Final answer:
The awarding authority must obtain conformance from relevant State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) before presenting a PMD to a USPHS officer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before presenting a Preservation Measures Directive (PMD) to a USPHS officer, the awarding authority must obtain concurrence from appropriate State Historic Preservation Officers (SHPOs) and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs), and potentially other consulting parties. This process is related to the assessment of projects under the National Historic Preservation Act, which considers the potential effects on historical sites and structures. If an adverse effect on historic properties is determined, the agency in question must negotiate mitigation terms with the SHPO, THPO, and any other consulting parties to develop a mitigation plan. This negotiation culminates in a memorandum of agreement to oversee the implementation of the mitigation measures. The significance is that the mitigation efforts must be culturally and contextually appropriate, which means archaeological excavations alone may not suffice as a mitigation measure for certain Native groups.