City Seal Removal, Stabilization, Assessment & Restoration

City of Ellsworth, ME - Facilities has issued general solicitation, solicitation 2026-REQ-008.

The City of Ellsworth is soliciting proposals from qualified historic preservation contractors, architectural conservators, conservation firms, and appropriately qualified teams for the assessment, controlled removal, stabilization, conservation, restoration, and eventual reinstallation of the historic City Hall Seal Pediment located on the front gable of Ellsworth City Hall. The City Hall Seal is an approximately 91-year-old, hand-carved wooden architectural relief and is a significant historic and civic feature of the City Hall building. The Seal is approximately 18 feet in length and is located approximately 30 feet above grade. The condition of the Seal is understood to be severely deteriorated, and the City intends to undertake a carefully controlled rehabilitation/restoration project consistent with accepted historic preservation practices. Because the condition of the wood cannot be fully evaluated while the Seal remains installed and exposed to the elements, the City intends to proceed using a phased approach. The first phase will allow the Seal to be safely removed, documented, stabilized, transported, and placed in a controlled environment for drying and professional condition assessment. The findings of that assessment will inform the final conservation and restoration treatment. The phased approach is intended to protect the historic resource while allowing the City and the Ellsworth Historic Preservation Commission (EHPC) to make informed decisions regarding the appropriate treatment of the Seal.

The City anticipates that the project will proceed in two principal phases. Phase 1 – Assessment, Documentation, Removal, Stabilization and Temporary Storage Phase 1 includes all work necessary to safely remove the Seal from City Hall, document its condition and components, transport it to an appropriate facility, and stabilize it for professional assessment and conservation planning. Phase 1 shall include, at a minimum: Pre-removal inspection and documentation; Development of a detailed removal and rigging plan; Site preparation and protection; Temporary weather protection of the City Hall gable opening; Controlled disassembly and removal; Identification and mapping of all components; Documentation and preservation of loose or detached fragments; Custom protective crating; Transportation; Climate-monitored storage and controlled drying; Professional condition assessment; Preparation of a comprehensive Condition & Assessment Report; and Recommendations and specifications for Phase 2 conservation and restoration. No permanent alteration, repair, restoration, or reinstallation shall occur under Phase 1 unless specifically authorized in writing by the City and approved through the applicable preservation review process. The source project plan specifically contemplates that the Seal be removed and stabilized first, followed by a second review and approval process based upon the actual condition of the wood once it has been removed and dried.

Responses are due November 27, 2026 at 12:00 AM EST.

Questions must be submitted by November 4, 2026 at 12:00 AM EST.

A mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for October 28, 2026 at 9:00 AM EDT at Ellsworth City Hall 1 City Hall Plaza Ellsworth, ME.

Commodity categories: Building Maintenance, Installation And Repair Services; Construction Services, General (Incl. Maintenance And Repair Services); Restoration/Preservation Services (Of Antiques, Costumes, Paintings, and Other Objects).

Contact: Roddy Ehrlenbach, Director -- Parks, Recreation & Facilities (rehrlenbach@ellsworthmaine.gov, (207) 667-2563 Ext: 175).

1 document is attached to the notice: City Seal RFP Intro.

The full solicitation document, addenda and the question-and-answer thread are on the agency's OpenGov portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/ellsworthmaine/projects/306660. Responses are submitted electronically there, and a free vendor account is required before you can upload one.