Yakama Nation Monitoring

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 and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation) to gather information that can assist in the development of long-term cultural resource management decisions.

The following actions provide background and context in which the Corps makes decisions: Observation, documentation, and reporting on the physical dynamics involved in the erosional or depositional processes occurring at monitored sites. Recording site conditions in an effort to provide information from which future changes such as sediment loss, topographic change, vegetation change, human and animal use impacts, soil disturbance, and vandalism can be quantitatively determined.

Monitoring for looting, vandalism, and burial desecration at designated sites and ensuring the notification of proper authorities. Accurate documentation of the variation and diversity of potential impacts and causal factors at the site. Providing recommendations for treatment of monitored sites including recommendations regarding future monitoring frequency. Providing tribal insight about the religious and cultural significance of sites.

Background: The Corps BPA(Agencies) are jointly responsible for compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) under the terms of the 2009 Systemwide Programmatic Agreement (SWPA) for management of historic properties affected by operations of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS). The Corps manages the Bonneville, The Dalles, and John Day Projects, which are part of the FCRPS. The FCRPS Cultural Resource Program works closely with interested and affected tribes, State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), and other agencies for cultural resource management in compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA.

Justification: The Yakama Nation possess unique knowledge of their ancestral artifacts, village sites, prehistoric burial areas, and areas of traditional cultural properties and resources within the project area.

Impact: Failure to utilize the Yakama Nation’s knowledge of its archeological sites and resources would delay the Corps in being able to make required long term management strategies for the area and impact compliance with Section 106 of the NHPA under the terms of the 2009 Systemwide Programmatic Agreement for management of historic properties affected by operation and maintenance of the FCRPS. Furthermore, government-to-government relations with the Yakama Nation would be negatively impacted.

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