B08_Att_1_SOW_Conserve_Edison_Desks_EDIS.pdf

Conserve Thomas and Mina Edison’s Desks in the

Family Living Room at the Edison Family Home, Glenmont

PMIS PROJECT 327874

Request for Proposal

March 20, 2026

1.0 BACKGROUND

2.0 SCOPE/RFP REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.0 OBJECTIVES

4.0 TASKS

5.0 DELIVERY

6.0 GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY

7.0 SECURITY

8.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

9.0 DELIVERY/PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

10.0 PAYMENT SCHEDULE

1.0 BACKGROUND

The purpose of the contract is to conserve 2 oversized, historic writing desks that are currently on exhibit in the second floor Family Living Room of the Edison family home, Glenmont. The writing desks of Thomas and Mina Edison were used in this room for several decades during the historic period (circa 1880 to 1947). Due to these objects’ direct association with the Edison family, as well as their association with the overall interior decorating scheme for the Edison family home, these furniture objects play a key role in both the interpretation and the academic study of Glenmont. These wooden desks, from the Glenmont museum collection, are part of the historic scene that is interpreted to the public and are also available for examination by researchers who study the history of interior decoration in the United States.

Thomas Edison National Historical Park is a National Park Service site located in West

Orange, New Jersey. The park consists of two separate sites, approximately one mile apart. Thomas Edison’s home, Glenmont, is located in a private residential community known as Llewellyn Park. Built in 1880, Glenmont is a 29 room Queen-Anne style mansion which remains intact, complete with interior furnishings and finishes that reflect the rich historic decorative period during the years when Thomas Edison and his family resided in the home.

The majority of the work will be performed on-site at Glenmont. Due to the weight, size, and condition of these objects, the conservation work will be performed onsite, in a select area inside of Glenmont, in order to avoid further damage and destabilization of the objects that may result from transport. The selected vendor will also be responsible for producing a detailed treatment proposal and treatment report for each object, complete with before and after photographs of the work performed.

On-site work for the project will include: de-installing the desks, located on the second floor of Glenmont in a fully furnished period room, moving the desks to an adjacent location within the Glenmont mansion in order to complete this conservation work. The selected vendor will also perform all of the associated conservation for the two historic desks and then return them to their original historic locations and original historic configurations in the second floor Family Living Room when the conservation work is complete. Please note that this may involve moving the desks more than once, if their location impacts the public tours of the mansion during the course of project work. In this instance, the curator of the mansion will work with contractor to minimize the amount of times that the furniture must be moved and to minimize its impact on the conservation work itself, which is dependent upon the selected conservator’s individual approach to accomplishing this work.

In all instances, the selected contractor will be responsible for protecting-in-place adjacent artifacts, historic finishes and surfaces, historic architectural features, and historic floors in areas, within Glenmont, where they are performing work associated with this project and in adjacent areas. Protect-in-place measures that are the responsibility of the Contractor also include protecting-in-place historic areas and artifacts along the path of travel, as required, if deemed necessary to prevent damage to any aspect of the historic interior of Glenmont, including its artifacts, during the course of the project. It is important to note that the mansion includes original historic architectural features, surface finishes, fully furnished period rooms, historic staircases, etc. with narrow spaces commonly found in Victorian homes. The selected vendor will also be required to adhere to park safety and security policies which will be further detailed in this document.

1.1 HISTORIC BACKGROUND

The Family Living Room served as central command for both Thomas and Mina

Edison’s careers during the historic period. Here is where Thomas Edison would sit at his desk and hammer out his ideas for inventions, before taking them down to his famous

Laboratory complex for further experimentation. Mina Edison served in her role as

“Home Executive”, administering her responsibilities from an adjacent desk in this same room, exerting her control over the household while advocating for woman’s rights, seeking to elevate the status of domestic household labor.

Thomas Edison’s desk, EDIS 105100, is actually a library table from the era, circa 1880-

1910. The “desk” was manufactured by R. J. Horner & Co. located in New York, NY.

The material of Edison’s desk is identified as oak in the park records. The desk also includes a lower shelf that was used to store magazines and smaller periodicals. During the historic period, Thomas Edison stored wooden card catalogue file boxes on this lower shelf. It is the park’s intention to return these catalogue file boxes to exhibit on this lower shelf. As a result of this, after conservation is complete, the lower shelf must be structurally stable enough to accommodate the weight of these wooden card catalogue file boxes.

Mina Edison’s desk, EDIS 102365, was manufactured by Clarke and Baker, Co., likely in

New York, and is identified as dating back to pre-1921 in the park records, with its material being identified as oak. In this case, the primary desk has a secondary component attached to it, one that housed telephone books and also a telephone during the historic period.

Both desks house historic artifacts in their drawers and display artifacts that historically sat upon the tops of the desks. These artifacts will continue to be stored and displayed in the same manner, after the conservation of the desks is complete.

Existing Conditions:

These historic desks are part of a period room exhibit in a museum that is actively used and regularly shown to the public. Routine museum activities take place in this room, such as curatorial housekeeping of the museum objects, the turning on and turning off of lights, curatorial inventories and cataloging. These activities include regularly opening and closing the drawers on the desks.

In terms of the objects themselves, both wooden desks are well worn and bear the scars of decades of use as functional objects in the Edison household. The intention of this project is not to remove the wear and tear aspects of these objects that were created historically by the Edisons but to address subsequent damage that occurred post Edison era as well as deterioration that the desks are experiencing, due to their advanced age.

Specifically, an inclement weather water event in 2010 caused fading and stain damage to the top of Thomas Edison’s desk which will be addressed as part of this conservation project. Additionally, age and deterioration have resulted in the releasing of the historic glue on some of the components of Thomas Edison’s desk and overall destabilization of the frame of the desk. Lastly, significant deterioration has occurred to the underside of the veneered surface of the lower shelf, which will be consolidated, in some form, as part of this project. The lower shelf also appears to be experiencing some issues with structural stability.

When describing the condition of Mina Edison’s desk, some scratching and finish issues are identified, which must be addressed as part of this project. There is a historic “scissor burn” on the top of the desk, that occurred during the historic period and this mark will not be addressed as part of this project. Additionally, the structure of the desk, which consists of multiple components joined together, has weakened over time and must be stabilized in some manner, in order to avoid any future damage to the desk, in the event that it needs to be moved, for routine maintenance projects or during special exhibits at the museum. This stabilization is also a task which is identified in the scope of work for this project.

1.2 SOLICITATION PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND EVALUATION

FACTORS:

A. To facilitate consistent review and comparison of responses, proposal submissions must correspond in format to the heading sequence, and content of the following outline.

Respondents to the Request for Proposals (RFP) must include, at a minimum, the following:

Relevant Past Performance (Required):

Submit evidence of comparable past work including a minimum of five year’s experience conserving and/or restoring historic wooden furniture or equivalent wooden architectural components, such as historic fireplace overmantels or built-in bookcases or breakfronts, from the historic period (c. 1800-1947) of which one project is an example of conservation of a historic piece of wooden furniture that is used for exhibit in a period room setting or for display in a historic structure in a museum setting.

Comparable past work must also include two examples of wood finish conservation which specifically pertain to a wood stained finish (circa 1800-1947) as well as completion of conservation/restoration work related to addressing the overall structural stabilization of a historic wooden piece of furniture and/or equivalent architectural component (circa 1800-1847) with one example identifying the repair of failing hide glue and another example identifying the repair of failing joinery. These examples must be for repairs made to historic objects that are included in historic houses that appear on the

National Register of Historic Places or appear in an equivalent AAM accredited or recognized museum setting. Conservator must also demonstrate general knowledge of moving and transporting historic furniture in the museum setting. All comparable past work examples must demonstrate conservation work that was performed in AAM accredited museums or in collections within properties listed on the National Register of

Historic Places/or equivalent, and are also projects of similar scope, complexity, and historic resource value to that required by this solicitation.

Bids will also be evaluated on the bidder’s knowledge and use of in-kind materials and techniques to complete project work and their emphasis on using the least invasive approach to accomplish the work while adhering to NPS preservation and safety standards. The bidder’s knowledge of AIC conservation standards will also be taken under consideration.

The lead conservator overseeing this project must have a minimum of three years of object conservation training obtained through a degree program or a comparable period of apprenticeship with a reputable conservation services provider, which includes the conservation of historic wood objects or historic wooden furniture. This lead conservator shall be considered the key personnel for this contract and is responsible for performing the associated conservation work. This qualified conservator shall have conservation or restoration experience in conformance with the American Institute for Conservation

(AIC) Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice (website address -http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/governance/code-of-ethics-and-guidelines-for-practice.pdf). Applicant must also demonstrate familiarity with the NPS conservation and preservation standards and the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (See NPS Museum Handbook at https://www.doi.gov/museum/npshandbooks and https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm for more information).

Please include:

*Point of Contact (with verifiable telephone number and email address)

*Company Name and Address

*Company Telephone Number and Email Address (verifiable)

*Identification of Historic Resource Treated

*Brief Description of the Project with Illustrations which demonstrates similarity in scope and complexity to this project

*Dates Work Was Performed

Cost proposal:

Contract Type

The government anticipates awarding a firm-fixed price contract.

SAM Registration

Contractor shall be registered in SAM.gov prior to contract award.

B. Pre-Proposal meeting:

All Proposers are strongly encouraged to visit the site in preparation for submitting a proposal to view the oversized desks and to assess the spacial constraints/furniture constraints that must be safely navigated in order to pack, transport, de-install and re-install the historic furniture, currently on display in a fully furnished second floor period room, in order to work on these objects in an adjacent area of the museum inside of

Glenmont. Failure to do so shall not relieve the Contractor from responsibility for having estimated properly the difficulty or cost of successfully performing the work.

http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/governance/code-of-ethics-and-guidelines-for-practice.pdf http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/governance/code-of-ethics-and-guidelines-for-practice.pdf https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm

The Contractor must arrange a site visit at a date and time to be determined. Please contact Beth Miller should you plan to attend a site visit. Any questions that a Proposer has regarding the project must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer assigned to this project no later than five days prior to the closing date for this solicitation.

Beth Miller

Curator of Thomas Edison’s Home, Glenmont

973-809-4360 beth_miller@nps.gov

C. Limitations of Liability:

The Government assumes no responsibility and no liability for costs incurred by

Proposers in responding to this RFP.

D. Evaluation of Solicitation Proposals (Selection criteria):

Award of the contract to complete this project will be made on the basis of technical qualifications of the Proposer and on the basis of the Proposal offering the best value to the government with technical and price factor being approximately equal.

Proposals will be evaluated based on the following Factors and Sub-factors:

Factor 1: Experience

The lead conservator overseeing this project must have a minimum of three years of object conservation training obtained through a degree program or a comparable period of apprenticeship with a reputable conservation services provider, which includes the conservation of historic wood objects or historic wooden furniture. This lead conservator shall be considered the key personnel for this contract and is responsible for performing the associated conservation work. This qualified conservator shall have conservation or restoration experience in conformance with the American Institute for Conservation

(AIC) Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice (website address -http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/governance/code-of-ethics-and-guidelines-for-practice.pdf). Applicant must also demonstrate familiarity with the NPS conservation and preservation standards and the Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (See NPS Museum Handbook at https://www.doi.gov/museum/npshandbooks and https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm for more information).

Factor 2: Relevant Past Performance http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/governance/code-of-ethics-and-guidelines-for-practice.pdf http://www.conservation-us.org/docs/default-source/governance/code-of-ethics-and-guidelines-for-practice.pdf https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm

Submit evidence of comparable past work including a minimum of five year’s experience conserving and/or restoring historic wooden furniture or equivalent wooden architectural components, such as historic fireplace overmantels or built-in bookcases or breakfronts, from the historic period (c. 1800-1947) of which one project is an example of conservation of a historic piece of wooden furniture that is used for exhibit in a period room setting or for display in a historic structure in a museum setting.

Comparable past work must also include two examples of wood finish conservation which specifically pertain to a wood stained finish (circa 1800-1947) as well as completion of conservation/restoration work related to addressing the overall structural stabilization of a historic wooden piece of furniture and/or equivalent architectural component (circa 1800-1847) with one example identifying the repair of failing hide glue and another example identifying the repair of failing joinery. These examples must be for repairs made to historic objects that are included in historic houses that appear on the

National Register of Historic Places or appear in an equivalent AAM accredited or recognized museum setting. Conservator must also demonstrate general knowledge of moving and transporting historic furniture in the museum setting. All comparable past work examples must demonstrate conservation work that was performed in AAM accredited museums or in collections within properties listed on the National Register of

Historic Places/or equivalent, and are also projects of similar scope, complexity, and historic resource value to that required by this solicitation.

Bids will also be evaluated on the bidder’s knowledge and use of in-kind materials and techniques to complete project work and their emphasis on using the least invasive approach to accomplish the work while adhering to NPS preservation and safety standards. The bidder’s knowledge of AIC conservation standards will also be taken under consideration.

Factor 3: Price

A price evaluation will be performed to determine the reasonableness of the proposed price. Reasonableness will be determined considering other competitive prices received and comparison to the Independent Government Estimate.

Any proposal containing suggestions, approaches, options, or ideas that do not conform with National Park Service, the Secretary of the Interior, and AIC conservation and preservation standards will not be considered. Any proposals which include transporting the furniture offsite for conservation will not be considered.

Background materials attached to the scope of work include a copy of Rules for

Contractors in Historic Buildings (Attachment B) which identifies specific guidelines that must be followed by Contractors when they work on-site. In general, no food, drink, or smoking is permitted within site work areas. Contractor must protect-in-place adjacent artifacts in immediate work areas and areas required for transport, installation, and de-installation, as needed to prevent damage to the resource and its artifacts (such as historic floors, plaster walls and ceilings, historic light fixtures, historic staircases and steps, etc.), and refrain from storing project equipment on-site during the course of the project. The

Contractor is responsible for the cost of all supplies related to the project, including the required archival grade museum supplies that will be used by the vendor to relocate the desks within Glenmont (for example, dollies) and the supplies which are required to perform the conservation work (including protect in place supplies such as plastic sheeting and moving blankets).

When working on-site, Contractor shall be responsible for removal of all trash debris on a daily basis. Please note that on-site hot work, including use of heat guns, tack irons, or other heat generating equipment or welding, is prohibited for this project. Any bidding proposals that include on-site hot work shall not be considered.

2.0 SCOPE

On-site work for the project, will take place inside of Glenmont, in a selected area adjacent to the fully furnished Family Living Room, a period room on the second floor of the Edison home where these desks are exhibited. Contractor is responsible for safely navigating through historic spaces in order to complete tasks associated with this project and responsible for not damaging any of the other historic artifacts or architectural components of the interior spaces, the structure itself, the structure’s systems or building components or any other non-historic elements such as modern carpeting in high traffic areas. Please note that, during the project, the selected vendor is responsible for transporting the desks to and from the designated work area within Glenmont and also reinstalling both historic desks in their original locations in the second floor Family

Living Room, in order to return them to permanent exhibit at the end of the project. This includes transporting the desks over recently conserved historic room carpets that date back to the 1880s while navigating around other artifacts and furniture in this period room setting.

Contractor must protect in place the architectural features, historic finishes, adjacent artifacts, surfaces, and floors when completing this work in the second floor period room and also along the path of travel to and from the Family Living Room, to the extent required to prevent damage to any of these components during the course of the project.

Conservation and/or restoration of these two oversized wooden desks will consist of tasks including addressing finish issues such as scratches, water stain damage, cracks/wood component separation and related glue failure, replacing missing trim, addressing patina issues on drawer pulls, addressing failing veneer, mitigating the structural instability of these oversized objects related to failed structural components such as legs and joinery. One of the goals of this project is to ensure that, upon its completion, the two desks are stable enough to safely move and/or transport during routine maintenance of Glenmont and/or its historic interiors. Please note that NPS preservation guidelines advocate for replacing materials in-kind using in-kind methods.

Any work that alters the appearance and/or the original structure of these desks must be preapproved by the NPS.

Please note that the conservator is required to survey each object and produce 2 individual treatment proposals which will then be reviewed and approved by the NPS prior to the conservation work commencing. The selected conservator will also produce a treatment report for each object with digital before/after photos as part of the deliverables for this project.

When packing the object for transport from one area to another within Glenmont, the contractor must use museum grade packing and transporting supplies, to prevent damage during the safe transport of these items to and from different areas within the mansion and to also ensure the safety of the artifacts and historic interior components that surround them.

Bidder must include the cost of all packing supplies/equipment/services (labor) that are required for transport of the desks from one area of Glenmont to another during the course of this project. The bidder must also include the cost of all of the required materials and supplies related to completing the identified tasks for this project in their bidding proposals. Supplies, equipment, materials, and services of any kind that are required to perform this project work must be provided and/or purchased by the selected vendor.

Selected vendor is responsible for the preservation of and the protection-in-place of adjacent artifacts, adjacent historic finishes, historic surfaces, walls, and ceilings as well as other built-in features, such as historic floors and steps and architectural components like historic staircases and light fixtures, modern carpeting, etc. to the extent required to prevent damage to any aspect of the interior of Glenmont and its artifact collection. This includes along the path of travel used to enter and exit the mansion which will be used during the course of any on-site work. All stated in the statement above is the responsibility of the Contractor. Contractor is responsible for any damage that occurs to these historic areas, buildings, artifacts, and features during the course of their work.

Selected vendor will also be responsible for obtaining pre-approval by NPS staff for selected repair techniques and for anticipated results of any finish work associated with the project that could alter the appearance, functionality, or stability of the historic desks.

The intent is for these desks to be displayed in their historic location in the Family Living

Room. This will include the storage of the original historic objects located in the drawers/compartments of these desks as well as the historic objects displayed on top of the desks, as they were during the historic period, as well as staff members routinely opening and closing the drawers of each desk in order to access their historic contents.

This will also include, returning to exhibit, a series of wooden card catalogue file boxes that were historically stored on the lower shelf of Thomas Edison’s desk. These desks are also routinely cleaned which includes surface dusting.

Selected vendor must comply with National Park Service standards, the Secretary of the

Interior standards, and AIC standards for preservation and conservation which govern this project. Any proposal containing suggestions, approaches, options, or ideas that do not conform with National Park Service, the Secretary of the Interior, and AIC conservation and preservation standards will not be considered.

The goal of the NPS is to maintain the original appearance of the historic desks using in-kind materials and methods with an emphasis on retaining as much original historic fabric as is possible. These desks that were used personally by both Thomas and Mina

Edison have a distinguished provenance which makes it imperative that their original functionality and appearance be maintained. Any proposal that significantly alters the appearance, functionality, or structure of these desks will not be considered.

3.0 OBJECTIVES

The goal is to conserve and structurally stabilize these desks, as well as to repair post

Edison era damage to these desks in order to improve their appearance. The intent is to return them to permanent exhibition in the Family Living Room on the second floor of

Thomas Edison’s home, Glenmont. The Vendor will re-install the desks for exhibit as part of this project.

This project enables the park to continue the work of actively preserving and maintaining the park’s museum collections while maintaining and improving exhibit areas such as the period rooms. The end products, namely the treatment proposals and the treatment reports will improve the documentation for this collection and assist in the development of conservation projects for similar collections.

4.0 TASKS

4.1 Conservation and/or restoration of these two oversized wooden desks will consist of tasks including addressing finish issues such as scratches, water stain damage, cracks/wood component separation and related glue failure, replacing missing trim, addressing patina issues on drawer pulls, addressing failing veneer, mitigating the structural instability of these oversized objects related to failed structural components such as legs and joinery. One of the goals of this project is to ensure that, upon its completion, the two desks are stable enough to safely move and/or transport during routine maintenance of Glenmont and/or its historic interiors. Please note that NPS preservation guidelines advocates for replacing materials in-kind, using in-kind methods.

Any work that alters the appearance and/or the original structure of these desks must be preapproved by the NPS.

Please note that the conservator is required to survey each object and produce 2 individual treatment proposals which will then be reviewed and approved by the NPS prior to the conservation work commencing. The selected conservator will also produce a treatment report for each object with digital before/after photos as part of the deliverables for this project.

On-site work for the project, will take place inside of Glenmont, in a selected area adjacent to the fully furnished Family Living Room, a period room on the second floor of the Edison home where these desks are exhibited. Contractor is responsible for safely navigating through historic spaces in order to complete tasks associated with this project and responsible for not damaging any of the other historic artifacts or architectural components of the interior spaces, the structure itself, the structure’s systems or building components or any other non-historic elements such as modern carpeting in high traffic areas. Please note that, at the end of the project, the selected vendor is responsible for transporting the desks to and from the designated work area within Glenmont and also reinstalling both historic desks in their original historic locations, and their original historic configurations, in the second floor Family Living Room, in order to return them to permanent exhibit at the end of the project. This includes transporting the desks over recently conserved historic room carpets that date back to the 1880s while navigating around other artifacts and furniture in this period room setting.

A qualified conservator will complete the conservation of Thomas Edison’s desk and

Mina Edison’s desk. Work will use appropriate NPS approved museum techniques and

NPS approved materials. The majority of the work will be performed on-site in a designated area inside of Glenmont.

Off-site work for the project will also include producing a treatment proposal and treatment report for each of these objects (including before and after photos).

When packing the object for transport from one area to another within Glenmont, the contractor must use museum grade packing and transporting supplies, to prevent damage during the safe transport of these items, to and from different areas within the mansion, and to also ensure the safety of the artifacts and historic interior components that surround them.

Bidder must include the cost of all packing supplies/equipment/services (labor) that are required for transport of the desks from one area of Glenmont to another during the course of this project. The bidder must also include the cost of all of the required materials and supplies related to completing the identified tasks for this project in their bidding proposals. Supplies, equipment, materials, and services of any kind that are required to perform this project work must be provided and/or purchased by the selected vendor.

Please note that conservation approaches that significantly alter the appearance of these objects, in any significant way, shall not be considered. Any proposal that does not adhere to this guideline shall not be considered.

Any replacement in kind materials used on these desks as part of this project must not detract from the historic scene (i.e. appear contemporary or be made of sub-standard materials or ones that appear mismatched to the interior decorating motif in the room).

Suggested upgrades, such as these, require NPS review and approval.

Contractor is responsible for safely navigating through historic spaces in order to complete tasks associated with this project (including the safe and successful packing of the desks, moving the oversized desks within the mansion, de-installing the oversized desks from the historic floor in the Family Living Room in order to perform this conservation work, and re-installing the oversized desks in their original historic locations, and their original historic configurations, within the Family Living Room when the conservation work is complete).

Contractor must protect in place the architectural features, historic finishes, adjacent artifacts, surfaces, and floors when completing this work in the Family Living Room and also along the path of travel to and from this room, to the extent required to prevent damage to any of these components during the course of the project.

Selected vendor will also be responsible for obtaining pre-approval by NPS staff for selected repair techniques and for anticipated results of any finish work associated with the project that could alter the appearance of the desks which will be conserved as part of this project. In these circumstances, the park advocates using the least invasive method to complete the work while maintaining preservation standards. In these circumstances the park advocates using in-kind materials and methods to complete the work while retaining as much of the original materials as possible. Any proposal containing suggestions, approaches, options, or ideas that do not conform with the above stated information, regarding the required use of in-kind materials or techniques, will not be considered.

4.2 Selected vendor must ensure that they provide sufficient labor (ie number of individuals required) to safely complete all aspects of this work.

4.3 Selected vendor must comply with National Park Service standards, the Secretary of the Interior standards, and AIC standards for preservation and conservation which govern this project. Any proposal containing suggestions, approaches, options, or ideas that do not conform to National Park Service, the Secretary of the Interior, and AIC conservation and preservation standards will not be considered. Conservator will use appropriate museum techniques and approved materials, adhering to appropriate safety, preservation, and security guidelines, as identified in this document, in order to perform this work.

4.4 The selected vendor is required to present a certificate of insurance in the coverage amount of $500,000 dollars including coverage for when the contractor is completing installation and de-installation of equipment and supplies on-site and while performing on-site work for this project. Coverage must cover damages accrued during the course of the project either to the desks or any other historic or non-historic features of Glenmont.

Insurance coverage in the same amount must be provided when the desks are being transported to and from various areas within the Glenmont mansion.

The selected vendor shall present a certificate of insurance in the coverage amount of

$500,000 dollars for work performed during on-site tasks which include, but are not limited to, coverage for when the contractor is completing the de-installation/re-installation of the desks, the installation and de-installation of project equipment and supplies, and to cover any damages accrued to the desks or any other historic or non-historic elements of Glenmont that occurred during the course of the project work.

Contractor must provide proof of liability insurance in the amount of $500,000 dollars as well as standard insurance and bonding which covers the company and its employees against neglect, accident, theft and damage. This shall be provided to the CO. Contractor will also carry insurance to cover injuries to his workmen and damage caused by the workmen. The Vendor must provide a certificate of insurance within ten days of the contract award for the full amount of insurance requested. Contractor shall be responsible for all damages to persons or property that occurs as a result of Contractor’s fault or negligence. The contractor shall take proper safety and health precautions to protect work, workers, the public, and property of others. Selected contractor must be present on-site for these activities as well as for all on-site deliveries.

4.5 Selected vendor is responsible for any damage that occurs during the course of their work while working on site, while working off-site, and during packing and transport.

This includes but is not limited to, damage to historic finishes and features, damage to historic staircases and steps, damage to historic walls and ceilings, damage to historic floors and historic light fixtures, damage to any historic artifacts, or to any building systems or estate areas, such as the landscaped grounds. This includes, but is not limited to, during any time of transport, during installation of project equipment or supplies, and during the time of de-installation of any project equipment or supplies, or during the on-site work taking place in the Family Living Room/adjacent work area and along the path of travel inside of Glenmont as well as to the mansion itself and the grounds of

Glenmont.

Contractor is strongly encouraged to make an appointment for an on-site viewing of the interior of Glenmont and the artifacts in-situ (displayed on the floor in the fully furnished historic Family Living Room).

4.6 Hot work is defined as the use of any heat generating equipment such as a heat gun, blow dryer, or a tack iron to complete the project tasks. This includes welding. No on-site hot work is permitted for this project. If any proposed on-site hot work is included in the bidder’s proposal, the proposal will not be considered.

4.7 Contractor must refrain from storing project equipment on-site during the course of the project and is responsible for funding and purchasing all supplies related to the project. Contractor must be present for any associated project deliveries which will be arranged by advanced appointment only.

4.8 Background materials attached to the scope of work include a copy of Rules for

Contractors in Historic Buildings (Attachment B) which identifies specific guidelines that must be followed by Contractors when they work on-site. In general, no food, drink, or smoking is permitted within site work areas. Contractor shall be responsible for removal of all trash debris on a daily basis when working on-site.

Organization of Conservation Team: Please provide a description of the entire proposed conservation team identifying the Prime Contractor, all Subcontractors, qualifications relevant to the challenges of this treatment, and specific areas of responsibility. The description shall identify specific lines of communication, responsibility and highlight experience of the conservation team in working jointly on significant historic objects.

The offeror’s team shall have a qualified conservator, identified as the Prime Contractor, with a minimum of three years of object conservation training obtained through a degree program or a comparable period of apprenticeship with a reputable conservation services provider, which includes the conservation of historic wood objects or historic wooden furniture.

Please note that, on some days, the grounds of Glenmont and the interior of the home may be open to the public. On the days that the grounds are open to the public, the

Contractor must take appropriate safety measures to ensure the safety of the visitors. This includes not blocking the main paths of travel or foot traffic areas, using barriers to delineate work areas so the public cannot access them, and refraining from driving vehicles on the grounds when they are open to visitors and volunteers.

5.0 DELIVERY

5.1 The work of this section consists of submittal requirements before start of work.

A. Within ten days of the award and prior to the commencement of on-site work, a

Certificate of Insurance must be provided to the NPS.

• Pre-start meeting – Within 30 days of award, selected vendor will contact COR to discuss project and work schedule.

• Vendor will be required to submit an NPS approved health and safety work plan within 30 days after the award. In this plan the Contractor must address how they will adhere to relevant CDC guidance related to COVID-19 in the work place while working on-site at the Glenmont estate. The goal of the health and safety work plan is to ensure work is being performed safely, both for the resource and the personnel involved in the project. The health and safety work plan must be

NPS reviewed and approved, to ensure its methods and materials are in accordance with the NPS and the Secretary of Interior for conservation, preservation, and safety. On-site work shall not commence until the approved plan is executed. This includes on-site meetings to discuss the project, to examine the resource, or to conduct any project related testing or photography.

• Within 30 days after the award, Vendor will also be required to submit an NPS approved Protect-In-Place plan detailing how walkways, modern and historic carpeting, built-in features such as steps, floors, adjacent furniture and light fixtures, historic staircases and stained glass windows, as well as adjacent plaster walls and ceilings, architectural features, adjacent artifacts, etc. will be protected in place by the Contractor, identifying specific techniques and materials to be used to avoid damage to these elements during their on-site work. The protect-in-place plan must be NPS reviewed and approved, to ensure its methods and materials are in accordance with the NPS and the Secretary of Interior for conservation, preservation, and storage standards. Work shall not proceed until the approved plan is executed.

5.2 During work progress the selected vendor shall furnish upon request:

A. Daily report detailing work attempted or accomplished

5.2 At the mid waypoint of the contract the selected vendor shall provide the following:

A treatment proposal for each desk, as detailed in other sections of this document.

1. two paper copies of each report on 8 1/2 x 11 paper, and

2. one electronic copy of each report in PDF format on a flash drive.

5.3 At the conclusion of the contract the selected vendor shall provide the following:

B. The selected vendor must produce a treatment report for each desk detailing the work executed, including before and after color photos of the work as it progresses as well as when it is completed. The Contractor will provide the following condition and treatment reports to the COR:

1. two paper copies of each report on 8 1/2 x 11 paper with color photographs

2. one electronic copy of each report in PDF format on a flash drive.

5.4 Submit all delivery requirements to the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

6.0 GOVERNMENT-FURNISHED PROPERTY

6.1 The Contractor is responsible for the cost and acquisition of all project related materials, labor, and services necessary to complete the work of this contract. The government will not provide any materials, labor, and services necessary to complete the work of this contract. Project related expenses of any kind are the responsibility of the

Contractor.

6.2 Background materials attached to the scope of work include a copy of Rules for

Contractors in Historic Buildings (Attachment B) which identifies specific guidelines that shall be followed by contractors when they work on-site. In general, no food, drink, or smoking is permitted within site work areas. Contractor shall protect-in-place adjacent artifacts in immediate work areas as outlined in their NPS approved plan (including historic floors, staircase components, walls, stained glass windows, light fixtures, etc. as required), and refrain from storing project equipment on-site during the course of the project.

7.0 SECURITY AND SAFETY

Contractors and their team shall be escorted at all times by a National Park Service staff member while they are working on-site. This means that contractors shall not be left unattended, even for short periods of time, and an NPS staff member shall be continually monitoring them as they work, in the immediate vicinity. Please note that there should be no expectation of a contractor working independently, without staff monitoring or staff supervision, in any NPS facility. For more details, please refer to the Contractor

Monitoring SOP that is attached to this solicitation.

Backpacks and bags are subject to inspection. Contractor team members may be required to wear an identification badge while on-site and use a sign in sheet to log their on-site hours. Selected vendor shall be required to submit a roster supplying the names of participating team members prior to the start of any on-site work. Parking location is subject to security issues and shall be handled on a case by case basis.

Contractor will be required to submit an NPS approved health and safety work plan. Plan will detail steps taken by the Contractor to avoid damage to Glenmont artifacts and historic features/finishes as well as steps taken to reduce the incident of accident or injury during the course of the project. Plan must outline all equipment and materials used for the project and their related safety features or properties as well as any special safety requirements identified on their Safety Data Sheets (SDS sheets will also be submitted by the contractor with the plan). Please note that the park strictly adheres to guidelines specified in Safety Data Sheets for on-site work as part of the park’s safety protocol. Any required PPE must have up-to-date certification and an up-to-date fit test if required for on-site work.

In the health and safety work plan, the Contractor must also address how they will adhere to any relevant CDC guidance related to COVID-19 in the work place while working on-site at the Glenmont estate. Please note that the contracting team may be required to wear appropriate PPE, (ie mask and gloves that meet the current CDC recommendations for reducing the risk of COVID-19 disease transmission), to execute appropriate disposal of

PPE, to sanitize their work equipment and work areas (ie scaffolding, etc.), to adhere to current social distancing guidelines, to adhere to current COVID-19 reporting requirements to initiate contact tracing, to adhere to current quarantine guidelines, etc. in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission while working on site, if so dictated by

New Jersey state guidelines and/or CDC guidelines for managing COVID-19 in the work place. These guidelines are continually being updated and shall change over time.

Contractor must ensure that they provide sufficient labor (ie number of individuals required) to safely complete all aspects of this work as per OSHA guidelines.

The offeror’s equipment, tools, and supplies must be of a size and configuration capable of safely accommodating such work and must be equipped with the necessary fire and safety capabilities. Selected vendor must provide a form of egress in the event of fire during the course of the project.

For safety, security, and preservation reasons, family, friends, or pets are not permitted to accompany the contractor’s staff to the job site at Thomas Edison’s home, Glenmont.

This includes, but is not limited to, underage children. The park reserves the right to request that the Contractor produce documentation for any person on-site which provides evidence that they are legitimate and approved project personnel assigned to work on the project.

Please note that on-site hot work, including use of heat guns, tack irons, blow dryers, or other heat generating equipment or welding is not permitted for this project.

8.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

8.1 LOCATIONS

A. On-site work will be completed at the following location inside Thomas Edison

National Historical Park:

1. Pick up, delivery, and on-site work will be completed at Glenmont, Thomas

Edison National Historical Park, Llewellyn Park, 12 Honeysuckle Avenue, West Orange, New Jersey. Contractor must be present for any associated deliveries related to supplies for the on-site project work. Please note that navigating steps in narrow halls with historic staircases and plaster walls and ceilings is required to complete any transport process as well as key tasks related to the project. Potential bidders should take notice of the spacial restrictions of the confined work space where the work takes place and the historic nature of the path of travel for transport of objects, equipment, and supplies and plan accordingly, notating how these restrictions will be handled in their bidding proposal.

2. Special attention must also be paid to not damage historic objects adjacent to the work site in the historic rooms as well as navigating narrow corridors that feature historic finishes, historic light fixtures and windows, historic floors and staircases, and historic walls and historic artifacts, not only in this second floor period room but along the path of transport leading to and from this second floor period room, all of which contain artifacts and are historic in nature.

On-site work/pick up/drop off/packing may only be done between the hours of 8:45 am and 3:15 pm, Monday through Thursday, excluding holidays. On-site work is subject to weather conditions, other state of emergency conditions, or government shutdown.

Access is by advanced appointment only. Making appointments two weeks in advance is recommended and is subject to availability. Please note that on-site work hours are non-negotiable and the contractor must consider the hours of availability of the resource when formulating their fixed cost estimate for this project.

9.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The Contractor shall be required to commence work under this contract within 10 calendar days after the date of the award to the Contractor, execute the work diligently and complete the entire project within an eight month timeframe which begins on the date of award.

Within 10 calendar days after award, submit Certificate of Liability Insurance for the project.

Within 30 days after the award, Contractor will also be required to submit an NPS approved Protect-In-Place plan detailing how walkways, modern and historic carpeting, built-in features such as historic light fixtures and stained glass windows, historic floors, adjacent furniture, architectural features, historic steps and staircases, plaster walls and ceilings, etc. will be protected in place by the Contractor, identifying specific techniques and materials to be used. Within 30 calendar days after date of award, contact COR to discuss project and schedule for on-site work. Within 30 days after award, Contractor will be required to submit an NPS approved health and safety work plan.

Midway during the project, the Contractor must produce a treatment proposal for each desk, as it is detailed in other sections of this document.