Notice of Intent to Sole Source - Neon Artwork Conservation Treatment

NOTICE OF INTENT TO SOLE SOURCE                                                                                                                                                                                             
The intent of this notice is to solicit and award a Firm Fixed Price type of contract pursuant to the authority granted under 41 U.S.C. 3304 (a)(1) and Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. This procurement shall be made under the North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) Code: 711510, Independent Writers, Artists, and Performers with a size standard of $8 million.

This notice is not a Request for Quote (RFQ) or Request for Proposal (RFP). This is a notice of intent to award a sole-source award to McKay Lodge Conservation Laboratory Inc in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, “Only One Responsible Source and No Other Suppliesor Services Will Satisfy Agency Requirements.”

PROJECT SUMMARY/BACKGROUND: The General Services Administration (GSA), Public Buildings Service (PBS), National Capital Region (NCR), Office of Planning & Design Quality (OPDQ), 1800 F Street NW, Washington, DC is pursuing conservation treatment of the neon installation, Cenozoic Codex, created by the artist Keith Sonnier. This work was commissioned through the GSA Art in Architecture program in 1997 and is installed along the building’s entrance and mirroring interior corridor within the interior of the U.S. Census Bureau Data Processing Center (MD0325ZZ) at 17101 Melford Boulevard, Bowie, MD 20715.

This neon installation is part of the GSA Fine Art Collection and is covered in settled dust and debris. Paint losses, peeling, and lifting are evident in several areas along the electrical conduit. The neon tubes show signs of age-related failure, and the transformers are well past their expected lifespan. Black splatters seen at the base of the sculpture have resulted from the
transformers leaking tar, a clear sign that they are overheating and have reached the end of their service life. The art requires conservation treatment to clean, repair, and replace component parts of the artwork to keep it in working condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SCOPE OF WORK:  This Intent to Sole Source Notice is being issued by the General Services Administration (GSA), National Capital Region, to execute treatment of the neon installation at the  U.S. Census Bureau Data Processing Center (MD0325ZZ) at 17101 Melford Boulevard, Bowie, MD to include cleaning and replacement of transformers and neon tubes, as applicable. Prepare a written and diagramed report of repairs with photographic documentation, as appropriate. Provide short-term and long-term maintenance recommendations for the neon installation. The Conservator will perform on site conservation treatment of the neon installation and associated components, including transformers, wiring, and steel structure, in keeping with the recommendations from the 2020 Assessment Report. Transformer replacement, Neon tube replacement, Surface cleaning of all artwork components, Prepare a Written Documented Report.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: All firms and prime contractors doing business with the Federal Government shall have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) database at www.sam.gov