SOURCES SOUGHT
Z -- Art Conservation
- Notice Date
- 6/3/2010
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 711510
— Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
- Contracting Office
- U.S. Department of State, Office of Logistics Management, Acquisition Management, P.O. Box 9115, Rosslyn Station, Arlington, Virginia, 22219
- ZIP Code
- 22219
- Solicitation Number
- SAQMMA10I0013
- Point of Contact
- Katherine F Weakley, Phone: 7038756073
- E-Mail Address
-
weakleykf@state.gov
(weakleykf@state.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- The United States Department of State (Department) issues this Sources Sought Synopsis for information only to locate sources that are capable of providing the services as described herein. The Department is currently conducting market research to locate qualified, experienced, and interested potential sources. The information requested by this Sources Sought announcement will be used within the Department to facilitate decision making and will not be disclosed outside the Department. This Sources Sought announcement is an advance notice for information and planning purposes only. It is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation or ultimately award a contract. Responses will not be considered as proposals, nor will any award be made as a result of this Sources Sought announcement. The Department will NOT be responsible for any costs incurred by interested parties in responding to this Sources Sought announcement. Should any future requirement(s) evolve from this preliminary planning process, the base period of performance is anticipated to be 01 October 2010 through 30 September 2011 with four additional 12-month option periods. DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT: The U.S. Department of State’s Office of Fine Arts (M/FA) requires conservation of its Fine Art Collections. This collection encompasses nearly 500 fine works of art by prominent American artists over the period of 1780-2009. The works include sculpture, works on paper, and paintings. This Statement of Work addresses M/FA’s immediate requirement for conservation of its paintings, or “works of art on canvas and/or board.” These works are shown to members of the public and on display during official events, and conservation must address both the work of art as well as its antique frame. The potential source must be an experienced conservation firm with each principle conservator having over twenty years of experience. The contractor must demonstrate extensive experience working for major museum collections (over 10 collections) in the conservation of important American paintings. In addition to a full-time staff, at least three principal staff members must have a Master’s degree in Art Conservation from an accredited institution. Contractor must be a professional member or fellow of the American Institute for the Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) and adhere to the AIC Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. Contractor should have extensive, broad-based experience specifically with 18th- and 19th-century American paintings. Work must be done by principals in the firm and similarly-experienced staff under their direct supervision. The conservator(s) should be familiar with current trends in conservation and with professional practices relating to historic works of art. Conservation projects will be undertaken in the contractor’s conservation laboratory/studio/facility. This space must be equipped to perform a wide range of conservation treatments on paintings, pigments and/or historic colorants, and other historic materials. Activities will include, but not be limited to, on-going conservation of paintings and all associated materials overseen by M/FA in the Harry S Truman building and its subsidiary locations. General requirements and activities are as follows: (a.)Paintings: The Contractor will perform annual, on-site assessments of M/FA’s works of art. These assessments will analyze each object for surface condition (state of varnish, prior conservation treatments, etc.) and make recommendations for treatment (removal of accumulated dust and/or grime, consolidation of flaking paint, and/or in-painting areas of paint loss). The Contactor will provide written report(s), identifying those works of art requiring conservation and outlining conservation methods and/or treatment approaches for those works of art. (b.)Frames: The Contractor will perform on-site assessments of M/FA’s historic frame collection. These assessments will analyze each object for overall condition and make recommendations for conservation treatment. The contractor will provide interim uncomplicated repairs to the frames as nec (c.)Methodology of Fine Art Conservation: All conservation treatments should adhere to the guidelines for the AIC Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice. The Contractor will honor M/FA’s commitment of preserving and protecting the integrity and completeness of historic works by using the non-intrusive, reversible conservation methods. Original elements should be preserved, where possible, with the artifact. Treatments include, but are not limited to, stabilizing flaking surface pigments and colorants, removing prior conservation attempts, and mitigating damage through restorative measures (in-painting and/or pigment consolidation). (d.)Conservation Laboratory/Studio/Facility: The Contractor will maintain an off-site facility, where works of art may be removed for care and conservation (see also item (g.) below). (d.1.) The facility must have a Bank Vault (approx. 400 cubic ft) on premises for securing and safeguarding high-value fine works of art. (d.2.) The facility must be alarmed with a ULA3 Security System. (d.3.) The facility should have a microscope for close examination and thorough treatment. (e.)Documentation: In accordance with AIC Standards of Practice, the Contractor must provide detailed documentation of conservation treatments, which will be maintained in M/FA’s archival records. The documentation will take the form of electronic reports with photographic illustrations of the object before, during, and after conservation. (f.)Transportation: The Contractor must provide transportation of paintings and frames to and from the Department of State. For exceptionally large paintings, the Contractor may use a moving and storage company approved of by M/FA. Any vehicle provided by the Contractor for the transportation must be alarmed to protect against theft of the vehicle as well as theft of artwork inside the vehicle. (g.)Location: To facilitate collaboration and cooperation between M/FA’s Curatorial Team and the Contractor’s professional staff, the conservation laboratory/studio/facility must be located within 20 miles of The Diplomatic Reception Rooms (2201 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20520). Location within the District of Columbia area is preferred. (h.) Emergency Response: In cases of emergency, the Contractor must guarantee 24-hour, rapid response during an emergency situation, and agree to provide M/FA with a recovery plan within 24 hours of first contact. Contractor must demonstrate experience working with historic collections that have experienced damage due to fire, water, and/or natural disaster. Prompt response time is required in case of emergency. (i.) Consultation: (i.1.) The Contractor will be knowledgeable of AIC Standards of Practice, advising M/FA on preparing fine works of art for transportation in traveling exhibitions as requested. (i.2.) The Contractor will provide consultation concerning recording of visible and ultraviolet light levels, where historic paintings are displayed in the Diplomatic Reception Rooms. (i.3.) The Contractor will make recommendations for long-term collections care and maintenance. (j.)Technical analysis: The Contractor will perform a technical evaluation during conservation of paintings, which will include pigment & fiber identification and ultraviolet microscopy of surface layers, if requested by M/FA. (k.) Subcontracting: If there is a need to subcontract special projects, or subcontract for specialized assistance on normally routine projects, the subcontractor must be pre-approved by the U.S. Department of State. M/FA will provide the Contractor with the names of approved subcontractors for specialized projects involving gilding, historic frames, and works on paper. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) number is 711510 and the size standard is $5M. Interested parties may submit their capabilities and qualifications to perform this effort in writing to the point of contact identified below not later than 3:30 pm local time on June 17, 2010. Such information will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether or not to conduct his procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based on responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. Oral communications are NOT acceptable for responding to this notice. Responding sources shall provide a detailed capabilities statement stating their experience in providing the same or similar services described in this notice, a point of contact with phone and e-mail information, business status (socio-economic qualifications such as 8(a), HUBZone, SDVOB, etc.), business size based on NAICS 711510 and a positive statement of interest to submit a proposal. This request for information is not a commercial solicitation and the Government will not pay for any information submitted, or for any cost associated with providing the information. Interest parties capable of performing the work described herein should send their response via e-mail to: Katherine Weakley at weakleykf@state.gov before the required response date. Contracting Office Address: Office of Acquisition Management 1701 N. Ft. Myer Drive Arlington, VA 22209 Primary Point of Contact: Katherine Weakley weakleykf@state.gov Phone: (703) 875-6073
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/State/A-LM-AQM/A-LM-AQM/SAQMMA10I0013/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: The Diplomatic Reception Rooms (2201 C Street, NW), Washington, District of Columbia, 20520, United States
- Zip Code: 20520
- Zip Code: 20520
- Record
- SN02167747-W 20100605/100603235422-5e7d97ee685ab7fc2e5c91fdae4ffaeb (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
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