Historical Research Associates, Inc.

What Historical Research Associates, Inc. does

Historical Research Associates, Inc. (HRA) is a Missoula, Montana-based professional services consulting firm founded in 1974 that provides specialized cultural resources management (CRM), public history, aerial imagery and remote sensing (AIRSS), and litigation support services to public and private clients across the western United States. The firm operates four integrated service lines delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of historians, archaeologists, and architectural historians, with 10 office locations spanning Montana, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico, Colorado, and Washington, D.C.

HRA's technical stack centers on non-invasive geophysical and geospatial documentation tools — Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR), magnetometry (magnetic gradiometry), UAVs/drones equipped with LiDAR and photogrammetry, and ArcGIS-based spatial analysis and cartography — which the firm applies to archaeological surveys, unmarked grave detection, Section 106/NEPA compliance, and cultural resource documentation for infrastructure and energy projects. The AIRSS service line is a relatively recent capability extension that overlays remote sensing onto the firm's traditional historical and archaeological practice.

HRA generates revenue through project-based consulting engagements acquired via competitive bidding (government RFQs/RFPs), direct procurement, and long-term client relationships, with project pricing determined through proposals and contract negotiations rather than published rate cards. The client base spans federal and state government agencies (e.g., U.S. Department of Justice, National Park Service, Oregon DOT), Tribal nations (e.g., Coeur d'Alene, Navajo Nation), energy developers and utilities (e.g., Scout Clean Energy, Tacoma Public Utilities), non-profits and museums, and law firms requiring expert historical witness testimony. The firm has been women-owned since 2018 and operates as a certified small business with 11–50 employees.

Name

Historical Research Associates, Inc.

Legal name

Historical Research Associates, Inc.

Website

https://hrassoc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Historical Research Associates is a 1974-founded, women-owned cultural resources consulting firm providing archaeology, public history, remote sensing, and litigation support services to government agencies, Tribal nations, energy developers, and non-profits across the western United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Resource Management Consulting

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry & Sector Research (Syndicated/Custom) (BPAHALAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural Centers & Multidisciplinary Arts Institutions (THAJADAJ)

Keywords

• Cultural resource management
• Archaeological consulting services
• Historic preservation consulting
• Historical research services
• Expert witness testimony

Headquarters

HQ city

Missoula

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services Revenue: HRA generates revenue through project-based consulting engagements with government agencies, Tribal nations, private companies, and non-profit organizations. Projects are awarded via competitive bids, direct procurement, and long-term client relationships. Revenue is project-based and not recurring in nature, though the firm maintains ongoing client relationships across multiple sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Historical Research Associates, Inc. provides specialized consulting services in cultural resource management, public history, aerial imagery and remote sensing, and litigation support. The firm delivers historical research, archaeological and architectural surveys and evaluations, expert witness reports and testimony, and GIS-based spatial analysis for government agencies, Tribal nations, energy developers, museums, non-profits, and law firms.

Product overview

Historical Research Associates, Inc. is a certified small business providing specialized consulting services since 1974. The company operates as a multi-disciplinary firm offering four integrated service lines: Cultural Resources Management (CRM), which provides research, survey, monitoring, and treatment of archaeological and architectural resources; Public History services including exhibition development, Indigenous affairs, organizational histories, interpretive planning, and oral history programs; Aerial Imagery & Remote Sensing Services (AIRSS) utilizing Ground-Penetrating Radar, magnetometry, UAVs/drones, and GIS/Cartography for non-invasive documentation; and Litigation Support providing expert witness reports and testimony for water rights, tribal sovereignty, environmental, navigability, and rights-of-way cases. The four core service areas are supported by specialized sub-services in archaeology, architectural history, and various technology-enabled survey and analysis methods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cultural Resources Management (CRM) Specialized consulting service providing research, survey, monitoring, evaluation, and treatment of archaeological, architectural, and other cultural resources. Includes agency, Tribal, and public collaboration, specialty studies, and planning and agreement documents for Section 106 / NEPA compliance.
• Public History Consulting service delivering informative and engaging histories outside the traditional classroom setting, including exhibition development, Indigenous affairs projects, organizational histories, interpretive planning, and oral history programs for museums, historical societies, and educational institutions.
• Aerial Imagery & Remote Sensing Services (AIRSS) Remote-sensing consulting service using aerial imaging, mapping, and geophysical surveys coupled with GIS services to document and interpret cultural and historic resources with minimal site disturbance. Includes GPR surveys, magnetic gradiometry, UAV-based LiDAR and photogrammetry, and ArcGIS-based spatial analysis and cartography.
• Litigation Support Expert historical research and analysis to aid attorneys in developing the factual basis for legal cases, including expert witness reports and testimony on water rights and adjudications, Tribal sovereignty and treaty rights, environmental litigation, navigability litigation, and rights-of-way litigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Court ruled in favor of the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe on nearly all water rights claims, citing HRA's expert reports in the CSRBA ruling.
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Stantec: Global engineering and environmental consulting firm with a sizable Cultural Resources practice serving infrastructure, water, and energy clients — overlapping with HRA's Section 106 and NEPA work but as part of a much wider portfolio.
• AECOM: Major international design and environmental services firm with cultural resources capabilities supporting transportation, energy, and federal clients — competes with HRA for large CRM contracts but typically staffs broader engineering scopes.
• Tetra Tech: Global consulting and engineering firm with cultural and environmental resources services for federal agencies and infrastructure developers — comparable buyer segments (DOJ, NPS, DOTs, utilities) but much broader scope than HRA.
• TRC Companies: Environmental and engineering consulting firm with cultural resources, archaeology, and permitting services for energy, transportation, and government clients — competes for the same Western U.S. CRM bids as HRA.
• ICF International: International consulting firm with environmental and cultural resources practices supporting federal agencies on NEPA and infrastructure — overlaps with HRA's federal consulting footprint.
• WSP USA (Cultural Resources): Global engineering consultancy whose U.S. Cultural Resources practice serves transportation, energy, and federal clients — competes with HRA for large infrastructure CRM scopes as part of broader engineering engagements.

Direct peers

• Statistical Research, Inc. Mid-sized cultural resources management firm offering archaeology, architectural history, and geospatial services to federal, state, and Tribal clients — a clear head-to-head peer on CRM and remote-sensing work.
• SWCA Environmental Consultants: SWCA is one of the largest U.S. cultural resources and environmental consulting firms, offering archaeology, architectural history, and natural resources services to federal/state agencies, energy developers, and Tribal nations — directly comparable to HRA across CRM, AIRSS, and litigation support.
• PaleoWest Archaeology: Southwest U.S. cultural resources consulting firm offering archaeology, architectural history, and Tribal consultation services to federal agencies and energy developers — closely comparable Western U.S. peer.
• ASC Group: Ohio-based cultural and environmental resources consulting firm providing archaeology, architectural history, and Section 106 services — comparable to HRA in service mix though geographically centered in the Midwest/East.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hrassoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/historicalresearchassociatesinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/historical-research-associates-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Historical Research Associates, Inc.