CUSTER NATIONAL FOREST: Historic Overview, West Fork of Rock Creek Corridor

Project Title: Custer National Forest - Historic Overview, West Fork of Rock Creek Corridor Scope of Work: The Forest Service is in need of Contractor provided services to complete a Historic Overview project for the West Fork of Rock Creek Corridor. Introduction: The Custer National Forest entered into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Montana State Historic Preservation Office (MTSHPO) regarding the mitigation of adverse effects to the West Fork of Rock Creek (WFRC) Road and historic properties along its route from the reconstruction of the road. A draft historical overview and historic context for the West Fork of Rock Creek Road was developed describing the history of the West Fork of Rock Creek (WFRC) drainage, including associated activities and recorded sites located along the route. The draft document and other products are to be finalized now in partial fulfillment of the mitigation measures set forth in the MOA. Historic Overview, Study Objectives: Professional services are needed to finalize the historical overview and context narrative for the West Fork of Rock Creek (WFRC) drainage that describes the history of the WFRC drainage, including associated activities and recorded sites located along the route that has been developed in draft form. The location of these activities and their function will be evaluated in context of the type of activity, the physical remains of such activity, and its relative significance within the history of the Beartooth District and the Custer National Forest. The study will also include, but is not limited to, recreation, mining, and timber activities and the relative importance of these sites in the WFRC road corridor, the town of Red Lodge, and other developed transportation corridors along Beartooth Front within the Beartooth Ranger District. The contractor shall determine the method and techniques necessary for completion of the Historic Overview, discuss them in their submittal, and conduct the work accordingly. A. Historic Overview and Context for the West Fork of Rock Creek Road The Contractor shall finalize the established draft narrative and complete the document to include the history and context narrative of the WFRC drainage, identification of property types, a list of these properties, descriptions and plans for the properties, their location in the corridor and their relative significance. The final document will also include, but not be limited to, recreation, mining, and timber activities and the relative importance of these sites in the WFRC road corridor, the town of Red Lodge, and other developed transportation corridors along Beartooth Front within the Beartooth Ranger District. Based on the themes and the subthemes developed in the historic overview and historic context, the following information will be incorporated into a narrative document that will include but is not limited to: 1. A description of the transportation system as it relates to activities such as camps, trails, recreation sites, historic properties, mining, timber, and the relative importance of these sites in the WFRC drainage, the town of Red Lodge, the Beartooth Front and south central Montana. 2. Description of the patterns of historic transportation, kinds of historic transportation and the needs they addressed along the WFRC and including types of roads, trails and features such as bridges. 3. Development of a local chronology to be used as a framework for understanding the evolution of transportation networks on the Beartooth Front, south central Montana. 4. Incorporation of field inventory and evaluation of all trails and roads in the WFRC drainage identified in the Historic Context draft and the results included in the document. Historic sites will include record searches with concise history of property using Federal land records, county records, local histories and other secondary sources and interviews to gather data. 5. Definition of key historic themes pertinent to the recreational development as well as sub themes (dude ranches, CCC development, private enterprises, recreational camps, recreation residences, campsites, hiking trails, etc.) and periods of significance relative to the recreational development within the corridor and on the Beartooth District 6. Incorporate pertinent information from oral histories previously conducted in the draft overview and contextual document. 7. Include results of the archival research - maps, documents, photographs - that are recorded in the draft overview and contextual document. Forest Service-Furnished Materials and Services The Forest Service will provide all historical background information gathered to date, a draft copy of the contextual document, inventory results and site forms for all recorded sites in the WFRC Corridor, oral history transcripts, and access to archival information located at the Custer National Forest, Supervisor's Office. Contract Report Outline Executive Summary Abstract Background History of the Beartooth District Research Methodology and sources consulted Historical Overview of the WFRC Corridor Historic Themes and Subthemes Inventory results - Description of activities using tables and graphics as appropriate. Changes in original objectives or strategy and major gaps in historical data. WFRC Historic Context - Property types, significance, relative importance Discuss any contributions made to the region's history. Historic Site Descriptions Suggested Research Directions Summary and Conclusions References Cited Appendices Maps and Graphics Site Records Deliverables to the USFS The contractor shall submit the following: 1. One hard copy and two CDs of the draft report. 2. Camera ready copy of final report. The report shall be typed single spaced, two sided, printed on 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper, and bound. The appendices will be bound separately. 3. Two copies of the final report. 4. Two sets of USGS 7.5 minute topographic maps showing the location of all historic sites and project boundary identified within the project area. 5. Three CDs containing copies in the appropriate WORD format of all required documents labeled with the contractor name, contract number, task order number, CNF Project number, and the names of software applications used to create the report. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) Nominations The Contractor shall: 1. Evaluate the significance of the WFRC Drainage and determine if a Multiple Properties Nomination or Historic Landscape Nomination is appropriate, and under what criteria. Determine the amount of additional work needed to develop the potential nomination. 2. Update and finalize nomination of Rock Creek Guard Station to the NRHP. Public Education Documents The Contractor shall: 1. Write a popular version of the "History of the WFRC Drainage" based on the historic overview to be made available to the Public, and to be placed on file with the Carbon County Library and Peaks to Plains Museum. 2. Develop and write an interpretive plan for the WFRC, including the design of interpretive signs, that convey the history of the WFRC drainage and associated sites (for example Camp Senia, Wild Bill Lake, Timbercrest Girl Scout Camp; historic trails) that could be used to make museum displays and brochures interpreting these significant historic resources. Project Location: The work will be located on the Custer National Forest, Beartooth Ranger District. Contract Type: A Firm-Fixed Price contract is expected to result from this solicitation. Interested bidders with technical questions may contact Halcyon La Point, Heritage Program Lead, at the Custer National Forest, Supervisor's Office at +1 (555) 000-0000. The solicitation will be available on approximately 29 May 2014 and can be downloaded from this website at that time.