Request for Information - Conservation Services

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Conservator 88310319RFI00001 1.0 Introduction The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent Federal agency that helps safeguard and preserve our nation's history by overseeing the management of all Federal records. The stories of our nation and our people are told in the records and artifacts cared for in NARA facilities around the country and people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The mission is to ensure ready access to the essential evidence that documents the rights of American citizens, the actions of Federal officials, and the national experience. NARA issues this Request for Information (RFI) package to obtain information regarding conservation services. This RFI is intended strictly for market research. It is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. Potential solutions presented may or may not lead to a solicitation. Any decision to proceed with a solicitation would be based, in part, on available funding. 2.0 Description/Objective NARA requires the services of one (1) conservator to stabilize paper-based records prior to digitization. A range of stabilization treatments will be performed on original War of 1812 Pension and County Land Warrant Application Files, ca. 1871-ca. 1900 to ensure safe handling and full image capture of content during digitization. On average the Contractor will work approximately 24 hours per week. Fluctuations in schedule shall be decided by mutual agreement between the Contractor and NARA as long as enough files are completed to supply work to the scanning camera operator. To ensure the scanning operation is continual, it is estimated that an average of 39 files per week need to be completed. The Contractor shall treat approximately 13 files for every eight (8) hours worked or approximately 2,000 files per year (156 days), including necessary treatment documentation. The pace of work will be determined by the condition of the files and a reasonable number of files per hour will be decided by mutual agreement between the Contractor and NARA. The files to be treated shall receive archival preparation before coming to the lab. The preparation staff will tab items that require treatment to permit safe handling during imaging and/or to permit full image capture. The Contractor shall perform the following treatments as needed:  Separation of documents where unique information is obscured  Mending  Local humidification  Surface cleaning  Removal of prior mends The Contractor shall ensure that torn documents will be mended using long-fiber tissue and paste, heat set tissue, and/or remoistenable tissue. The Contractor shall ensure that mends are secure and will not detach when documents are flexed and handled. The Contractor shall ensure that adhesive attachments are removed with no skinning of the paper, no feathering or bleeding of inks, and no residual tide lines. See Attachment 1 for images of sample documents requiring treatment. The Contractor shall provide conservation treatments in accordance with American Institute for Conservation (AIC) Code of Ethics in a manner consistent with the durability and aesthetic quality of the records. The AIC Code of Ethics can be found at http://www.conservation-us.org/about-us/core-documents/code-of-ethics#.U-O6SFP1u-Q. It is anticipated that the period of performance will be for one base year plus two option years. The conservation work will be performed at NARA's Washington, DC location. Contractor personnel shall pass a NACI background check to be allowed to work at NARA. 3.0 Response Instructions 3.1 Content Briefly describe your company, services, history, ownership, financial information, and other information you deem relevant. Provide points of contact, company address, phone/fax number, email, website, and business size and type (i.e. large business, small business, small disadvantaged business, HUBZone small business, woman-owned small business, service-disabled, veteran-owned small business). Include any appropriate copyrighted, patented, trademark, or sensitive information markings. You are encouraged to provide comments on the potential requirement. Discuss technical feasibility, constraints, risks, schedule estimate, and provide a non-binding cost estimate. Indicate whether your service is commercially available or is on the General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule or other Governmentwide Acquisition Contract (GWAC). 3.2 Format RFI responses are limited to a total of 15 pages, and must be in Microsoft Word format. Page size must be 8.5" x 11", font must be 12 point or larger, and margins must be at least 1". Supplemental product brochures or marketing materials outlining specifications and capabilities may also be submitted, and will not be counted in the overall page count limits. 3.3 Due Date Each RFI response should be e-mailed to the Point of Contact listed below. The subject of the email should be "Conservator RFI Response (88310319RFI0001)". Responses to this RFI should be received by 4:00 p.m. eastern time on November 2, 2018. Responses submitted after this date and time will not be accepted. Responders submitting via e-mail are cautioned to allow one extra business day for delivery and confirm receipt of response as the e-mail will need to pass through IT security. 3.4 Questions Questions regarding this RFI shall be submitted in writing via email to the Point of Contact listed below by 4:00 p.m. eastern time on October 24, 2018. Verbal questions will not be accepted. 4.0 Disclaimer This RFI is issued for information and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI or to otherwise pay for information received in response to this RFI. All information received in response to this RFI that is marked "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly. Responses to the RFI will not be returned. Information provided in response to this RFI will be used to assess tradeoffs and alternatives available for determining how to proceed in the acquisition process and may lead to the development of a work statement. Responders are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI. 5.0 Industry Engagement NARA may choose to engage with responders. However, such engagement is intended to clarify aspects of the response. 6.0 Point of Contact Cynthia Jones, Buyer [email protected]