B08_-_Solicitation_Attachment_1_-_Scope_of_Work.pdf

SCOPE OF WORK

PMIS 216852A

CONSERVATION TREATMENT OF PANORAMIC PHOTOGRAPHS

AT

SALEM MARITIME NAITONAL HISTORIC SITE

160 Derby Street

Salem, MA 01970

Background:

Established on March 17, 1938 as the first National Historic Site in the United States, Salem

Maritime National Historic Site (SAMA) consists of nine acres of land and twelve historic structures along the Salem waterfront, as well as a downtown visitor center. Located in the urban setting of Salem, the park preserves and interprets over 600 years of New England's maritime history and global connections. A broad and substantial collection of cultural resources related to the collection is stored almost entirely on site.

The photographs included in this collection of material area are associated with site’s Period of

Significance are in need of conservation treatment, digital image capture, and image reproduction in order to ensure their stability and preservation. Treating and imaging the at-risk photographs is essential to maintaining the historic integrity and accessibility of the site.

Scope:

This project would conserve 16 panoramic photographs, SAMA 15145-15147, 15149-15155, 15226-15228, 31970, 32395, and 32427, related to the St. Joseph Society in the museum collection, ranging in length from approximately 2.5 feet to 5.5 feet. The project would remove the prints from their frames or flatten them if they are rolled, clean them, and place them in appropriate enclosures, as well as digitize the images and produce high-resolution digital reproductions. The St. Joseph Society built St. Joseph Hall in 1908, and the hall is now a National

Register-listed structure that is part of Salem Maritime NHS.

These photographs are part of the History collections at Salem Maritime. They are records of the early 20th century Polish community in Salem, an immigrant group that has had relatively few artifacts and collections preserved. In 2009, the National Park Service did a special ethnography study on the polish community and its relationship to St. Joseph Hall, and this project follows the recommendations of that report in continuing to make available the resources at the park related to the Polish Community. In addition, this project also follows the recommendations of the 2005 collections management plan to make the archives of the St. Joseph Society more accessible.

The photographs are currently in acidic framing material, and the size of the photographs and their frames makes storage difficult. Details on the conditions of the photographs are in the descriptions of the attached list, but the work will be prioritized according to the condition of the photographs.

A few of the photographs are badly stained and appear to be partially adhered to the glass of the frames. Some photographs have been moderately stained and could benefit from a cleaning, while others merely need to be flattened.

The goal is to get the original photographs into archival housing, as they are too sensitive to go on permanent display again, digitize them so that they may be used in interpretive exhibits and reproduce the photographs to be hung up on the second floor of St. Joseph Hall at a later date, depending on what the final decision is for the decoration of that room.

The work will be performed by trained conservators with additional training in photograph conservation and documentation.

The contractor shall unframe, rehouse, digitally document, and reproduce the photographs. The original materials shall be safely removed and placed in conservation-grade storage folders with appropriate labeling. The original material will be reproduced at a sufficiently high resolution

(minimum 600 dpi) and printed with archival-grade pigment-based inks on a semi-matte conservation-grade paper comprised of at least 20% cotton fiber. Once fully reproduced, the new images shall placed flat, in storage folders with the originals. Should specific treatment needs arise for the original materials, the contractor shall consult with the Contracting Officer’s

Representative (COR). All original material and digital files shall be delivered to Salem

Maritime National Historic Site prior to 12/31/2022.

Objectives:

The goal of this project is to preserve 16 historically significant panoramic photographs from the

Salem Maritime National Historic Site so that they and the information within the images may be accessed by the general public as well as historians and other stakeholders.

Tasks:

The Contractor shall:

1. Work closely with the COR and insure clear and accurate communication.

2. Verify the rehousing requirements prior to beginning treatment on the artifacts.

3. Reproduce the images at a sufficiently high resolution (minimum 600 dpi) and print with archival-grade pigment-based inks on a semi-matte conservation-grade paper comprised of at least 20% cotton fiber (the paper will closely match the appearance, texture and weight of the wallpaper currently in-situ).

4. All rehoused and reproduced material will be delivered to Salem Maritime National

Historic Site prior to 12/31/2022

The Contractor shall be paid upon delivery of the material. All deliverables will be completed by 12/31/2022.

Delivery:

The Contractor must deliver the rehoused collection, digitized images, and reproduced prints to

Salem Maritime National Historic Site by December 31, 2022. Delivery will be made at mutually agreed upon time and place prior to December 31, 2022.

Government-Furnished Property:

16 panoramic photographs packages with historic images and framing material from the Salem

Maritime National Historic Site.

Place of Performance:

The project shall be accomplished at the contractor’s facility.

Period of Performance:

The Contractor shall begin work upon contract award and shall return the treated and reproduced material to Salem Maritime National Historic Site no later than December 31, 2022.