A1. Textile Conservation_PWS_V2 DRAFT, RFI.docx

DRAFT PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

CONSERVATION SERVICES FOR TEXTILES AND FLAGS

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS (NMMC)

1. Background The National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC) acquires, stores, preserves and exhibits the material history representing Marine Corps’ history from 1775 to the present. As part of its mission, the NMMC is tasked with collections stewardship responsibilities to provide professional expertise for all museum artifacts and works of art within the collection located throughout all Marine Corps facilities.

The NMMC curators continually identify museum textiles that require either conservation and/or stabilization treatment, as needed, to ensure they are managed and maintained in perpetuity. Museum textiles that are conserved or stabilized may require custom storage boxes, trays, and/or supporting mounts made for the textiles in preparation for storage and/or display.

2. Scope This requirement is for professional conservation services for textiles and flags within the NMMC collection. The conservation services required include assessment, treatment, and fabrication of custom storage boxes, trays, and supporting storage mounts for textiles, to include a final treatment report and photography for reach textile. See Performance Requirements listed below.

The Government intends to award an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for this requirement with a 5-year ordering period during which individual Task Orders may be issued/awarded under the master IDIQ contract. The Contractor shall perform services as identified in each Task Order.

3. Performance Requirements

3.1. Tasks: The Contractor shall provide all materials, equipment, and supplies necessary to fully carry out the following Performance Requirements for each Task Order issued. Upon completion of Performance Requirements for each Task Order, the Contractor shall notify the NMMC for final inspection and acceptance of services.

3.1.1. Intake Meeting and Site Visit to NMMC Museum Support Facility (MSF): The contractor shall be available for an intake meeting within twenty-five (25) days of contract award and to review textiles and flags requiring conservation on the first Task Order. The intake meeting and review of textiles may be completed in a single visit. Meeting and site visit will be coordinated directly with the Government Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) and take place at the NMMC MSF.

3.1.2. Conservation Assessment(s)

a. The Contractor shall provide conservation assessments with potential options for conservation and stabilization of textiles.

i. Conservation assessment shall include inspection, analysis, and evaluation of each textile to determine conservation needs, recommend intervention techniques and treatment solution(s).

ii. The Contractor may be required to inspect, examine, and evaluate textiles that have had past conservation treatment to determine if the textile is still stable and sound or if further conservation and/or stabilization treatment is required. This will allow the NMMC to ensure the textile is stable if it is scheduled to be placed on exhibit. If treatment is required, the Contractor shall prepare an assessment recommending conservation treatment to complete the necessary work per the direction of the TPOC and/or subject matter expert.

b. Conservation assessments shall be reviewed and approved by the TPOC.

i. Conservation assessments shall be reviewed, discussed, and approved by the TPOC and/or subject matter expert(s) (SMEs) within ten (10) working days after assessment is received from the Contractor.

ii. Conservation shall not begin until approval is provided to the Contractor by the TPOC, where applicable.

c. The conservation assessment and/or stabilization of textiles may include, but are not limited to, the following procedures:

i. Cleaning

ii. Vacuuming

iii. Removal of dirt, debris, grease, corrosion, adhesives

iv. Straightening, flattening, and/or removal of creases

v. Stabilization of existing parts or textile

vi. Reintegrate areas of loss

vii. Mounting

d. Conservation assessment for individual textiles detailing the condition of the textile shall include the following information:

i. Catalog number

ii. Textile name/nomenclature

iii. Measurements

iv. Textile description and condition

v. Recommended conservation treatment(s)

vi. Length of time for work to be completed

vii. The Contractor shall provide firm-fixed pricing for all conservation services required. If more than one treatment option is proposed in the conservation assessment, the Contractor shall provide pricing for each. Any proposed conservation services shall not exceed quoted pricing for billable tasks in the Pricing Table due to the firm-fixed price (FFP) nature of the contract.

viii. Specialized needs of the textile should be considered, to include housing, trays, proper mounts, etc. and proposal for creation of mounts for storage and/or exhibition, frames, boxes, trays, or tubes for support and safe handling.

e. The assessment shall follow the standards as determined by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC).

3.1.3. Conservation Treatment

a. The Contractor may be required to perform a variety of the following conservation processes for various types of textiles depending on the condition of the textiles to be conserved and/or stabilized.

i. The estimated number of textiles that the NMMC will have conserved in any contract year will vary and may range from 5 - 40 in any year.

b. All conservation treatment processes must be approved by the TPOC and/or subject matter expert(s) prior to beginning conservation treatment. Conservation processes may include, but are not limited to the following:

i. Remove adhesive material from textile surfaces; consolidate loose threads and/or fabric; and stabilize the fabric.

ii. Remove previous treatments, debris, dirt, grime, grease, residues, and restorations.

iii. Stabilize and/or consolidate flaking or unstable paints applied to textile surfaces; clean and stabilize painted designs on textile surfaces.

iv. Reintegrate areas of loss. Replicate and/or procure for the correct period and style parts or materials to replace or reintegrate areas of loss within a textile.

v. Remove old stickers, labels, markings, old textiles identification tags, tape, unusual residues, and other materials that are not part of the original textiles.

vi. Remove previously applied textile catalog numbers and reapply the catalog numbers on the textile(s) if the numbers were required to be removed during conservation.

vii. For medals, ribbon bars or other artifacts with a textile component, treatment may occasionally involve working in conjunction with the Museum’s contracted object conservator to complete any necessary treatment to include the manufacture of specialized storage mounts, envelopes, boxes, trays, etc. that may be required.

viii. For uniforms, head gear and clothing, stabilization of textiles with loose pieces, tears, rips, or other damage, with alignment of the individual elements to make whole, as much as possible.

ix. Clean and preserve painted designs on artifact surfaces, minimizing change and maintaining the integrity of the textile.

x. All elements separated from the textiles shall be properly labeled with the textile’s name and catalog number and returned to the TPOC in a proper storage container.

c. Provide a final treatment report for each textile that follows the guidelines as established by the AIC, to include the following information:

i. Textile name/nomenclature

ii. Catalog number

iii. Dimensions/measurements

iv. Condition and Description

v. Detail of new condition and conservation treatment(s) performed.

· The treatment report shall include any conservation treatment applied and the steps taken to achieve the new condition. The report shall include any previous repairs or restorations discovered during the treatment process.

vi. Conservation treatment applied detailing the new condition including any specialized mount, frame, or housing created as part of the conservation process, and fabrication details of any mount created.

vii. Photographs

· Photo documentation of treatment with before, during, and after images for each individual textile after the work is approved by the TPOC and conservation is complete.

· Textiles shall be photographed from all sides with detailed photographs of areas of damage or instability, to include previous treatments, repairs, and construction techniques prior to conservation.

· Textile photographs will be included within the body of the conservation treatment report and also provided as separate images.

3.1.4. Fabrication of Custom Storage Boxes, Mounts, Frames, and/or other applicable storage and handling supports

a. The Contractor may be required to provide custom storage boxes, mounts and/or frames for textiles being conserved to prepare them to be safely stored and/or exhibited.

b. Flags and other textiles may require some level of mount and/or framing using fabrics appropriate and safe for display with each individual textile to include a solid support stretcher. When specified, acid-free storage containers, trays, packaging, and/or mounts may be required to be made for safe storage, handling and/or display of textiles. Storage containers and mounts to be designed shall be done in consultation with the TPOC and/or subject matter experts to ensure they meet the needs and requirements of each individual textile. Original storage containers and mounts shall be returned to the TPOC and/or subject matter expert properly labeled with catalog number and artifact name.

c. All frames shall match color, finish, and type currently in use by the NMMC utilizing either UV filtered acrylic or glass, as determined by the TPOC and/or subject matter experts. All elements separated from the flag or textile and unable to be reattached shall be properly labeled with the artifact catalog number and name and returned to the TPOC in a proper storage container.

4. Applicable Information and/or Documents

4.1. Government Technical Point of Contact (TPOC): TPOC contact information to be provided at time of contract award.

4.1.1. The TPOC shall provide background material and information on textiles, the possible exhibition and/or storage of textiles to the Contractor, as applicable, for the textiles requiring conservation. In some cases, there is limited historical data available and shall be provided upon request of the Contractor.

4.1.2. The TPOC may be assisted by multiple subject matter experts. The subject matter experts shall provide technical guidance and clarification in the absence of the TPOC.

4.1.3. The TPOC and/or subject matter experts shall review and approve all work. All work that does not meet the TPOC’s approval shall be rejected and reworked according to the TPOC and/or subject matter expert direction.

4.1.4. The TPOC shall have ten (10) working days to respond to the Contractor requests for information, proposals, or queries by either phone or email.

4.1.5. The TPOC may visit the Contractor’s conservation facility no less than two (2) times over the course of the contract. Each visit shall be coordinated with the Contractor.

4.1.6. The TPOC shall host initial progress meetings, generally in person or via telephone/teleconference call. Schedule, frequency, and duration are to be determined.

4.1.7. The final inspection and acceptance shall take place upon completion of conservation treatment on the agreed upon textiles and accepted by the TPOC according to the accepted conservation treatment.

4.2. Period of Performance / Ordering Period: The Government intends to award an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract (IDIQ) for this requirement with a 5-year ordering period during which individual task orders may be issued/awarded under the master IDIQ contract. The ordering period for the base year shall begin upon the date of contract award.

4.3. Place of Performance:

4.3.1. The Contractor may assess textiles onsite at the NMMC Museum Support Facility (MSF) or with approval of the TPOC, at their conservation facility. The Contractor may be required to visit other Marine Corps facilities, as directed by the TPOC, to examine textiles on display or in storage.

4.3.2. The Contractor shall perform all conservation treatment required at their conservation facility.

a. The conservation facility where artifacts are to be treated is required to meet the safety, ethics, and security standards set by the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC).

4.3.3. In coordination with the Contractor, the NMMC may provide transportation services for textiles and flags to and from the Contractor’s conservation facility. The Contractor must also be able to provide safe and secure transportation and/or in some cases, schedule fine art transportation/shipping for all textiles and flags that are transportable to and from the designated NMMC location and their conservation facility. The Contractor will need to coordinate transportation of NMMC artifacts with the TPOC who must approve all shipping methods utilized to and from the designated NMMC location. The Contractor shall comply with all shipping and hauling requirements of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the USMC, and all other associated authorities. All deliveries shall be coordinated with the TPOC.

a. The Contractor must be able to receive textiles and have a secure location in which they can be received safely and free of environmental hazards.

4.3.4. The Contractor shall be responsible for their transportation to and from any NMMC facility unless otherwise agreed upon with the TPOC.

4.4. List of Deliverables:

Inspection, analysis, and evaluation of each textile to determine conservation needs and recommend conservation and treatment solutions.

Specific Conservation work required for each textile.

Conservation treatment applied detailing new condition, include photos of textiles before, during and after treatment; if necessary, include fabrication details of any mounts created for textiles.

Production of custom mounts, boxes and/or frames for textiles being conserved.

4.5. Government Property: NMMC textiles requiring services under this contract are considered Government property. Once the conservation assessment is received and approved by the TPOC, the NMMC shall provide the textile(s) to the Contractor for conservation treatment work to be completed. Upon transfer and return of the textile(s) to and from NMMC, textile transfer documentation is required for NMMC records and accountability.

4.6. Delivery Addresses: All textiles and any/all deliverables shall be delivered to one of the following locations in coordination with the TPOC:

4.6.1. National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC)

1775 Semper Fidelis Way Triangle, VA 22172

4.6.2. NMMC Museum Support Facility (MSF)

17001 Interstate Dr. Ste. 130 Dumfries, VA 22026

4.7. Hours of Operation: The Contractor must be available to work during normal work hours in coordination with the TPOC, from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on U.S. Federal Holidays. Visit Federal Holidays (opm.gov) to view the applicable listing of U.S. Federal Holidays.

4.8. Contractor Personnel / Qualifications:

4.8.1. The Contractor shall adhere to the professional standards set forth in the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic (AIC) Works Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.

4.8.2. The Contractor shall provide a Certificate of Insurance to ensure proper insurance coverage of a minimum of $500,000, as determined by the TPOC while in transport to and from the conservation facility and during the conservation process.

4.8.3. The Contractor’s conservation facilities shall provide the appropriate climate and humidity controls in place providing a stable environment for Museum property meeting the following requirements: 50-60% relative humidity and 68-72 degrees temperature Fahrenheit with plus or minus 5% fluctuation.

4.9. Travel:

4.9.1. The Government intends to award a Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) contract type. The Contractor is responsible for all travel/per diem related expenses required to perform this contract. Any anticipated travel costs in the performance of this contract shall be included as part of the quoted rate(s). Any travel matters associated with the performance of this contract are the sole responsibility of the Contractor. The Government shall not have any financial responsibility other than paying for the FFP on each line item.

4.10. Government Facility Access: The Contractor must possess a current valid state driver’s license and/or form of government approved official identification containing a personal photograph. The identification is required for security purposes to access active military installations.

(End of PWS)