Volume 12, Number 1, Jan. 1990, pp.10-11

State of California Conservation Contracts

The State of California Resources Agency, Department of Parks and Recreation is the primary agency for museum management in the State organization. D.P.R. (Department of Parks and Recreation) manages approximately 200 museums, interpretive centers and historic sites. With such a vast and varied responsibility to collections and to interpretation, artifact care would be problematic if it were not handled through orderly procedures.

Most, if not all, conservation for the state collections is done on a contract basis, and contracting, for the most part, follows specific state requirements and procedures. Contracts are awarded to the low bidder unless a qualifications procedure is involved. Contracts being conducted are advertised in the State Contracts Register only.

The State Contracts Register is a bimonthly (24 issues per year) publication of the Department of General Services, Office of Small and Minority Businesses. The cost of a subscription is $60.00 for one year. For a complimentary copy of the Register or for a subscription, call (916) 322-5060. This is a recorded information/message service so leave your name, business name, address and phone number (phone number is important in case of error). Please speak clearly, for the record.

The State offers a 5% preference for small business and a 5% preference for minority and/or women owned business. 5% is calculated from the total bid price and is subtracted to lower the total competitive cost (not the actual cost) for bid purposes; remember, the lowest bid is awarded the contract. The Department of California Trans. Office of Civil Rights can be reached at (916) 324-8873.

In the past, many contracts have been advertised for bid and have had only one bid responding, usually the individual initially consulted about the scope of the project. It is important to realize that when dealing with the State government, such a consultation does not normally constitute any assurance of being awarded the contract, although under special circumstances a contract can be exempt from advertising and can be directly issued to a specific firm.

It would be most rewarding for those of us working in State service to develop as many opportunities as possible concerning the future management of our collections and our business liaisons. Thank you for assisting us in meeting our management goals.