R--RFI: Arlington House Fresco Conservation Services
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The Department of the Interior's IBC Acquisition Services Directorate has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for Arlington House Fresco Conservation Services. This RFI seeks to identify qualified vendors capable of conserving and restoring historic frescoes at Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, and its enslaved quarters. Responses will inform the government's acquisition strategy. Responses are due January 30, 2026, by 5 PM Eastern.
Scope of Work
The project involves comprehensive conservation and restoration efforts for historic frescoes:
- South Enslaved Quarters: Stabilize three exterior fresco panels, including safe removal for off-site stabilization, reproduction on new panels, and reinstallation. Materials analysis will guide color recreation.
- North Enslaved Quarters: Reproduce frescoes based on those from the South Enslaved Quarters and install them on new panels.
- Arlington House - Hunting Hall: Stabilize three historic frescoes and one non-ornamental wall, and restore one damaged fresco on the West Wall. This includes addressing water damage, cleaning, inpainting, and reconsolidating destabilized areas. All conservation efforts must adhere to internationally recognized principles, emphasizing minimal intervention, reversibility, compatibility with original materials, and thorough documentation.
Key Requirements & Standards
- Personnel: The contractor must provide qualified personnel, including a conservator with at least 10 years of experience, a materials analyst with 5 years, and a professional artist with 5 years, all subject to NPS pre-approval.
- Performance Standards: Inpainting and restoration must be perceptible only under close inspection but visually harmonize from a normal viewing distance. Materials used for recreation must be durable under UV exposure and weathering.
- Deliverables: Include Project Kickoff, Initial and Final Condition Assessments, Treatment Plans, mockups, panel reproductions, and Conservation Treatment Reports.
Contract & Timeline
- Type: Request for Information (Special Notice)
- Product Service Code: R499 (Other Professional Services)
- Anticipated Period of Performance: 12 months, from April 1, 2026, to March 30, 2027.
- Place of Performance: Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, Fort Myer, VA, and Arlington National Cemetery.
- Set-Aside: None specified.
- Response Due: January 30, 2026, 5 PM Eastern.
- Published: January 28, 2026.
Additional Notes
This RFI includes a fillable form to collect firm information, NAICS code (suggested 711510), small business status, preferred contract type, and feedback on the Draft Statement of Work. An amendment replaced an earlier attachment with "A04 SOW ARHO Fresco Restoration and Repair Attachments A-F, No D," which provides detailed floor plans and elevations crucial for understanding the project's spatial context. Contact Hanna Mershman (hanna_mershman@ibc.doi.gov) for inquiries.