The State of Texas, by and through the Texas Historical Commission (THC) seeks sealed Request for Proposals (RFP) from qualified firms to conduct archeological investigations at Pass Cavallo to search for the encampment and abandoned shipwrecks associated with Louis Michel Aury’s occupation of Matagorda in May and June of 1817. With Galveston Island, Matagorda served as the revolutionary headquarters of the Republic of Mexico from 1816-1817 while Aury served as governor during the Mexican War for Independence The underwater archeological survey of 4,113 acres, under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 32185, will be accomplished as two stages: a traditional remote-sensing survey with the agency’s 25-ft. SeaArk VC Commander Anomaly II and as a micro-shallow water survey using an autonomous survey vessel (ASV). This request for proposal (RFP) covers the micro-shallow water fieldwork for which the THC Marine Archeology Program seeks a firm or team to deploy an ASV capable of conducting an archeological remote-sensing survey. The team at the minimum should be comprised of an ASV survey specialist and a qualified underwater archeologist that will plan, implement, and participate in the investigation.
