Lincoln Memorial mural conservation RFP

An announcement concerning an RFP for conservation services for the
Lincoln Memorial Murals appears in Commerce Business Daily. The complete
RFP package will be available on January 16 from

    Scott Riebel
    303 969-2115
    Fax: 303 969-6645

I appreciate anything you can do to insure that qualified
conservation firms are aware of this important project.

    Lincoln Memorial Mural Paintings
    Overview:

    The  mural paintings by Jules Guerin are located in the north and
    the south chambers, or halls, of the Lincoln Memorial. They  are
    each  60 feet long by 12 feet high and are mounted high  on  the
    limestone  walls of  the memorial above the  carved  inscription
    panels. Each is painted on a single piece of heavy canvas  in  an
    oil  and  wax medium and directly adhered to the limestone  walls
    with an adhesive.

    The painting ground which was applied first to the canvas is zinc
    oxide in an emulsified glue and oil binder. The pigments applied to
    the ground are in a beeswax and oil medium; the beeswax  was
    dissolved in a solvent such as turpentine or kerosene. The canvas
    was  applied  to the walls with a mixture of white lead  and  oil
    (probably linseed oil) and "venetian" varnish.

    The  paintings were completed in the artist's studio between 1916
    and ca. 1919, when they were installed in the Memorial. The  two
    murals, "Emancipation" above the Gettysburg Address and "Reunion"
    above  the Second Inaugural Address are each composed  of  three
    groups. The groups represent different aspects of the main themes
    such  as "Freedom and Liberty", "Justice and Law", "Immortality",
    "Unity",  "Fraternity",  and "Charity"  and  are  allegorical  in
    nature. The  primary problem which is leading to the decay of the
    murals is  moisture in the form of condensation. This particular
    project does  not  address the actual causes of the condensation  -
    that will  come in a later stage. The goal of this current project
    is to  stabilize  the existing paint and ground to  prevent  further
    loss  until  a  permanent solution which addresses the  cause  of
    decay can be implemented.

    Scope of Work

    Independently,  and  not  as  an agent  of  the  government,  the
    contractor  shall  provide professional  services  including  all
    labor, materials,  facilities and travel  (except  as  otherwise
    specified herein)  necessary to complete stabilization  and  all
    associated  work of  this contract of the north  and  the  south
    murals of the Lincoln Memorial. All work shall be accomplished in
    accordance  with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice  of
    the American Institute for Conservation (A.I.C.).

    A.  Mural Examination and Treatment Proposal

        The  Mural  Examination  and  Treatment  Proposal  will   be
        completed within sixty (60) days after receipt of Notice  of
        Award.

        The  contractor  shall  develop  proposals  for  the  actual
        stabilization  treatment  after  review  of   the   existing
        materials  and documentation, material testing  and  on-site
        examination.

        The murals examination and material testing shall follow  an
        on-site meeting  with  project team  members  during  which
        testing  and examination requirements are to be  discussed. The
        contractor will then prepare a memorandum outlining the
        examination and testing procedures and their relationship to
        actual stabilization intervention.

        After  completion of testing and the development of specific
        stabilization  methods, and the completion of the  Treatment
        Proposal, the contractor shall participate in an orientation
        meeting with  the  NPS  project team  members,  which  will
        include  a discussion  of  the stabilization  methods.  The
        actual Treatment Proposal will be in the form of a  report, of
        which ten (10) copies will be provided to the government. The
        proposal will include the methods and materials  to  be
        employed,  a  proposed work schedule, and  a  comprehensive
        description of the actual organization of the team  and  the
        work.  After the completion of the orientation meeting,  the
        review  and  approval of the proposal and the completion  of
        required compliance requirements, the government will notify the
        contractor  to  proceed with the actual  stabilization
        treatment.

    B. Mural Stabilization

        After  approval  of Section 106 clearance documentation  and
        notification by the COTR, the contractor will stabilize  the
        murals as proposed in the approved Treatment Proposal.

        During the stabilization the contractor will participate  in
        presentation progress meetings. The meetings will serve  the
        following range of purposes: 1) Progress meetings  with  NPS
        project team members to discuss project progress, technical
        problems, and coordination with other studies. This  meeting is
        typically held the first Thursday of every month at  the
        National  Capital  Parks, Central; 2) Presentation  meetings
        with  National Park Service, Department of the Interior,  or
        Congressional staff. These meetings will present  management
        personnel with the scope and nature of the efforts and  will be
        coordinated by the COTR; 3) Presentation meetings  with
        conservation personnel which will present the scope and  the
        nature of the work and also will be coordinated by the COTR; 4)
        Public affairs meetings/interviews with members  of  the press,
        radio, or television and will present the news  media with the
        scope  and  the  nature  of  the  project.  These
        meetings/interviews  are  only  to  be   held   with   prior
        permission of the on-scene coordinator (See H.4).

         All  meetings/presentation/interviews, other than  those  in
         category  one  (1)  are  to  be completed  only  with  prior
         permission of the contracting officer.

         The  actual treatment shall be documented in color and black
         and white   photography   and   detailed   drawings.   The
         documentation  shall record before and after treatment,  the
         specific  treatment methods, and the type  and  quantity  of
         conservation  materials  used. This documentation  shall  be
         used in the Completion of Treatment Record.

    C. Treatment Report

        The  treatment  report shall contain  1)  statement  of  the
        purpose of   the   treatment  and  the   methodology,   2)
        documentation of the project team, including sub contractors and
        their specific involvement, 3) an executive summary  of the
        work,  4) comprehensive documentation  of  the  actual treatment
        procedures and accomplishments with comprehensive graphic
        support, 5) recommendations for future studies  and treatment,
        and 6) appendices of all support information such as  additional
        graphics, results of testing  and  material analysis, and
        relevant correspondence.

        One  set of all photographs and the original negatives shall be
        submitted  to and become property of the  National  Park Service
        on completion of the work. All photographs shall  be labeled.

        Within  sixty (60) days of the completion of the  treatment,
        provide the National Park Service, one original  and  fifty (50)
        copies of the Treatment Report. The report shall  meet
        professional standards.

Anthony Crosby
Preservation Architect
National Park Service
303 969-6956, ext 6411
Fax: 303 969-6966

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:52
                  Distributed: Monday, January 9, 1995
                        Message Id: cdl-8-52-015
                                  ***