NRCS-New Mexico Cultural Resources Inventory and Recordation Services

The NRCS is soliciting proposals from Contractors for the completion of an intensive pedestrian cultural resources inventory of four (4) projects where undertakings are planned. The project areas occur on private lands and New Mexico State Trust lands located in De Baca, Guadalupe, San Miguel, and Torrance Counties, New Mexico.

For these undertakings, the NRCS New Mexico is providing technical and financial assistance to agricultural producers to implement conservation practices that have potential to affect cultural resources within the delineated project areas. The project areas range in size between 170 and 1,091 acres, with a combined acreage of 2,647 acres.

The proposed conservation practices in the project areas are intended to improve overall range conditions, reduce soil losses, improve wildlife habitat, and increase forage production. Because these projects will receive Federal funding from the NRCS through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Bill, the proposed conservation practices are considered undertakings subject to review for potential impacts to historic properties under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).

Identification of cultural resources within the area of potential effects (APE) is therefore necessary before implementation of the proposed conservation practices may occur. Contractors will complete an intensive pedestrian cultural resources inventory of the indicated APEs to identify historic properties that may be adversely affected as a result of the proposed undertaking(s).

As stated previously, and as shown on the attached project maps, the APE’s for the projects total 2,647 acres of private and New Mexico State Trust lands located in De Baca, Guadalupe, San Miguel, and Torrance Counties, New Mexico. The planned conservation practices and standard buffers guided the development of the APE for the purposes of these projects. Any/all questions must be submitted in writing to amy.smith2@usda.gov no later than August 3, 2026, 5:00pm ET. Please see RFQ documents/attachments below for complete details.