Sol_140P5424Q0063_Attach__0001_SOW.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

PMIS 306229A

Remediate Arsenic and Hazardous Chemical Contamination of Natural History Museum Specimens Located at the

South Florida Collections Management Center (SFCMC) on behalf of Everglades National Park, Homestead, FL

Introduction This project accomplishes arsenic remediation and conservation treatment for approximately 85 natural history specimens from the Big Cypress National Preserve; Biscayne, Dry Tortugas, and Everglades National Parks located at the South Florida Collections Management Center (SFCMC) in the Daniel Beard Research Center at Everglades National Park in Homestead, FL. It may also complete testing of approximately 165 natural history specimens for other toxic pesticide treatments.

The Daniel Beard Research Center (DBC), also known as the Nike HM-69 Administration Building was built in 1963. This former missile base site, now the home of the Beard Research Center and an auxiliary storage area, represent the most substantial Cold War historic resource in the park. This missile site—along with the other Nike Hercules missile sites and related facilities located throughout South Florida—is exceptionally significant because of its unique architecture and because it had a completely different deployment, construction, and mission than that of other Nike Hercules sites within the continental U.S. (CONUS). The Nike complex within which this building is sited was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The National Park Service must, therefore, follow Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act when completing any work that has the potential to cause adverse effects to the historic fabric of the building. All proposed work scenarios should be consistent with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties. Beginning in the summer of 2024, construction rehabilitation work will be conducted in some of the rooms at the Daniel Beard Center. The contractor shall coordinate all work scheduling with the contracting officer’s representative (COR) to ensure that the project is not impeded by construction scheduling.

The mailing address for the Daniel Beard Center headquarters (pickup and delivery) is:

40001 SR 9336

Homestead, FL 33034

The Daniel Beard Center is physically located approximately 15 minutes inside of Everglades National Park, past the park headquarters building and Ernest Coe Visitor Center.

Latitude/Longitude: 25.389318/-80.681886

GPS coordinates: 25° 23' 21.5448'' N 80° 40' 54.7896'' W

* Use of lat/long coordinates or GPS is not guaranteed.

Turn-by-turn directions are as follows:

1) Enter Everglades National Park at the east entrance after passing through Homestead and Florida City on State Road 9336. You will pass the Ernest Coe Visitor Center on your right. State Road 9336 becomes the Main Park Road after this point.

2) Pass through the park entrance station and continue on the Main Park Road for approximately 1.6 miles. Take the first available left turn from the Main Park Road. Sign has a left arrow pointing toward Royal Palm, Anhinga Trail, and Gumbo Limbo Trail.

3) Look for the sign on the right for the turn toward Royal Palm. Turn left from the turn lane there and proceed approximately 0.9 miles to the next turn.

4) 4. Before the first available right turn are signs directing visitors to the Beard and Robertson centers and the Nike Missile Base. Turn right here and proceed around the curved road approximately 0.4 miles.

5) 5. At the stop sign, turn right onto Research Road. This long, straight road reaches the Dr.

Bill Robertson Center on the right in approximately 3.8 miles. The Daniel Beard Research Center is the pink building on the left after you pass the Robertson Center.

The Daniel Beard Center is a single-story facility and has a ramped entrance into the building. A paved sidewalk is available from the parking lot in front of the Daniel Beard Center to the ramped entrance. Access to the building interior via double doors shall be provided to the contractor. If the contractor plans to conduct work onsite, the SFCMC shall provide a workspace with certified fume hood in the collections storage room where the specimens are located.

Background Due to the vulnerability of organic materials to pest infestation, a number of pesticides and chemical treatments have been used over the years to protect natural history museum collections.

Beginning in the 1800s and extending through the 1980s, arsenic was one of the primary ingredients used in the taxidermy of natural history specimens. This was usually used as arsenical soap in the form of arsenic oxide, which was applied inside the skin of the animal to prevent pest infestation and damage. Many times this was coupled with the use of mercuric

View of Daniel Beard Center from road. Exterior sidewalk and double doors chloride, alum, camphor, carbonate of potash, soap, and lime powder.

According to research done by the National Park Service in the late 1980s and 1990s, several parks have documented the use of toxic preservatives on their natural history collections during the collecting time frame of the Everglades National Park specimens (1940s to the present). Collection Management Plans from the Everglades are cited in the 2001 Conserve-O- Gram detailing the use of toxic pesticides in NPS collections.

In 2021, approximately 400 natural history specimens at the SFCMC were assessed for arsenic by professional conservators, including taxidermy and skins of birds, mammals, and reptiles. The assessment found that “Overall the specimens are in good condition and the only condition issues observed were due to poor mounting methods. On a few bird specimens some down feathers detached during sampling. These were retained in labeled plastic specimen bags and kept with the associated bird. Approximately 165 specimens exhibited a white-yellow particulate across the surface. In a few cases there was a significant amount of this particulate present on the specimen and inside the plastic bag.”

The final report from the aforementioned assessment is available for review upon request.

Scope of Work

The contractor shall conduct remediation of arsenic in confirmed positive specimens. The contractor may conduct testing for hazardous chemicals on specimens where particulate matter was present during the initial survey. The SFCMC shall provide a list of catalog numbers and descriptions for each specimen included in the arsenic remediation project (see Attachment A).

Attachment A also includes a list of specimens that were identified to be arsenic-negative but display granular particulates on the surface and need hazardous chemical testing. These specimens should be considered as a project additive. Specimens have been grouped based on scientific taxon and/or size. The conservator shall perform work such as dry cleaning selected specimens with a HEPA filter vacuum, and if necessary, wet cleaning specimens using distilled water and cotton swabs. If necessary, the contractor shall clean with a gentle conservation grade detergent (such as Orvus® WA Paste) followed by distilled water to remove detergent residue and shall retest the remediated specimens following treatment utilizing a test such as MQuant® Arsenic Test Kits purchased from Sigma-Aldrich®.

Prior to beginning any work with the contaminated collections, the contractor shall develop a process and prepare a plan for ensuring hazardous chemicals are handled safely. At a minimum, the plan shall address hazardous materials signage during work; handling contaminated specimens and supplies; disposal of contaminated supplies; and cleaning the workspace to ensure no hazardous chemical remnants are present after the project. This plan shall be in adherence with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety standards and shall be approved by the park contracting officer’s representative (COR) and/or safety officer (SO).

If the contractor chooses to conduct work at the South Florida Collections Management Center facility, upon arrival on site, an SFCMC staff member will provide access to the natural history collections specified in Attachment A, will provide access to a work desk in a room separate from the main collection’s storage area, access to a certified fume hood, and will supervise work during contractor time on site.

If the contractor chooses to pack and ship the collections to their conservation facility, a South Florida Collections Management Center staff member will provide access to the specified natural history collections and space for packing the specimens. Access to a certified fume hood will also be available. Packing materials, methodology, and transportation shall be arranged by the contractor and shall be implemented to ensure collections are not damaged during transport. The contractor must adhere to all laws specific to shipping arsenic-contaminated specimens. A loan agreement shall be required for any specimens that are removed from the SFCMC facility at the Daniel Beard Center. If the contractor chooses to transport the specimens to an off-site facility, the facility’s environmental controls shall adhere to the following standards:

Environmental control standards:

1. Temperature range maintained between 66-72 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Relative humidity range maintained between 45-55%.

3. Environmental fluctuations are to be avoided and climate control systems should not be turned off at night.

4. Storage areas must have an approved, supervised automatic smoke detection system providing full-building coverage. Smoke detection systems must meet the requirements of NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code, and must be maintained in accordance with NFPA 72, Part H.

5. A water-type portable fire extinguisher should be located in storage areas when required.

6. All storage and adjacent areas must be protected by a professionally designed automatic sprinkler system that is designed to limit the maximum anticipated loss from any single fire event.

7. The Contractor’s facility must have good ventilation and be free from gaseous fumes.

Loan agreement:

Contractor shall enter into a loan agreement with the NPS for the duration of off-site storage for the specimens. Contractor shall adhere to the Conditions for Outgoing Loans present in NPS form 10-127A, January 2006.

Transportation:

Contractor shall ensure that boxes containing specimens are not damaged during transportation. If boxes or specimens are damaged during transportation, the contractor shall notify the COR within 48 hours and provide photographs and a detailed description of the damage.

Applicable Directives

All proposed transportation and storage must align with National Park Service (NPS) Standards for museum and archival collections storage and security as outlined in the NPS Museum Handbook, Part 1, Ch. 6, 7 and 14.

A. Transportation and Special Handling

The Collections are part of the National Park Service’s museum collection and must be handled in a correct manner. The Contractor shall handle and transport all Collections and boxes in such a way as to prevent damage to the material during handling and transit and unpacking at the Contractor’s facility. The Contractor shall take measures to assure that the National Park Service’s collections are not damaged at any time when in the Contractor’s custody. Any damage that does occur must be reported to the COR within 48 hours.

As noted above, special handling techniques are required. An explanation of special handling requirements is outlined herein and shall be provided to the Contractor’s staff working on the project before work begins. If materials seem likely to suffer damage as a result of conservation and digitization, the Contractor should immediately consult with the COR before conducting work on any such materials.

a. The Contractor must handle the materials according to the instructions provided in this Scope of Work so that the Collections are not damaged. Do not leave the Collections unattended, uncovered or exposed for lengthy periods of time. If the work as prescribed has the potential to cause damage to the original Collections, the Contractor must contact the COR to discuss a course of action before beginning work.

b. In coordination with the SFCMC curator, the contractor will package the Collections for shipment and will arrange transportation as identified in this Scope of Work. The shipment will be accompanied by an inventory, receipt for property and NPS loan documentation that lists each item by its unique SFCMC catalog or accession number. Upon receipt of the Collections, the Contractor shall verify the inventory, sign the receipt for property and NPS loan documentation, and return the required paperwork to the COR within the designated timeframe.

c. The Contractor shall have all necessary materials on hand and ensure that work areas are clean and clutter free. Eating, drinking, or smoking must not be allowed in the receiving and shipping, storage and work areas where the Collections are located.

d. The Contractor’s employees need to wash and dry their hands before working with the Collections, especially after eating, drinking, or smoking. Protective gloves must be worn whenever handling the Collections.

e. All equipment that comes in contact with the Collections must be of professional quality, in good working order and cleaned and maintained regularly.

f. Use only pencils near the Collections. No ink, or felt tip pens or markers, colored pencils, or crayons may be used in close proximity to the Collections.

B. Security and Storage

a. The Collections need to be safeguarded against theft, vandalism, unauthorized use and alterations of any kind. The Contractor’s facility must have a monitored security system that automatically dispatches appropriate security response.

C. If the Collections are transported offsite, the Contractor shall ensure that all transportation and handling methodologies are applied for return shipment.

D. If a question arises regarding a particular item, the contractor shall communicate such questions to the COR before beginning the work.

Deliverables: Treatment Reports and Recommendations

The work performed should include the following or similar processes:

1. The Contractor provides a treatment proposal for the conservation treatment of contaminated specimens for approval by the COR before initiating any conservation treatments.

2. Prepare a process and plan for safe handling of hazardous chemicals and submit for approval before handling or beginning treatment of the Collections.

3. A draft and final Treatment Report for each object for which the Contractor performs arsenic remediation treatment delivered to the NPS in a digital format of the NPS’s choosing.

4. Full-color digital photographs of each object taken before treatment (required), during treatment (if appropriate or requested by NPS), and after completion of treatment (required). Digital photographs should be high resolution (minimum 400dpi) and delivered to the NPS electronically.

5. After treatment, a meeting (in person or via virtual call) with the designated curatorial staff to review the results of the treatment.

6. Submit to COR one electronic copy of the final Treatment Report, digital images, and all treatment proposals.

7. Submit to COR one electronic copy of the final condition survey and conservation report for mixed wood/metal objects.

8. Itemized list (by catalog or accession number) of results of testing for other toxic pesticide treatment and remediation recommendations.

9. After testing, a meeting (in person or via virtual call) with the designated curatorial staff to review the Contractor’s recommendations for the future storage and treatment of specimens that test positive for chemicals other than arsenic.

Note:

1. All reports, proposals, and photographs shall be created in accordance with the American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice.

2. All work will be subject to inspection and acceptance by the designated Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). If submitted deliverables are not to the satisfaction of the COR, revisions/further drafts must be submitted by the Contractor until the issue(s) are corrected.

3. All deliverables will be sent to the NPS representative and the COR.

Editing and Production

Contractor shall conform to the NPS Harpers Ferry Center Editorial Style Guide (found at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/hfc/hfc-editorial-style-guide.htm) and the most recent edition of the Chicago Manual of Style to edit and format the text per the following standardization within the document:

Grammar and spelling Fonts and format Table of contents Forms, charts, and tables Section introductions and headings Headers, footers, photo captions, and footnotes

Inclusion of Photographs

1. The document may include color images to be inserted into the text. They will be provided in a digital format with a size of 4x6 at a minimum of 400 dpi.

2. The Final Treatment Report(s) will be paginated in a way that treats each object separately, i.e., that allows NPS to print and file the pages for each object in the object’s catalog file.

3. Images included in the final document will also be provided to the NPS in digital format with a size of at least 400 dpi. Digital image files shall be submitted electronically.

Protection of Sensitive Information

All information and documentation gathered or produced by the Contractor during the course of this work shall be held in strictest confidence and shall be fully protected from access by unauthorized persons. Any documentation furnished by the site and retained by the Contractor during the course of the project work or thereafter shall be secured in a locked filing cabinet or safe, at a minimum. Electronic files, including digital images, shall be secured in an equivalent manner, such as by retaining files only on an external hard drive or CD/DVD that is kept in a safe, and by the use of passwords or encryption. During the initial consultation, the Contractor shall indicate to the COR the manner in which he/she intends to secure any documentation the site may furnish. The park superintendent will have the prerogative to specify when more stringent security must be provided for any particular document furnished to the Contractor.

Period of Performance:

Project work shall begin following the contract award, proceed in accordance with the schedule for submittals, and be completed within the period of performance defined in the contract award.

Work Element Completion Time After Award

Initial meeting via conference call within 30 days after award of contract

Preliminary treatment proposal submitted within 60 days after award of contract

Preliminary treatment proposal approved within 90 days after award of contract

Packing and shipping of objects or onsite conservation work begins within 30 days after proposal approved

Conservation work begins upon receipt of artifacts or arrival

The nature of conservation work dictates the time frame must be flexible. Some objects may have disparate materials that require special treatment to prevent further deterioration. It is anticipated that the project work will be completed within one calendar year from the start of the project unless the Contractor specifies in the approved preliminary treatment report that more time is required.

Schedule of Payments:

Payment is contingent upon completion and acceptance of work and receipt of a proper invoice.

The Contractor may invoice for partial payments per the schedule below.

Submission and acceptance of treatment proposal 25%

Completion 50% of the conservation work 40%

NPS final acceptance of work and return of collections

Selection Criteria

35%

Selection of the most technically qualified conservator will be based on the criteria defined below. Weights are presented in parentheses.

1. Specialized experience – Experience in conducting conservation treatment of metal object in museum collections (40%)

2. Key personnel – Resumes for key personnel shall be provided for review. Key personnel are hereby defined as those employees whose estimated labor hours represent more than 15% of the total labor hour estimate. (30%)

3. Past performance – Descriptions of at least (3) similar projects and explanation of the roles the previously identified key personnel fulfilled in these projects. Client points of contact shall be provided to serve as references. (20%)

4. Availability of resources – Ability of Contractor to provide the resources necessary to meet the deliverables schedule. (10%)

Selection will be based on qualifications and best value to the Government for the project. It will not be based on the lowest bid.

Inspection and Acceptance

The Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) is empowered to inspect and evaluate all work of the Contract for compliance with terms of this Scope of Work Statement.

Acceptance of the work of the contract and any changes to the terms of the contract shall be made in writing only by the NPS Contracting Officer.

The Contractor shall coordinate with the designated point of contact at the South Florida Collections Management Center. This may include participating in virtual calls and progress review meetings.

Prior to entering into a contract, Contractor shall:

1. Agree to fully comply with the Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) in all work performed.

2. Provide a curriculum vitae containing the relevant qualifications and experience of the The contractor and any other individuals (including conservation interns) who will be involved in the examination and treatment process, including an estimate of the nature and extent of their anticipated involvement. This will include references to similar work that demonstrates expertise in the conservation of museum objects and a history of completing work of this scope and character. Include a comprehensive work history that shows specialized training and/or education in the field of conservation.

3. Provide a list of references from museum professionals with first-hand knowledge of work performed and proof of membership in AIC.

4. Provide proof of liability/damage insurance to cover museum objects while in the conservation lab and undergoing treatment.

5. If work is to be performed on-site, provide a copy of liability insurance.

6. If examination and/or treatment of object(s) is to be performed off-site, the Contractor shall describe the facility where activities are to be performed, including the applicable portions of a standard American Alliance of Museums (AAM) facilities report (or equivalent) addressing environmental conditions, security, and fire protection systems.

Schedule

During the open period for bidding: Onsite visits to the facility are possible and encouraged with advance appointments. Potential bidders are encouraged to contact the contracting officer with questions.

Collection pickup: All project dates shall be coordinated with the COR. The final period of performance will be indicated in the contract award document.

Appendix A:

See Excel Document titled “Specimen Lists”