A04_SOW_Floorcloth_Front_Hall.pdf

Statement of Work

Fabricate and Install Reproduction Floorcloth on top of Period Floorcloth in the Melrose Front Hall

At Natchez National Historical Park

1. SCOPE: The contractor shall provide all plans, labor, tools, materials, travel, etc. to design, fabricate, and install a new reproduction floorcloth over a mid-19th century original floorcloth at the Melrose mansion at Natchez National Historical Park in

Natchez, Mississippi.

2. BACKGROUND: The Melrose mansion provides an invaluable example of a largely complete, restored 19th century interior. Melrose, an 1840s antebellum mansion, is one unit of Natchez National Historical Park. https://www.nps.gov/natc/index.htm

Two original floorcloths remain in place at the 1848 Melrose mansion. These are two of the only known extant floorcloths of this period in the United States and are considered rare examples of this type of floorcovering. The floorcloths are located in the front and back halls on the first floor of the mansion. Visitors and staff regularly walk through these rooms while touring the mansion; in order to protect the original floorcloths, reproduction floorcoverings have been installed over the originals. In the front hall, a wall-to-wall reproduction floorcloth was made that matches the design of the original

(with a small viewing window in one corner). In the back hall, a carpet was made in the pattern of the floorcloth that covers the pedestrian walking area.

The reproduction floorcloth that covers the front hall is subject of this project.

3. JOB CONDITIONS: All visits to the job site prior to award shall be coordinated with the listed Contracting Officer, Chad Williams.

Standard museum rules apply at all times while inside the Melrose mansion including no food, drink, or tobacco products, no unsupervised moving of furnishings, no placing of anything on the furnishings, and contractors must be accompanied at all times by park staff.

Safety and working safely is paramount to all aspects of this project.

The mansion is open for guided tours daily and, while the front hall can be temporarily closed during installation, visitors will be touring the mansion and grounds during opening hours.

https://www.nps.gov/natc/index.htm

3. PROPOSALS: The contractor shall include the following information in the quote:

a. A current resume that indicates education and experience in historic floorcloth design and fabrication and provides references.

b. Description of approach, including commonly used methods, techniques, materials, and expected results.

c. Evidence of past experience in comparable projects (at least 3 examples shall be provided).

d. Statement indicating technical capacity to accomplish the work required (e.g., facilities, equipment), anticipated timeline and of ability to meet required dates of completion.

e. Small sample of floorcloth (no smaller than 12’ x 12”).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project involves the removal of the current reproduction floorcloth and the creation and installation of a new reproduction floorcloth with protective layers placed between the original and the reproduction. The goal is to have a reproduction that, protects the original floorcloth, withstands heavy foot traffic, and also visually approximates the original. The southeast corner will be cut away to expose the original to visitors [this small portion of the original floorcloth displays the original pattern, the remainder was entirely overpainted in the 1970s]. The contractor is required to make at least one site visit to take measurements, document pattern and colors, etc. prior to submittals and fabrication. It is geometric pattern, four color floorcloth that appears to be block printed. The contractor shall examine the original to determine the best method of reproduction by hand painting, block printing, or a combination of both.

4. SUBMITTALS: Prior to fabrication (but not part of the bid package), the contractor shall submit to the park for review and approval drawings, design data, or artwork showing fabrication details, pattern replica, colors, etc., The pattern and color should match the original design as closely as possible. The desired look is to have an exact replica that visually approximates the original to the viewer. The contractor shall also submit a small sample of the substrate material, tacks, and protective layers for park approval.

5. MATERIALS: All materials will be supplied by the contractor. The reproduction floorcloth will be fabricated of appropriate and durable canvas material. The material should be as historically accurate as possible while being substantial enough to hold up under heavy foot traffic. Both the upper and lower surfaces of the floorcloth should be thoroughly sealed to prevent warping due to humidity changes. The floorcloth should be fabricated without seams, if possible, and historically accurate tacks shall be used. Protective layers shall be placed on top of the original floorcloth including a layer of white TYVEK directly on the original followed by a layer of white archival polyester felt carpet padding.

6. REMOVAL OF CURRENT REPRODUCTION: Park staff shall remove all furnishings from the room. The contractor shall supply all labor, supplies, and materials to carefully remove and discard (by recycling where possible) the current reproduction floorcloth. Care should be taken not to damage the original during this process. The wood trim and baseboards in all rooms are painted a documented period color for the site (the baseboards are faux painted to resemble burled walnut), and the walls of the front hall are papered. Special care should be taken by contractors not to damage or scuff the trim, walls, or other furnishings.

7. INSTALLATION OF NEW REPRODUCTION: Once the current reproduction floorcloth is removed, the contractor will pause for one working day for park curatorial staff to assess and clean the original floorcloth. Following this period the contractor shall proceed with installation including the layer of TYVEK placed to completely cover the original floorcloth followed by a layer of white archival polyester felt carpet padding prior to installation of the new reproduction floorcloth.

Then the new floorcloth should be installed with period appropriate tacks. The contractor will cut away an area of approximately 20” x 24” in the back right corner so the original can be viewed by visitors. As previously stated, special care should be taken to prevent damage to the original floorcloth as well as the surrounding walls and woodwork. After the conclusion of this project, park staff shall return all furnishings to the room.

8. DIMENSIONS: All measurements are approximate and contractors are strongly encouraged to schedule a site visit to take measurements prior to bidding. The approximate dimension of the front hall is 20’ by 13’ with areas reaching out into doorways and windows. The thresholds into the dining room and drawing room are approximately 15” deep and the threshold areas at the front door and into the back hall are approximately 2”. There are also areas of floorcloth that extend into the four sidelight windows that are about 8”x21”. The contractor is responsible for field-verifying these measurements prior to fabrication of the floorcloth. A corner area of about 20”24” will be cut out in the southeast corner so that visitors can view the original floorcloth. Generally speaking, it is assumed that the front door of the house faces west, so this corner is to the right of the doorway into the back hall. There are also two floor vents that need to be cut around.

9. DELIVERABLE: The deliverable for this project is the design, fabrication, and fully installed new reproduction floorcloth and protective materials in the front hall of the

Melrose mansion. This includes the removal of the old reproduction floorcloth.

10. EXCESS MATERIALS: The contractor shall promptly remove and discard all waste from the site (by recycling where possible) including cleaning up, disposing of all debris, packaging, etc., created by the project.

11. CONTRACT PERFORMANCE PERIOD: The government requires completion of this contract by 18 months from award.

12. PAYMENT: One lump sum payment will be made when the job is complete unless alternate payment is arranged with the contracting officer in advance.

13. IMAGES:

From front door looking in:

Looking out front door:

Corner of exposed original:

Protective Layers between original and reproduction:

Example of vent to be cut around:

Examples of tacked areas:

Example of threshold: