey and Traditional Cultural Property Field Survey (Richard Springs Timber Salvage)

Statement of Work

Class III Cultural Resource Management Pedestrian Survey and

Traditional Cultural Property Survey

Mission Statement

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) mission is to enhance the quality of life, to promote economic opportunity and carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust asset of American Indians, Indian tribes and Alaskan Natives. BIA trust responsibility is to ensure the protection of tribal and Individual Indian lands, assets, resources and treaty rights.

Objective

The Northern Cheyenne Agency has a need for an archaeological Class III Cultural Resource Management Pedestrian Survey and a Traditional Cultural Property Survey on approximately 7,581 acres of land located within the exterior boundary of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana.

Scope

The Northern Cheyenne Agency has a need for an archaeological Class III Cultural Resource Survey and a Traditional Cultural Property Survey. The surveys will be used to identify and inventory cultural properties to be avoided prior to harvesting timber from the Richard Springs Fire, which started 10 miles north of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in August 2021.

The timber must be harvested within a specific time period after fire suppression operation, before the marketable timber deteriorates. The Richard Spring Fire harvestable timber areas is approximately 7,581 acres is located within the exterior boundary of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana. The attached map (exhibit 1) shows the project area, separated into three sub-areas. Table 1 describes each area as presented on exhibit 1.

Table 1.

PROJECT

AREA

MAP NUMBER

DESIGNATION

APPROXIMATE

ACREAGE

1 1 1,997 2 2, 3, 5, 6 3,750 3 4 1,256

The contractor shall not perform inherently governmental functions under this contract.

Compliance with National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) remain with the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Services sought are the Class IIII Cultural Resource Management survey and a Traditional Cultural Property survey for the identified timber harvest project areas.

Tasks to be Completed

All surveys are scheduled to begin 1 week after contract is awarded.

1. Surveys will be intensive surface inspections of identified project’s area of potential effect. No subsurface testing will be conducted.

2. Tribal Historic Preservation Office staff conducts the Traditional Cultural Property survey and participates in the Class III Cultural Resource Management pedestrian survey as crew members.

3. Contractor will include wage of Northern Cheyenne THPO technicians in the contract budget.

A survey crew of 5 must include one (1) TCP technician. Northern Cheyenne THPO technicians are register with Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO) and are considered contractors.

Encluded in the Appendices are the Tribal Employment Rights Office fee schedule and permit application. Contact Northern Cheyenne THPO for fee schedule. Teanna Limpy 406-406-477-

4. Class III Cultural Resource Management will include the Northern Cheyenne Forestry project area map (exhibit 1) delineating three (3) different archaeological and TCP survey areas or polygons and proposed road construction.

5. All access roads identified as new construction will receive an intensive pedestrian surface inspection with transects spaced at no greater than 30 feet or 10 meters.

6. For timber cutting areas, all bottomlands and level upland ridges will be intensively inventoried with transects spaced at no greater than 30 feet or 10 meters.

7. Moderate to steep slopes (greater than 20%) will receive only cursory examination to identify rock outcrops and/or any level mid-slope features (spurs, benches etc.). If such outcrops or features are identified, they will be intensively examined using the same strategy as for uplands and bottomlands.

Site Recording of Archaeological and Historic Sites

All sites located during this inventory will be recorded in the following manner:

o Archaeological and historic sites will be described and documented on BIA or Tribal Registry site form, which will be provided.

o Contractor will consult with the Tribal Historic Preservation Office Director for direction with assigning temporary field numbers. THPO will coordinate with the State Historic Preservation Office to obtain Smithsonian Numbers for identified site(s).

o Site locations will be accurately plotted with a Geographic Information System (GIS) and on U.S.G.S. 7.5 Minute topographic maps. A photocopy of relevant portions will be included with each site form.

o A scaled sketch map of each site will be prepared, which accurately shows the site boundaries and the location of any pertinent cultural or natural features, diagnostic artifacts and artifact concentrations.

o Four photographs facing each cardinal direction will be taken of each site.

o No cultural material will be collected. Diagnostic artifacts will be sketched, photographed and artifacts will not be removed from sites.

o A 50-foot buffer around each site will be clearly delineated. Contractor will use flagging to delineate identified site(s), as a project quality insurance measure for site avoidance.

Project Kick- Off meeting and Exit meeting will be held with Rocky Mountain Regional Archaeologist, Northern Cheyenne Agency Forestry, Tribal Historic Preservation Office and Contractor. Kick-off meeting will provide information on maps, roads, and any other concerns the contractor may voice, Exit meeting will provide project information on identified site location(s) for NC Forestry staff. Northern Cheyenne THPO will approve the cultural information included in the Environmental Assessment.

Preliminary evaluations of the National Register eligibility of each site will be based on surface inspections and THPO review. Review will include available documentary information of site, and the general association with any existing historic or precontact contexts.

Site Recording of Other Cultural Features

THPO will determine documentation required for any recent identified traditional cultural property such as graves, cemeteries, offerings, piercing trees or Sundance lodges. THPO in coordination with BIA Rocky Mountain Region will provide guidance on how sites are documented and avoided. For reference a short BIA cultural form is attached.

Site locations will be accurately plotted with a Global Positioning Unit (GPS) and plotted within a Geographic Information System (GIS). Contractor will plot site on the relevant U.S.G.S. 7.5 Minute topographic map. A photocopy of relevant portions will be included with each site form.

No Smithsonian site numbers will be assigned to these sites. Locations of cultural features and the appropriate site forms will only be available to the BIA and the respective tribal nation.

A 50-foot buffer will be clearly delineated around each site to buffer identified sites.

Contractor will flag identified sites for the BIA Northern Cheyenne Forestry. This quality assurance measure provides sites information to Norhtern Cheyenne forestry for site avoidance mitigation measure.

Report

Two copies of a draft archaeological report will be submitted to Rocky Mountain Regional Archaeologist: one electronic and one paper. After review by the Regional Archaeologist a final report will be submitted which will include an unbound report and two digital copies. All reports will include the following: The BIA/Montana Report of Findings Cover Sheet or Tribal Registry site form.

A discussion of the survey and results, which will follow the basic outline included as Attachment. A copy of a map (7.5 Minute Scale) and Geographic Information System (GIS) map with shape file that identifies the area(s) inventoried.

A separate confidential appendix which includes (1) a map (7.5 Minute Scale) showing the area(s) inventoried and the locations of all archaeological, GIS, historical sites and cultural areas, and (2) Completed BIA or Tribal Site forms and Cultural Areas Short Forms, with accompanying location maps, sketch maps and photographs. The report will include digital photographs.

Contractor to propose mitigation measure(s) if adverse effects are identified.

Contractor will work with Northern Cheyenne Agency Forestry, Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO) and other related departments for resource and tribal cultural property identification. THPO technicians shall be a part of the field survey crew.

Schedule

A draft Archaeological Class III report will be submitted 180 days after completion of Class III Cultural Resource Management Survey.

BIA-RMR will review Class III report within 10 days providing comments to the Contractor.

Final Class III report will be delivered 10 days after incorporating comments to Regional Archaeologist.

Class III CRM and TCP Survey Milestones

TASK DESCRIPTION DUE DATE

Project Kickoff meeting

Contractor, Agency and Tribal staff meeting and Contracting Officer Representative (COR)

5 days after contract is let

Cultural Survey Conduct inventory and complete 33 days: Less than 2,000 acres 90 days; Greater than 2,000 acres

Draft Class III CRM Draft of CRM report due after completion of survey

10 days: Less than 2000 acres 20 days: Greater than 2000 acres

T2SR42ET2SR41E

T2SR43E

T3SR42ET3SR41E T3SR43E

Richard Spring Fire - Preliminary Salvage Boundary *As progress continues, boundary will change*

Total Acres = 7,581

2/24/2022 /

0 3 61.5 Miles

BIA/NCA/FORESTRY/MESSER

Legend Primary Roads

Secondary Roads

Highway

NCR_Boundary

BLOCK

1 - 3,757 acres

2 - 317 acres

3 - 49 acres

4 - 1,256 acres

5 - 2,153 acres

6 - 49 acres