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Replace an archaeology contractor through a documented, authority-approved handover—not a verbal change of personnel. Before the incoming team resumes work, identify the permit, license, field-director and project-design requirements; secure and inventory every paper and digital record; reconcile unfinished work and deadlines; notify the regulator or adviser where required; confirm the receiving archive; and sign a transfer record that assigns custody and responsibility.
The exact process is controlled by the site’s jurisdiction, archaeological license or permit, contract, approved Written Scheme of Investigation (WSI) or equivalent project design, and repository conditions. Ontario provides a clear example of a regulator-triggered change, while guidance from Devon, Lincolnshire, the U.S. National Park Service and federal contracting rules illustrates recordkeeping principles rather than a universal law.
Start by establishing which rules govern the change
Do not ask the outgoing and incoming contractors to “sort it out” between themselves. The project owner should first make a written authority map. List the site jurisdiction, planning or permitting authority, archaeological regulator, client, archaeological adviser, named licensee, responsible field director, receiving museum or digital repository, contract administrator and data-protection contact. Then compare those names with the current WSI, permit, license, project information forms, archive or data-management plan and every approved amendment.
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A contractor substitution can be more than a procurement decision. It may change the named licensee, field director, reporting party, project scope, method, archive custodian or person responsible for statutory submissions. If any of those changes, ask the regulator and adviser for written instructions before fieldwork or post-excavation work continues. Keep the questions and answers in the project file.
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Ontario’s process is an example, not a global rule
Ontario’s land-based archaeological licensing guidance says that, once fieldwork has begun, a change in the responsible licensee or field director must be notified to the ministry. Its Project Information Forms guidance states: “A licensee taking over responsibility for an ongoing project, either during a stage or between stages, must file a new "PIF" (Project Information Form) for the remainder of the project.” The incoming licensee therefore needs the records, correspondence, outstanding-work list and due dates before accepting responsibility. Transfer completion depends on the new PIFs and associated numbers.
That procedure should not be copied into another jurisdiction without checking local rules. In another country or state, the trigger may be a permit amendment, a new signatory, a planning-condition notice, an adviser’s approval or a repository notification. The project documents and authority’s written direction control.
Freeze the record and create a dated inventory
Choose a handover date and make an inventory that is accurate on that date. The inventory is the baseline against which the incoming team checks what it received. Give every item a stable identifier, describe its format and location, record its date range and status, and identify any missing, damaged, inaccessible or disputed material. Have both contractors and the project owner sign the inventory, even if some items remain to be delivered later.
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Include the complete archaeological record
A final report is only one part of the archive. Ontario guidance identifies report drafts, field notes, measurements, drawings, photographs, maps, ministry correspondence, outstanding work and report due dates. The WSI example hosted by the Planning Inspectorate describes a primary archive containing raw records needed for later assessment and interpretation. Build the inventory across all of these categories:
| Record group | Items to identify | Handover check |
|---|---|---|
| Project authority | Current WSI or equivalent, amendments, permits, licenses, project information forms, planning conditions, method statements and approvals | Confirm version, approval date, issuing authority and whether any condition is still open |
| Field documentation | Field diaries and notebooks, context sheets, feature and structure records, intervention logs, registers, sample sheets and daily records | Reconcile sheet numbers, notebooks and register entries; flag gaps or duplicate identifiers |
| Measured information | Plans, sections, measured drawings, survey observations, coordinates, levels, site grids and geospatial files | Record coordinate reference systems, units, survey control and the software or export format used |
| Images and media | Photographs, films, image metadata, photo registers, captions and permission records | Check that filenames, dates, subjects and context references match the register |
| Finds and samples | Finds registers, small-finds records, sample registers, environmental samples, storage locations, conservation notes and disposal decisions | Match physical containers to identifiers and record any unprocessed or quarantined material |
| Digital data | Databases, GIS projects, CAD files, spreadsheets, scripts, exports, scans, metadata and read-me files | Record native and export formats, software versions, dependencies, passwords-transfer method and checksums if used |
| Analysis and reporting | Assessment and analysis results, specialist datasets, correspondence, draft reports, illustrations, publication files and review comments | Mark each item as draft, approved, superseded or awaiting review; identify the next action |
| Communications | Regulator, adviser, client, landowner, laboratory, specialist and repository correspondence, including decisions made by email | Preserve the original message, attachments, date, sender and recipients; link each decision to the affected task |
Use the WSI’s terminology where possible. If the outgoing database uses different field names, retain the original database and prepare a crosswalk rather than silently renaming columns. The incoming team should be able to trace a context from its paper record to its drawing, photograph, find, sample, database row and report statement.
Record what was not handed over
An inventory that says “complete” when material is missing creates a false baseline. Make a separate exceptions register for absent notebooks, unreadable files, unprocessed samples, disputed ownership, damaged media, missing metadata and records held by a third party. For each exception, state who is investigating, when an answer is due, what evidence exists and whether work can safely continue. Ask the project owner to approve any decision to reconstruct a record; label a reconstruction as such and preserve the evidence used.
Protect originals and preserve traceability
Keep the primary site archive secure, ordered, quantified and indexed. The WSI example calls for an archive that remains uncompromised, secure, internally consistent and usable for later interpretation. Do not discard originals because a scan or database export exists. Do not overwrite a field file to “clean up” an error. If a correction, migration or format conversion is necessary, retain the source, create a new version, record the change date and identify the person who made it.
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Use version control that an independent archaeologist can follow
For each migrated or corrected dataset, keep a short change log containing:
- the original filename, identifier or box number;
- the new filename, identifier or storage location;
- the reason for the change;
- the software, script or process used;
- the person and date responsible;
- validation performed and any unresolved errors; and
- the relationship between superseded and current versions.
The U.S. National Park Service Archeological Documentation Guidelines emphasize standardized records that permit independent interpretation. That principle is practical during a contractor change: a reviewer who was not present at the handover should be able to understand what was recorded in the field, what was changed later and why.
Make duplicate digital archive copies and verify them
The cited WSI requires two identical digital archive copies and issue of one copy to the Project Archaeologist. Agree the actual file formats, encryption, transfer channel, retention period and storage locations with the client, regulator and repository. A portable external drive may be suitable only if the project’s security and data-handling rules permit it; no particular product or medium is universally required.
After copying, verify that the destination contains the expected folders and file count, that representative files open, that database and GIS links work where practicable, and that the recipient can read the supplied formats. Record the verification date, person performing it, method used and any files that failed. Obtain a written receipt. Keep the verification record with the inventory rather than relying on a courier or cloud notification.
Reconcile unfinished work before assigning responsibility
Prepare one open-work register covering fieldwork and post-excavation. Divide large activities into units that can be assigned and checked. Ontario guidance specifically warns that report deadlines remain in force unless an extension is requested; changing contractors does not erase an existing obligation.
| Register field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Work item | Specific area, context range, sample batch, specialist report, assessment task, archive task or submission |
| Current status | Not started, in progress, awaiting information, submitted for review, approved or complete |
| Evidence | Record identifiers, draft location, laboratory accession, correspondence or approval supporting the status |
| New owner | Named person or organization, not merely a department |
| Dependencies | Access, laboratory result, specialist appointment, client decision, regulator response or repository instruction |
| Due date | Contract, permit, planning-condition or regulator date; mark whether it is fixed or negotiable |
| Approval or extension | Required request, decision-maker, submission date and current response |
| Risk and action | Consequence of delay, immediate mitigation and next review date |
Carry forward commitments and submissions
Review every calendar, meeting minute and correspondence thread for commitments that may not appear in the contract scope: a promised interim plan, consultation with a community or landowner, a specialist’s outstanding query, a laboratory booking, a regulator’s request for additional information, or a repository’s packaging requirement. Put each commitment in the register with its source. If the incoming contractor cannot meet a deadline, the project owner—not the contractor alone—should request an extension from the authority that set it and retain the decision.
Notify authorities and update approvals before work resumes
Send a concise change notice that identifies the project, permit or license number, outgoing and incoming organizations, named responsible individuals, effective date, stage of work, reason for the change at the level required by the authority, and documents attached. Ask whether a new form, amended permit, replacement field director, revised WSI or additional inspection is required. Obtain confirmation of the date on which the incoming team may legally or contractually continue.
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For Ontario projects, follow the ministry’s notification and Project Information Form process for a licensee taking over an ongoing project. The incoming licensee should not assume that a signed commercial termination agreement transfers regulatory responsibility. Submit the required information for the remainder of the project and retain the ministry’s acknowledgment and any new numbers in the project file.
Keep the project design aligned with the new team
If the incoming contractor proposes a different recording system, sampling strategy, specialist method, software or archive format, compare it with the approved WSI. Changes that affect scope, significance assessment, mitigation or reporting may need approval before implementation. Document any method that remains unchanged so the handover does not create an unnecessary break in the site’s evidence chain.
Agree the repository and deposition plan early
Contact the receiving museum, trusted digital repository or archive before moving boxes or uploading files. Confirm accession or project numbers, accepted physical and digital formats, packaging, labeling, metadata, conservation requirements, retention and disposal policy, access restrictions, transfer schedule and the person responsible for final deposition. Ask the repository to identify anything it will not accept, such as proprietary database files without an export or media without preservation metadata.
Devon County Council’s archaeological excavation specification says completion depends on an ordered, integrated archive transferred to a trusted repository and expects a WSI to include a data-management plan and deposition timetable. Its Historic Environment Team normally expects deposition within six months after the fieldwork element is complete. That is local guidance, not a universal deadline; use the timetable in the applicable project documents and confirm it with the receiving repository.
Lincolnshire County Council guidance likewise expects the project design to name the physical repository and digital arrangements and advises checking the receiving museum’s conditions. A contractor change is a good time to obtain written acceptance of the archive plan rather than discovering at the end that the museum requires different boxes, metadata or file formats.
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Give the incoming contractor a working copy with appropriate access permissions, but identify which copy is the controlled deposit version. Record who may edit each location and how a revised file is promoted into the archive. If personal data, confidential site information or landowner restrictions apply, confirm access rules with the contract, local law, license and repository terms. The available guidance does not determine ownership, copyright, confidentiality or disclosure rights for an unspecified project.
Execute a signed custody and responsibility transfer
Use a handover certificate or equivalent document. Attach the inventory, exceptions register, open-work register, archive instructions and regulator correspondence. A practical signing sequence is:
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- Set the effective date and scope. State whether the transfer covers fieldwork, post-excavation, reporting, archive deposition or only a defined stage.
- List what is physically delivered. Record box numbers, locations, seals, condition and any items retained by the outgoing contractor.
- List digital deliveries. Record storage locations, formats, database exports, file counts, verification results and the approved method for transferring credentials.
- Identify gaps and restrictions. Attach every exception, access limitation, confidentiality condition and disputed item; assign an owner and due date.
- Assign each remaining obligation. Name the person responsible for every open-work register item and state who obtains approvals or extensions.
- Confirm receipt. The incoming contractor and project owner sign for the material actually received, not material merely promised.
- Retain copies and evidence. State what the outgoing contractor retains, why it is retained, how long it will be kept and when it will be securely deleted or returned, subject to contract and repository rules.
Transfer passwords or encryption keys only through an approved channel and record the transfer without placing secrets in an openly circulated inventory. If access cannot be transferred immediately, provide a controlled workaround and a deadline for resolution.
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File the change notice, termination or variation agreement, scope and fee reconciliation, invoices, approvals, meeting minutes, delivery receipts, deficiency notices and dispute correspondence together. The U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulation’s Subpart 4.8 applies to federal acquisition files, not every private archaeology contract, but its purpose is useful: a contract file should provide a complete transaction history and support later decisions and review. For a private project, follow the contract and local law rather than assuming the federal rule applies.
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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Separate commercial disagreement from archaeological custody. Even if fees are disputed, the project owner must secure records and maintain statutory and planning deadlines. If a contractor withholds records, seek the remedy specified in the contract and obtain legal advice appropriate to the jurisdiction; do not attempt unauthorized access or alter files to bypass a dispute.
Choose the incoming contractor against the real handover risks
When more than one candidate is available, ask each to submit a short takeover plan. The following comparison axes are practical inferences from the regulatory, archive and project responsibilities, not a universal scoring standard.
| Selection axis | Evidence to request | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| License and permit capability | Current status, named responsible professional and ability to accept the project’s jurisdiction-specific obligations | The transfer may require a new license form, field director or approval |
| Method continuity | Crosswalk between the candidate’s recording system and the inherited WSI, registers and database | Uncontrolled method changes can break the evidence chain |
| Archive control | Plan for inventory, secure storage, duplicate digital copies, validation and repository delivery | The archive must remain complete, ordered and independently usable |
| Post-excavation capacity | Named specialists, laboratory access, conservation capability and availability | Unfinished analysis and samples often determine the critical path |
| Deadline management | Schedule showing inherited due dates, dependencies and extension requests | Existing reporting obligations continue unless formally changed |
| Acceptance by stakeholders | Plan for regulator, adviser, client and repository notifications | A commercial appointment alone may not authorize work |
| Scope, custody and cost clarity | Written assumptions about missing records, access, ownership, security and variation rates | Ambiguity creates disputes precisely when records are most vulnerable |
Require candidates to explain how they will reconcile their database and records to the inherited site archive. A credible plan identifies what will be checked first, what cannot be verified without specialist input, how discrepancies will be reported and how the project will continue without silently normalizing errors.
Common failure modes and recovery actions
Only a final report is transferred
Symptom: The incoming team receives a report PDF but no notebooks, registers, drawings, photographs, correspondence or raw data.
Recovery: Stop treating the report as the archive. Issue the full inventory categories above, request originals and exports, and record every item that cannot be located. Ask the repository what minimum evidence it requires and notify the regulator or adviser if a primary record is missing.
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Files are copied without verification
Symptom: The destination contains folders, but databases will not open, GIS links are broken or photographs lack metadata.
Recovery: Preserve the source copy, create a read-only transfer set, test representative files and obtain a technical export or conversion from the outgoing team. Record failures rather than replacing them with guessed values.
The new team starts under an obsolete approval
Symptom: Fieldwork resumes before a regulator confirms the new licensee, field director or project form.
Recovery: Pause the affected activity, contact the authority and adviser, submit the required notice or form, and document the date and scope of any permission to resume. Do not assume that a contract signature changes regulatory status.
Deadlines disappear during the dispute
Symptom: No one owns a report, specialist result, consultation or archive deposit because the outgoing contractor’s appointment ended.
Recovery: Rebuild the open-work register from the contract, WSI, correspondence and regulator records. Assign an interim owner, request extensions where necessary and have the project owner review the register at an agreed frequency.
Repository requirements are discovered at the end
Symptom: The museum rejects boxes, file formats or metadata after post-excavation is complete.
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Recovery: Obtain the repository’s current conditions now, revise the data-management and deposition plan, budget for repackaging or migration, and record written acceptance of the revised timetable.
Quick Recap
Project-owner handover checklist
- Jurisdiction, permit or license, WSI and amendments have been identified and checked for change triggers.
- Named licensee, field director, client, adviser, regulator and repository are confirmed in writing.
- A dated inventory covers paper records, born-digital files, media, samples, correspondence and drafts.
- Originals are secure; no record has been silently overwritten, discarded or relabeled.
- Version changes, migrations and corrections have a traceable log.
- Two verified digital archive copies exist where the project specification requires them, with one issued to the designated project archaeologist or repository contact.
- Missing, damaged, inaccessible or disputed items are listed with owners and due dates.
- Every unfinished field, laboratory, specialist, assessment, reporting and archive task has an owner, dependency and deadline.
- Regulator notifications, new forms, amended approvals and extension requests are submitted and filed.
- The receiving repository has confirmed formats, packaging, accession details, access rules and deposition timing.
- A signed custody record states what was delivered, what remains outstanding and who accepted each responsibility.
- Contract variations, termination documents, decisions, receipts and disputes are retained with the project file.
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