The National Park Service is seeking Tribal engagement assistance for two park administrative histories for more efficient project management. One is for Petroglyph National Monument (PETR) and the other is for Chaco Culture National Historical Park (CHCU). Although Chaco was created in 1907 and Petroglyph in 1990, both units are in New Mexico and consult with many of the same Pueblos and Tribal governments.

An administrative history describes how a park was conceived, how it was established, and how it has been managed over time. It covers important topics related to park operations, including legislation, land acquisition, resources management, infrastructure development, interpretation, Tribal engagement, and partnerships. Park managers are often the primary audience for these documents, but they are also useful to park partners and the interested public. A Tribal engagement specialist or team of specialists will work with NPS project contacts to coordinate support for two administrative history projects. It is important to note that the purpose of these administrative histories is not to collect indigenous knowledge of resources, but to document how Tribal relations with park management have changed over time.

This assistance is necessary for several reasons. First, it will ensure that Pueblos and Tribes are engaged at the beginning of a project. Second, it will help consolidate requests for information from Pueblo and Tribal governments. Finally, it will help ensure that Indigenous perspectives are meaningfully incorporated into these administrative histories and that these administrative histories will also be useful to Tribal governments when completed.

Check back for more information. This project just kicked off in Fall 2025.

NCPH, via our cooperative agreement with the National Park Service, is seeking a Tribal Engagement Specialist for two park administrative histories to facilitate efficient project management and ensure that Tribal perspectives are reflected in the final publications. One is for Petroglyph National Monument (PETR) and the other is for Chaco Culture National Historical Park (CHCU), both in New Mexico. The Tribal Engagement Specialist (or Team) will coordinate meetings with and solicit feedback from 31 Tribes and Pueblos and work with NPS, Tribal representatives, and the administrative history PIs to prepare a Tribal Engagement Plan which will guide the two projects.

(While this Request for Letters of Interest is specific to Component A, the person selected for the first phase of the work will have rights of first refusal to continue with Component B if future funding is secured. If Component B funding is not awarded in subsequent years, the project will be considered complete upon delivery of Component A requirements.)

Read the full Request for Letters of Interest in Word and PDF formats.

Project Title: Tribal Engagement Support for CHCU and PETR Administrative Histories
Project Budget: $18,000.00 for Component A, with an additional $3,240.00 allotted for travel. (There is separate funding for honoraria to compensate Tribal members for their time.)
Deadline for Letter of Interest to NCPH: September 15, 2025
Expected Date to Award Project: September 30, 2025
Anticipated Start Date: October 15, 2025
Timeline for Completion of Component A: October 30, 2026
(If funding is secured in subsequent years, the Tribal Engagement Specialist will have rights of first refusal to continue their work for four additional years. See end of document for a proposed breakdown of Component B if future budgets allow.)