Conservation of Oil Paintings

Tender description

The National Army Museum (NAM) wishes to appoint a conservation company or individual conservator (‘the conservator’) to prepare 37 oil paintings for display in the Museum in Autumn 2016. Expressions of Interest in this work are requested from suitably qualified and experienced contractors. It is beneficial, though not essential, for the conservator to hold accredited status (PACR - Professional Accreditation of Conservator-Restorers). Expressions of Interest must be received by 9 October 2015. Of the 37 paintings, 15 have recent condition assessments with treatment recommendations amounting to around 170 hours work. The remaining 22 paintings have no recent condition assessments. This contract will involve undertaking condition assessments on those paintings that currently lack them; carrying out remedial treatments where necessary; documenting all treatments; fitting to frames and preparing for display all 37 paintings. It is not anticipated that any structural work will be required (e.g. relining). This contract is for a fixed total of 450 hours work to be carried out on-site by the conservator in the NAM store at Stevenage. It is anticipated that the work would start in early 2016. The working pattern is flexible and can be broken down into individual days, but all work would need to be completed by 31 May 2016. Following expressions of interest we will provide any existing condition assessments, high-resolution images and full descriptions of the paintings, together with information on the conservation facilities available. As this contract is for a fixed number of hours, tenders may be made without viewing the paintings beforehand. Alternatively, the facilities available and the paintings themselves can be viewed at the NAM store in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, by prior appointment.