Murals and Paintings Conservation Program for the United States Capitol Building and Other Legislative Facilities

THIS IS A PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL.

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is issuing this pre-solicitation notice for the procurement of professional conservation services for the conservation of murals and paintings throughout the United States Capitol Building and Other Legislative Facilities.

Embellishing the walls and ceilings of the United States Capitol are fine art and decorative murals starting with those by Constantino Brumidi and others in the second half of the nineteenth century and in the twentieth century by Elmer Garnsey, Joseph Rakeman, Allyn Cox and others. The materials and techniques for the murals include oil on canvas, oil or tempera on plaster, and fresco. Oil on canvas murals also decorate meeting rooms in the Longworth House Office Building and Russell Senate Office Building.

With the implementation of a long-term conservation program in 2014, the Curator’s Office in the last eleven (11) years has assessed, monitored, and repaired a number of murals and paintings. The purpose of this new procurement is to continue the conservation program, which is primarily for the conservation of historic fine art and decorative wall and ceiling murals, but serves to allow for the conservation of framed oil on canvas paintings as needed. Both are historic and worthy of conservation by a fine art painting conservator.

SCOPE OF WORK

The contractor shall provide professional services for the conservation of fine art and decorative art murals, both wall and ceiling, and fine art paintings of the United States Capitol Building and other legislative facilities. This work may include emergency conservation projects for fine and decorative art.

The contractor shall work to assess murals and paintings in various rooms and public spaces in the U.S. Capitol and other legislative facilities.  The contractor shall provide conservation services that may include consolidation of friable, detached, or unstable plaster substrate of murals using methods approved in advance via writing by the Curator. Consolidation of any lifting paint without significantly changing the appearance of the original.  Removal of grime and any layers of overpaint and discolored varnish.

The Contractor shall perform emergency services once notified by the Curator or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).  The Contractor shall be on-site within 48 hours of notification by the Curator or COR of emergency treatment needed for murals or paintings damaged by impact, water leaks, etc. The Curator or COR will contact the Contractor by phone or e-mail.  Emergency services shall be performed by or under the direction of the Senior Fine Art Painting Conservator/Project Director.

Selection Process:

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is a Legislative Branch agency and is not subject to the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) or Executive Orders. Services will be procured in accordance with the AOC Contracting Manual section 9.1 Negotiated Acquisitions.

The selection process will be a full and open, competitive source selection. The basis of the award is a tradeoff process decision in accordance with AOC Order 34-1, Section 9.1.2.(a).  The AOC intends to award up to two(2) Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts without revisions. Award(s) will be made to the responsible offeror(s) whose proposal conforms to all required terms and conditions, includes all required representations and certifications, and meets all requirements set forth in the RFP.

Notice of Request for Proposal Posting:

The REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL is anticipated to be posted in January 2026.  Please be advised the date for solicitation posting is estimated and the actual posting may be after the projected release date.  Posted will be at the Government Point of Entry (GPE) located at System for Award Management (SAM) database (www.sam.gov).

Questions will be addressed only once the solicitation has been posted.  

Primary Point of Contact:

Lily Najera

Contract Specialist

lily.najera@aoc.gov

Secondary Point of Contact:

Troy Dorsey

Contracting Officer

troy.dorsey@aoc.gov