Attachment_7_Scope_of_Requirements_Meridian_Hill_Armillary_Sphere_Fencing_April_4_2024.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

for Fabrication and Installation of Protective Fence Surrounding Noyes Armillary Sphere, Meridian Hill Park Washington, DC

1.0 Background

1.1 The National Park Service, Rock Creek Park has contracted for the replication of the Edith Noyes Armillary Sphere, a time-keeping, forged sculpture that was installed on the lower level of Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC in the 1930s. The metal sculpture was severely damaged in the 1960s and removed by the National Park Service in the 1970s. Most of the sphere was lost after it was placed in storage in a central National Park Service work facility. Enabled by a recent donation, the National Park Service is having the sphere reconstructed to its original dimensions using like kind and quality materials. This work is currently underway. The agency plans to place the reconstructed sphere back into its original pedestal setting in spring, 2024.

1.1.1 Meridian Hill Park is subjected to acts of substantial vandalism, including defacement of its numerous sculptures and other artwork. In order to protect the newly reconstructed sphere, the National Park Service has determined that a metal security fence, similar in style and construction to an existing fence in the northern section of the park, must be put in place concurrently with the installation of the reconstructed sphere.

2.0 Scope

2.1 The National Park Service is seeking to contract for the construction and installation of a protective fence around the newly reconstructed Noyes Armillary Sphere in Meridian Hill Park, Washington DC. The fence would be constructed in a manner that is similar to existing fencing in the park, see “Work to be Performed”, following. The scope of work would include design, fabrication, painting and installation, to include the installation and use of concrete footers for the fence posts. The fence would include a gate for access by park staff for maintenance purposes. All work would be coordinated with staff with the National Park Service, Rock Creek Park, who will coordinate discussion between the fencing contractor and the contractor that is reconstructing and installing the replacement armillary sphere.

3.0 Work to be Performed

3.1 Task 1: Design Protective Fencing

3.1.1 The Contractor will design a 4 (four) foot, 4 (four) inches tall circular fence surrounding the pedestal that will house the newly reconstructed armillary sphere. The designed fence diameter will be approximately 19 feet, with a 59-foot circumference, to be placed inside the concrete curb that surrounds the pedestal and landscaping where the sphere will be installed. The fence will consist of approximately 177 pickets spaced 4 (four) inches apart on center. The pickets will be square, with each side measuring one inch, topped with a decorative spiked finial that is similar in design to the existing finials on the metal fencing in Meridian Hill Park. The design will include a parallel band of two 1 (one) inch thick horizontal metal rails at the top of the fence, spaced 5.5 inches from the top of the upper rail to the bottom of the lower rail, with the top of the upper rail located approximately 8 (eight) inches below the top of the finial. There will be a similar rail (singular) on the bottom of the fence, spaced four inches above the ground. All rails will run between the pickets. The pickets will be designed to extend below the bottom rail, resting one inch above the surrounding grade. The contractor will determine the number of these pickets that will function as posts, which will be designed to be mounted with metal brackets to concrete footers that extend at least eight inches into the ground. The concrete footers will be designed to stay flush with the existing surrounding grade, so that they can be hidden by landscaping such as mulch. The contractor will design a small, two-hinged access gate with a locking mechanism that can accept a Master Lock ProSeries 6421 keyed padlock (the standard keyed padlock used by the park). The gate will have a minimum width, to be proposed by the contractor, sufficient simply to allow an adult to pass into the area around the sphere for maintenance purposes. The gate will be of the exact same material and picket/railing design as the rest of the fencing.

This design work will be performed off site. The design document resulting from this task will be a specifications sheet, labeling all dimension, with a rendering of the fence, for National Park Service review and approval prior to proceeding to Task 2. Review will occur at 50 percent and 95 percent design. Virtual progress meetings (Zoom, Teams or similar platforms) will be held monthly.

3.2 Task 2: Construct Fencing Materials

3.2.1 Using the design specifications provided in Task 1, 3.1.1, the contractor will fabricate the fencing materials after providing representative samples of the pickets and finials to the National Park Service for review. The pickets will be made of solid carbon steel. Each picket will have a spear-shaped finial of cast iron or carbon steel at the top. The fence will be media blasted and painted with Pittsburgh Paints Durathane (color: black). This work will be performed off site.

3.3 Task 2: Install and Finish Fencing

3.3.1 Using the materials constructed in Task 2, 3.2.1, and following the design specifications provided in Task 1, the contractor will install the fencing. All finish work (welding and painting/protective coatings of any welded joints) will be completed on site, in coordination with National Park Service contract oversight personnel and in conjunction with the contracted firm that is reconstructing the armillary sphere.

4.0 Location of Work – The contractor will complete all design and initial fabrication work off site. The installation and finishing fabrication work will be performed at Meridian Hill Park, located between 16th and 15th Streets NW, and Euclid and W Streets NW.

5.0 Period of Performance –This project needs to be completed in coordination with the armillary sphere installation, see 6.0.

6.0 Delivery Schedule – The contractor will complete design, fabrication and installation by the time of the armillary sphere is installed, which is currently scheduled to take place between June 3, 2024 and June 28, 2024. Installation of the fence must take place concurrently with the installation of the armillary sphere.

7.0 Special Requirements – Meridian Hill Park, which is administered by Rock Creek Park, is designated as a National Historic Landmark (historic properties that illustrate the country’s heritage), due to its historic concrete work and design. (Additional information is provided in the attached Historic American Landscape Survey, Meridian Hill Park Armillary Sphere report.) To protect the park’s historic hardscape and landscape, all materials will be transported on site by hand. Vehicles and equipment other than hand-pushed carts are prohibited in the park. Public parking is available nearby on District of Columbia streets. The contractor may elect to secure a District of Columbia Department of Transportation Public Space or equivalent permit for the reservation of street space to stage vehicles and equipment needed for this project.

7.1 Government-furnished Property – No government-furnished property is needed to perform this work.

7.2 Security – There are no unique security requirements for this site, as it is open to the public from sunrise to midnight.

7.3 Travel – The contractor may elect to conduct a site visit, at no cost to the government, of the fence location (lower level of Meridian Hill Park). Travel may be required, depending on the location of the selected contractor, to meet with National Park Service officials to review the representative samples described in 3.2.1. Conversely, samples may be shipped to National Park Service officials for inspection.

8.0 General Items

8.1 Index of Attachments

8.1.1 Attachment 1: Image 1 of Existing Fencing Meridian Hill Park.jpg

8.1.2 Attachment 2: Image 2 of Existing Fencing Meridian Hill Park.jpg

8.1.3 Attachment 3: Image 3 of Existing Fencing Meridian Hill Park.jpg

8.1.4 Attachment 4: Image 1 of Historic Armillary Sphere with Fencing Installation Location.jpg

8.1.5 Attachment 5: Image 2 of Historic Armillary Sphere with Fencing Installation Location.jpg

8.1.6 Attachment 6: Historic American Landscape Survey - HALS DC-55.pdf