CTUIR Oral History Analysis

THIS IS A SPECIAL NOTICE PREPARED IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (FAR) SUBPART 5.2 “SYNOPSES OF PROPOSED CONTRACT ACTIONS” The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Portland District (NWP) intends to negotiate/award a firm-fixed-price service procurement to the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR) to organize, analyze, and digitize existing materials and data about cultural resources in Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day Pools in support the Federal Columbia River Power System Cultural Resources Program, Wana Pa Koot Koot.

Background: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District (Corps) and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), referred to as “the Agencies” hereinafter, are jointly responsible for compliance with Sections 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) under the terms of the 2009 System wide Programmatic Agreement (SWPA) for management of Historic Properties affected by operation and maintenance of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS).

The study area for this procurement includes federal land managed by the Corps located within the John Day Project on the Oregon and Washington side of the Columbia River. This area is within the ceded territory of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR).

Justification: The study area includes federal land managed by the Corps located within the Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day Projects on the Oregon and Washington side of the Columbia River. This area is within the ceded territory of the CTUIR. The CTUIR possesses unique knowledge and records of Umatilla Indian ancestral village sites, prehistoric burial areas, and areas of traditional cultural properties and resources that exist within and overlap the known boundaries of the subject historic properties in the APE. Not all of this information is made public knowledge.

Impact: Failure to utilize the CTUIR’s knowledge and records of archeological sites and resources within the APE would delay the Corps in being able to fulfill required long term management strategies for the area and impact compliance with Sections and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act under the terms of the 2009 Systemwide Programmatic Agreement for management of Historic Properties affected by operation and maintenance of the FCRPS. Furthermore, Government relations with the CTUIR would be negatively impacted.

Alternatives: There are no known alternatives for these services that possess the knowledge of the CTUIR tribal history or could speak on the CTUIR’s behalf.