MMD 23-050 Pre-Bid Conference Summary.pdf

Pre-Bid Conference for the Maryland Military Department's Conservation and Installation of World War II Mural eMMA# BPM037485

Date: May 19, 2023 Time: 2:30 PM Local Time/EST

Attendees:

Shareda Holifield, MMD Barbara Taylor, MMD John Harmann, Hartmann Fine Art Conservation Services, Inc.

William Winters, Hartmann Fine Art Conservation Services, Inc.

Gillian Randell, EverGreene Debora Rodrigues, Past Matters, LLC Wendy Rose, Olin Conservation Gena Dillon, Fine Art Conservation Laboratories, Inc. (Web-Conference) Virginia Panizzon, Fine Art Conservation Laboratories, Inc. (Web-Conference)

Introductions: Shareda Holifield opened the conference by introducing herself as the Procurement Officer for this solicitation. Barbara Taylor from the Maryland Military Department was also introduced.

Purpose of the Pre-Bid Conference: The purpose of this Pre-Bid Conference is for guidance for information regarding this Invitation for Bids. Changes to the specifications or to the scope of work will be published as an Amendment and supersede the original published document as per COMAR 21.05.02.07. The Pre-Bid minutes will be published as an amendment and become part of this solicitation on eMMA. The solicitation number for this contract is BPM037485. Nothing stated at the Pre-Bid conference may change the Invitation for Bids unless a change is made by the state via written amendment. Questions and comments should also be submitted in writing by email to me for a formal response.

Specifications and other IFB Documents can be examined without charge at eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) website at https://procurement.maryland.gov. In addition, if you need assistance, you may email the eMMA help desk at emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov. In order to receive a contract award, A bidder must be registered on eMMA.

Please carefully review the entire solicitation. By submitting a response to this solicitation, a potential bidder shall be deemed to represent that it is not in arrears in the payment of any obligation due and owing the State of Maryland. This includes the payment of taxes and employee benefits, and that it shall not at the time of the bid due date or during the term of the contract become in arrears if selected for contract award. It shall be the Bidder’s responsibility to timely clear any outstanding issues upon notification. In addition, please note that the company name you submit your bids with, must match exactly with how your company is registered in the State of Maryland with the Office of the Comptroller and Department of Assessments and Taxation. If you are an out of State Business, please make sure you are registered with the https://procurement.maryland.gov/ file://dmil-nas/Home_Folders/Holifields/Document/emma.helpdesk@maryland.gov

Comptroller’s Office.

Please review the Key Information Sheet along with any amendments, should there be any changes to the deadline or any other changes. Be sure that questions are submitted at the time listed on the Key Information Sheet. If additional questions are submitted after this date,I, the, Procurement Officer, will based on time and availability, attempt to answer the question, but a response cannot be guaranteed.

Please note all amendments must be acknowledged by the Bidder. Each amendment creates a new round. If an amendment is issued after your bid has been submitted, move your bid forward to the new round. If your bid is late, it cannot be accepted.

The Maryland Military Department issuing this Invitation for Bids (IFB) in order to procure the services defined in this Section 2, as specified in this IFB, from a contract between the successful bidder(s) and the Maryland Military Department: for the conservation of one World War II Mural and installation of the mural on the supplied floating wall.

The Contract type is fixed price. The contract duration is a one year base period with one six month option.

General Requirements

• As stated in the IFB, Bidders have/had the opportunity to submit additional questions in writing only. These questions are to be submitted to me no later than Thursday, May 25, 2023. You must send to the attention of: shareda.holifield2@maryland.gov.

• All questions and responses shall be published as an amendment to the solicitation on eMMA.

• A Contract shall be awarded to the responsible Bidder(s) submitting a responsive Bid with the most favorable evaluated bid price (as referenced in COMAR 21.05.02.13) for providing the goods and services as specified in this IFB. Bidders must bid all line items.

Partial or incomplete bids will be rejected unless otherwise stated in the solicitation. See IFB Section 6 for Bid evaluation and award information.

• Ensure all required documentation as requested is included in your bid as outlined in Section 7 of the IFB that list each document to be submitted either at the time of the bid due date, time of award etc. You also shall submit documentation required in 5.4 require bid submission.

The Invitation for Bids was briefly summarized, placing emphasis on the minimum qualifications that are required.

Questions & Answers

1. Question: Will the floating wall be hanging from the ceiling?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: No, the floating wall will be a solid wall attached to the current wall but will stand off the current wall to allow some air space behind. The floating wall will go all the way to the ceiling and come down far enough to allow some room for minor adjustments around the mural’s edges. Studs will be anchored to the brick wall that you observed in your visit, and ½” mailto:shareda.holifield2@maryland.gov plywood will be attached to the studs. A solid surface of plywood is the substrate that you will be able to attach the individual mural pieces to. The angles of the floating wall will be the same as that which you observed in your visit for “the wrap around” ends of the mural. The wall will not be curved at the ends.

2. Question: What is your idea of how the floating wall will be constructed?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: The floating wall will be attached by 2x4s spaced to allow some airflow but frequent enough to provide secure attachment to the wall you see.

3. Question: How much will we be cutting?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: We estimate about 2 feet of the mural, 2 places, u shaped, to allow for the intrusion of the two ceiling support beams into the top of the mural.

4. Question: Will the room be empty?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: No not completely emptied. Most items will be moved to be up against the opposing wall.

5. Question: What’s the spot on the ceiling?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: It is water damage. The Fifth Regiment Armory now has a new roof, which is now why we are able to pursue this conservation project.

6. Question: Is there an estimate on the floating wall/timeline?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: Not at this time.

7. Question: Is that top cover paint? If so, are you looking for the black paint at the top of the mural to be removed?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: No, we do not want this removed.

8. Question: Is the floating wall meant to be permanent?

MMD’s/MMH’s Response: No, this is not meant to be permanent. If the museum were to move, the mural would travel with the museum. The floating wall will allow the mural to be semi-permanent here but could be removed if needed without significantly damaging the original armory’s structure.

The floating wall will be covered with panels to provide sufficient support/places to attach each of the mural’s thin panels.

9. Question: What about the flags in the room?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: They will be flipped to the opposing wall and rehung above the portraits.

10. Question: What about the vent?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: It is not active. This will be covered by the floating wall.

11. Question: There is a piece missing at the bottom?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: There is no piece missing bottom center. It was in a theater and the cutaway was over a door.

12. Question: Are there angles?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: They were cut to fit the exhibit space in the last museum

13. Question: Is it WPA?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: We do not know a lot about the artist, only that he was a soldier who was a professional artist prior to his enlistment. He was asked to paint this during his training time on Fort Meade, Maryland during WWII. We cannot prove he did not get paid for it through WPA.

14. Question: Who owns it? Is it federal?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: It is the State’s property.

15. Question: What is the year that this was created?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: 1942 or 1943?

16. Question: Was this stored on site?

MMD’s/MMMH’s Response: This was not originally stored here, but the mural has been here in this armory since 2021.

Closing: Shareda Holifield reminded attendees of the bid due date, and attendees proceeded to continue viewing the mural.

THIS CONCLUDES THE END OF THE PRE-BID CONFERENCE SUMMARY.