February 25, 2019

NPS LOI Arkansas Post Natl Memorial

Midwest Regional Office, National Park Service
And Arkansas Post National Memorial, Arkansas

Title: Ethnographic Overview & Assessment: African-Americans and Arkansas Post National Memorial

Full ARPO Letter of Interest is available here.

The Midwest Region Cultural Anthropology program is interested in an ethnographic overview and assessment study relating to the involvement of African Americans in historic developments at Arkansas Post National Memorial (ARPO). Historic resources indicate that African Americans have been present at the post and environs since the early Historic period, but details are sparse through the Fur Trade and Territorial periods, with slightly more evidence known for the Civil War period. It is not until the post-Civil War that historic records on African Americans are more readily available. Census data indicates a significant proportion (more than half) of the local population is African American; this, and the prevalence of intergenerational continuity (for both African- and Euro-American communities) in Desha County suggest that the local African American community has significant historic connections to cultural resources at ARPO. This project will initiate a targeted ethnographic study to identify connections, assess significant gaps in the data, and develop interpretation of the African American history at Arkansas Post.

Responses to this LOI should identify the specific capabilities within the university that will allow them to address the needs of the project, including identification of the relevant departments, faculty, students, and resources that will be involved in the project. Response to this LOI should also outline the approach to the project envisioned by the Principal Investigator, along with a proposed budget outline that supports the research approach.

LOI Response Timeframe

Deadline for responding to this letter of interest is Monday, March 25, 2019.

Funds Available

Project funds available are approximately $97,000. The funding includes an overhead rate of 17.5 percent.  The project will be funded by the National Park Service. Universities within the CESU network are eligible to apply. This project is not a grant, and will be administered as a Federal Financial Assistance research project through the CESU network.

Letters of Interest

Letters of Interest (LOI) should be sent to the address located in the “contact” section. LOI’s will be reviewed by the NPS and the top candidate(s) will be asked to provide and submit a full proposal responsive to a Scope of Work. That proposal will detail the work to be conducted, providing and describing the methodology and research design, and outlining a schedule for the project.

The LOI should describe your research interest(s) in the projects, past projects that are similar in topic and/or form, and any relevant experience in completing ethnographic projects, along with a copy of a resume or vita for the Principal Investigator. Please include your name, affiliated organization(s), and contact information. Please try and limit LOI’s to 4 pages.

Contact

Responses of interest should be directed before the closing date to Michael J. Evans, Ph.D. (Michael_Evans@nps.gov). Additional questions can be answered by contacting Michael J. Evans, Ph.D. , Chief, Cultural Anthropology Program, Midwest Region Ethnography Program, National Park Service (612-345-0019).