New South Associates has strong experience in developing and updating Integrated Cultural Resource Management Plans (ICRMPs), which are five-year plans for the Department of Defense (DoD) that outline their compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. An ICRMP is considered a component of an installation’s Master Plan; moreover, it is the basis for cultural resource management and compliance decision-making for the installation commander. Each ICRMP should minimally contain:

• A thorough identification of all legal requirements and procedures related to cultural resource management;
• An identification of all projects within a five-year period that may affect cultural
resources;
• A planning survey that includes existing information on cultural resources located on the installation;
• A plan for field inventory and evaluation of new cultural resources located;
• Provisions for the curation of recovered artifacts and for limiting availability of cultural resources;
• Procedures to ensure Native tribes in the area are provided access to their sacred sites and are consulted in future plans; and
• An estimate of resources required to execute the plan.

Other agencies use Historic Preservation Management Plans (HPMPs) or similar plans in a like context, serving as guiding documents citing specific preservation needs, containing a synopsis of past actions, outlining future actions and potential funding, and setting a date for the plan’s future renewal. The HPMP should be tailored to the needs of the agency or entity that is under study and should reflect consultation with knowledgeable staff about relevant preservation and management issues. A successful HPMP includes:

• A description of the roles and responsibilities of all involved parties;
• An explanation of how to inventory and evaluate resources and the criteria used in that evaluation;
• Standard treatment plans for historic properties or National Register-eligible properties;
• Procedures to carry these out including guidance on tribal consultation; and
• An outline of the funding needed to make the preservation plan work.

New South's Integrated Cultural Resource Management Plan for the U.S. Army South (USARSO) in the Republic of Panamá required research in English and Spanish on the known archaeological and historic resources at a dozen installations in Panamá. The ICRMP provided USARSO with guidance for the treatment of these resources during the transfer of American military installations to the Panamanian government.