Amendent 0003 response to Inquiries for RFP.pdf

General Services Administration

Attn.: Sarah Callies, Contracting Officer

Grayson Sanborn, Contract Specialist

AMENDMENT 0003 – Responses to Questions Received

Responses are in blue and are italicized.

October 6, 2020

I. Current Conditions: The Pandemic The contract will require that conservators be available on short notice for assessment of artworks if/when affected by disasters. As the entire country is still in the midst of a pandemic, we wonder what measures have been/will be set in place in your locations to mitigate exposure to the corona virus in areas listed as severely affected by the disease or where Covid-19 is still spreading fast among the population (like the

Dakotas or Utah today.) Likewise, most people are still not at ease about air travel

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/nearly-11000-people-have-been-exposed-to-the-coronavirus-on-flights-the-cdc-says/2020/09/19/d609adbc-ed27-11ea-99a1-71343d03bc29_story.html) or about staying in hotels in unfamiliar places for fear of exposure to the virus. Is this a factor that you plan to consider when scheduling a cyclic maintenance or a conservation program during these unprecedented times? Our paintings specialists are located in Denver, but our sculpture conservator is based in Portland, OR. Sooner or later travel will be involved for any of us.

Along the same lines, we wonder if you have determined which artworks in the GSA inventory of Region 8 are actually most in need of conservation treatment; perhaps you already have chosen priorities for cyclic maintenance or for conservation treatment during the base year (that is, while a vaccine for the coronavirus has not yet become available to the public.) We are curious where these works are located and if much travel to different states will be required. Although fully aware that we must be accommodating to your needs and to respond to unexpected incidents that require professional attention, we will definitely feel most at ease if your office is in turn flexible with programs and schedules that mitigate the risk of infection for the

Contractor, at least at the beginning of the contract, and while family life for most Americans is strained due to the need to homeschool children or take care of elderly parents while trying to carry out “normal” workloads.

Currently most of our locations have a very limited workforce and few federal employees on site. The federal buildings are cleaned and sanitized regularly. The successful contractor will need to get approval to be on site for any work while the pandemic continues. The contractor will be expected to practice proper precautions while on site including wearing masks and social distancing.

GSA has determined the works that will need to be part of the cyclic maintenance portion of the contract.

The majority of the collection is located in Denver, CO and Salt Lake City, UT. And most of the priority works are located outside thus limiting exposure to Covid.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/nearly-11000-people-have-been-exposed-to-the-coronavirus-on-flights-the-cdc-says/2020/09/19/d609adbc-ed27-11ea-99a1-71343d03bc29_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/nearly-11000-people-have-been-exposed-to-the-coronavirus-on-flights-the-cdc-says/2020/09/19/d609adbc-ed27-11ea-99a1-71343d03bc29_story.html

II. Regarding the RFP (File Amendment+0001+-+RFP+2019+Art+R8+IDIQ):

1. Section A - file 47PJ0020R0153++Form pp. 3-15 and Section B, pp. 9-14:

It is assumed that tasks will be carried out by a professional conservator (either a sculpture or painting specialist) and a technician. There is an attempt to make a distinction between the two categories, comparable to the distinction between a physician and a nurse. For practical purposes, our team will only include professional conservators specialized in paintings or sculpture with many years of experience after completion of a rigorous Master’s degree in an accredited American university. We are all at the same level of training and expertise, a fact that will become obvious when you review our team members CV’s and portfolios. This is our way of guaranteeing that high standards of practice are thoroughly understood and applied by all members involved in the work and that every person speaks the same professional language and applies the same rigorous methodologies at all times. How can this “non-hierarchical” structure be presented to you in the proposal without creating confusions or contradicting your defined categories even though they do not necessarily apply to our team of conservators?

GSA expects most of the cyclic maintenance work will not necessarily require the expertise of a professional conservator but rather a technician under the direction of a professional conservator. All work performed will be reviewed by GSA prior to the work being completed to insure proper practices are being used. It is up to each contractor to insure the right personnel to perform the necessary work.

2. Section B:

Specifically, Section B.8.1.2., p. 8

“Offerors are advised that the hourly rates will be used to establish the fixed hourly rate for the applicable contract period and that the total extended price will be used for evaluation purposes only ..... etc.”

What is meant by “total extended price”? Please clarify.

This is a multiplication of hours and price per hour for a total cost.

Section B.8 Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs:

According to your charts of pp. 9-13, there are: 320 hours of labor allocated to Cyclic Maintenance; 20 hours allocated to Assessment and Analysis; and 90 hours allocated to Conservation, for a grand total of 430 hours of labor PER YEAR. Approximately how many artworks on average are expected to be serviced each year for each category of work? Given that the estimated cost of labor stated in the charts will in practice be calculated to reflect salaries as well as overhead, administrative expenses, profit, and so forth, it will be very important to have realistic expectations as to the possibilities and limitations of the budget allocated to the entire region per year. Can you please expand on this?

GSA has determined the hours based on the expected work load. If it is determined more hours are needed to perform the work GSA will address and make necessary adjustments to the hours necessary to complete the work.

Also of concern: Will there be special consideration given to practical limitations to working (especially if outdoors) and traveling during the winter months, so that more activities (i.e., more “task orders”) are scheduled during the warmer months of the year? Please explain if possible.

GSA understands the limitation of working in winter and will only have work completed during the appropriate times of the year. The only exception would be an emergency conservation need due to such incidents as a natural disaster or vandalism.

3. Section C:

C.2.2.1., p. 16: Will any existing records of past conditions/treatments be available in order to assess

“changing site conditions”?

GSA has conservation records available for the works and will make them available to any conservator.

Additionally, GSA has approved cyclic maintenance plans that will be shared as needed.

C.2.2.3.: Records to be accompanied by a CD disk and flash drive (External drive); images and report must be digitized and accompanied by a CD disk. Is the CD disk a requirement? It seems to be outdated technology. Please clarify and modify the requirement if possible.

Also: Printing photographs on premium presentation matte paper is a better choice because this paper is the most archival. Please consider modifying this requirement.

GSA will accept other forms of electronic formats for images as long as they can be properly provided in a high resolution format. GSA will accept photographs on archival paper but will not make it a requirement.

C.2.6.3., p. 19: Same comment as above.

See previous answer.

C.2.8. Stabilization: This statement: “C.2.8.2 Damage Mitigation – Assessment of the damage and recommendations for treatment with cost estimate shall be prepared and submitted within three (3) business days of receipt of notice to proceed.”

Our concern is that this is not a realistic expectation when the damaged artwork is not located in close proximity to Denver or even worse, it is out of state. Travel plans will require time and effort in addition to performing the assessment and writing up the recommendations with estimate. Time frame should to be reevaluated.

GSA will accept a later date for providing a cost estimate if contractor asks for an extension. GSA understands that it can take time to develop some cost estimates and will ask when to expect the cost estimate.

C.2.8.4. Education and Training: Is this the first time these activities are included in the contract

(meaning, do the education and training components of this contract start from scratch), or are there already existing materials that need to be updated/expanded? We believe that any training of employees that is requested for specific sites can only be done after a full assessment of the collection has been made.

GSA has an ongoing education program and the contractor, if asked, will be provided all the existing information. For this contract, the contractor may be required to provide tenants and the general public general information about the work being completed. This will be determined on a case by case basis. For training, GSA on a case by case basis will determine if training local GSA employees or contractors will be required. The contractor will not be expected to develop a general education or training program.

C.2.9. Cyclic Maintenance Plans: It is stated that “....conservator shall develop generic cyclic maintenance for .... murals, portable paintings, textiles, sculpture both exterior and interior, and works on paper.” Aren’t these specialties outside the scope of the contract? Please clarify if professionals in other areas of expertise will have to be enlisted.

For the purposes of this contract, it is not expected that there will be any need for expertise in textiles or works on paper. If the need arises, GSA will consult with the contractor and modify the contract as necessary for the work to be completed.

C.2.10.3. Same previous comment regarding the use of CD disk format.

See previous answer.

C.6. Contractor’s Facility, p. 22: This is our most important concern. We firmly believe that large scale sculptures should not be transported to a conservation facility for treatment as the risk of inflicting damage during transport is too big. This is the reason why 99% of sculpture conservators (as well as paintings conservators who work on big murals) perform treatments in-situ primarily to safeguard the artwork. As the saying goes, “Muhammad must go to the mountain...” We strongly urge you to reconsider the implied approach in order to avoid the movement of large works of art as much as possible. It is always more practical and much safer to move a team of conservators.

In addition: “The facility must be able to accommodate large scale outdoor sculptures and adequate staff and equipment to accept and safely handle movement of sculpture.” We know of one and only one private conservation company in the US with the kind of facilities described here, and they are located in Ohio. As a small conservation business (like most), we have an average size studio in Denver capable of fulfilling your environmental requirements, and whenever we accept large scale artworks for treatment a facility is rented from a reliable national (Denver-based) art transport and art storage company. We would like to know if this option may be agreeable and acceptable to your office.

GSA agrees that it is in the best interest of the works to remain in-situ for any conservation or cyclic maintenance. It is not anticipated that it will be necessary to transport works for conservation for this contract but should it necessary, moving to an appropriate rented site for conservation is acceptable to

GSA.

4. Section E:

E.2. FAR 52.246-4 Inspection of Services, Fixed Price (p. 26):

Fort this portion of the program, we would like to know if previous conservation records will be made available to the Contractor.

Yes, previous conservation records will be made available to the contractor prior to any work being completed.

For items (e) and (f): How will inspectors be selected by the Government to evaluate the workmanship, materials, techniques, etc. used by the Contractor during specific task orders? We strongly believe in the need to choose vetted conservators with true and reliable professional credentials as well as verifiable past records to get involved in the evaluation of the Contractor’s work and in its “redoing “or “revision” (if the

Contractor’s work is deemed defective.) Can you please explain how this is typically done?

GSA inspects the work by the contractor and when necessary enlists the assistance of professional conservators if there is a concern. The contractor will be made aware of the conservator that would be inspecting the works prior to the inspection. As a general rule, it is not expected that the works will require this level of inspection, rather GSA personnel will do the inspection and only if a concern arises will an impartial conservator be asked to provide a professional opinion.

5. Section F:

F.1 Contract Type, p.29:

F.1.2. (d) Quantity of days and unit price – refers to price per day for “labor”? Who determines the amount of days that each task order will require? Is the time frame derived from the treatment proposal submitted by the Contractor for each task order? Please explain how this is decided.

GSA will want the contractor to determine the time necessary for each task order. The contractor will provide the recommended treatment for each task order, the hours it will take and the cost. Please note

GSA has conservation records on the works most in need of cyclic maintenance and will provide these documents to assist the conservator in developing a task order. GSA is also available to answer any questions on a particular task order to insure the most accurate and appropriate treatment.

F.2. Place of Performance:

Once again, because of the pandemic, is your office focusing on conservation artworks within the state of

Colorado during the base year? We would also like to know, if at all possible, if there will be emphasis on sculptures or paintings/murals during this base year period.

GSA anticipates the emphasis will be on exterior objects. GSA expects the bulk of the work will be in the

Denver area but there may be work in all six states.

F.3. Time of Delivery.

Per the wording of this paragraph, should we assume that all task orders will be on an accelerated delivery schedule? Please explain. This might have an impact on the number of staff members required to realistically fulfill the Government’s expectations to complete satisfaction.

GSA will work with the contractor on schedule. While GSA expects to have work completed timely we understand that GSA will have work with the contractor’s schedule to have the work completed.

6. Section H:

H.1 Contract Performance, p. 34:

This section states that “at least 90% of the conservator’s labor cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of its firm.: As a small conservation studio, ArtisAegis, LLC is owned and operated by ONE conservator (me!). Any project that requires multiple hands and abilities is carried out with one or more additional experienced conservators hired on contract (even though we are not necessarily in the same geographic location.) We tend not to hire apprentices or less experienced workers to work on fine art. Consequently, any task order under this Contract would be carried out by the Contractor along with additional professional conservators that have been vetted and selected to participate in the conservation team. There will be no technicians and technically speaking no “employees.”

While GSA would prefer most of the work done by the contractor, per 52.219-14(c)(1) Services (except construction), at least 50 percent of the cost of contract performance incurred for personnel shall be expended for employees of the concern. So we will accept 50% of the work done by subcontractors.

7. Section I.

p. 41, Item (c):

“....The offeror should be prepared to provide the following information: ...... (3) Company physical street address, city, state, zip code. (4) Company mailing address, city, state, zip code.”

Currently, ArtisAegis, LLC is registered in SAM with a single physical and mailing address. For purposes of this GSA contract, the location chosen to carry out any routine task order (i.e., those that do not require capabilities for large scale artworks) will be the facility of a Denver-based conservator (a team member recruited for this contract) with a physical address that is not the official physical address registered with

SAM under ArtisAegis, LLC. The chosen studio better fulfills the requirements of climate control and security stipulated for this contract. Will this present any obstacles? Let me know if this conservation studio has to be registered in SAM under ArtisAegis, LLC to be considered as valid workplace for this contract.

All contract management will be done from the current physical and mailing address for ArtisAegis, LLC registered in SAM today, but the actual conservation work is to be done at this other location just a few miles away.

Please use your SAM address. If the successful contractor, this will be for payment purposes.

p. 49. (i) Hourly Rate.

“(A) The amounts shall be computed by multiplying the appropriate hourly rates prescribed in the contract by the number of direct labor hours performed. Fractional parts of an hour shall be payable on a prorated basis.” Question: Will the timeframe estimated for task orders issued for locations other than Denver include travel time? Travel time is actual time that conservators will not be able to spend in their studio doing work for private clients. Please clarify if at all possible.

Yes, please include all costs to complete the task order including travel costs. Travel costs should be a separate line item in any quote.

“(B) The rates shall be paid for all labor performed on the contract that meets the labor qualifications specified in the contract.” Again, for ArtisAegis, LLC the only category of personnel participating in activities under this contract is professional conservator. All members have the same level of advanced training and more than a decade of professional experience. There will be no technicians.

8. Section K.

Besides the relevant certifications as a small business requested in this section, most of the material covered in this section seems irrelevant to a contract for art conservation services; rather it appears to be relevant for contracts for manufacturing, trade, or services in other industries. Please clarify.

Yes, you are correct; this is required language for small business. Please provide as much information as possible to insure that your small business qualifications are included.

9. Section L.

p. 102, (3) Please check: Last sentence of this paragraph is incomplete.

p. 102-103 B. Technical Capabilities and Resources, items (1) (2) (3) (4):

To prove that we meet the standards you demand under this contract, rather than submitting an essay describing in the abstract our generic understanding and knowledge of the multiple, methods, procedures, current approaches and solutions to conservation challenges... as requested in this section, we would like to submit pertinent portfolio examples completed with photographs which illustrate the scope and the quality of our work in conservation. (References are also available if needed.) Unfortunately, anyone can copy and paste anything from the conservation literature available online. But we have proven records to show, as well as academic credentials obtained from recognized American graduate programs in conservation; we have accrued ample professional experience (as shown in our individual websites), and we are Professional

Associate members of AIC as conservators, not as registrars or collection care managers. Please be aware that there are notorious firms out there —some even in Denver—claiming to be capable to tackle any conservation work just because they have worked close to conservators in the past and because AIC has granted them PA status in collections care or administration, but they DO NOT have the training, the knowledge or the expertise to carry out complex conservation projects in a responsible fashion.

p. 103, item (5) Transport, installation and deinstallation of artwork:

Do you have more specifics on the information you want to see about these activities? These topics are tangential to conservation, they are not activities directly performed by conservators themselves but by art handlers, installers, preparators, etc., who assist conservators whenever needed.

GSA may on occasion have the need to transport, install or deinstall a work and may ask the contractor to provide this work.

Item (6) Facilities:

Please explain what is meant by “government owned or tenet occupied spaces.”

This is a typo. Please replace tenet with tenant.