Intent to Sole Source - Alina Skibinska - Archival and Artifact Acquisition Coordination Poland

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is publishing notice of its intent to sole source to Alina Skibinska. Interested parties who are able to provide the services noted below should respond by describing their capabilities prior to the deadline to cguy@ushmm.org . Please note this is not a solicitation. 

The contractor will coordinate archival and artifact acquisitions projects in Poland, as well as provide research and guidance to USHMM in its scholarly and international activities in Poland. This will include maintaining working relationships with the representatives of archives, museums, research institutes, cultural and other institutions; researching and locating repositories of relevant Holocaust materials to be surveyed and digitized; and assisting the Museum in negotiating archival reproduction agreements with said repositories and affiliated institutions. The contractor will also be responsible for conducting or supervising surveys of the collections for relevant Holocaust material; translating surveys and finding aids into English; coordinating and arranging for the microfilming or digitizing of archival documents and record groups; and coordinating and arranging for the shipment of digitized archival materials, surveys and finding aids, and artifacts for the permanent and special exhibitions of USHMM.

Qualifications

• Expertise in the history of the Holocaust, in particular in Poland and Eastern Europe
• Expertise networking with representatives of European archives, museums and other institutions
• Expertise networking in communities with Holocaust survivors and in working with Holocaust survivors on an individual basis
• Expertise of legal and ethical issues surrounding the acquisition of sensitive cultural heritage collections, and acquisitions representing trauma
• Deep understanding of museum collections management policies and collections plans, to ensure archival collections and objects acquired meet the strict parameters of the Museum’s collecting scope
• Ability to communicate the Museum’s collecting goals to owners who may not recognize artifacts that we wish to collect as culturally important
• At least 10 years experience identifying and acquiring archival collections and museum objects for history museums
• At least 10 years experience conducting provenance research and / or otherwise authenticating historical artifacts
• Fluency in Polish. Competency in additional languages are a benefit