The British Museum wishes to establish a non-exclusive, non-binding framework agreement for the provision of collection storage furniture with a number of contractors. The framework will be the primary route by which the British Museum will procure collection storage furniture across its estate for a period of 4 years. A complete end-to-end service is required including design, manufacture, installation and initial maintenance support. The framework will be used to appoint a contractor, or contractors, to fit out the British Museum Archaeological Research Collection (BM_ARC) facility when its construction has been completed. The BM_ARC will contain collection storage rooms with an approximate total floor area of 9 250 square meters.

For the purposes of this lot a Drawer is defined as: a freestanding box-shaped storage compartment with sides, back and front which slides horizontally in and out of a drawer unit.

Drawer Units are defined as: static or mobile storage furniture designed to house drawers consisting of an upright frame into which multiple parallel horizontal drawers, usually stacked one above another, are fitted.

The following varieties of drawers and drawer units are within the scope of the lot: enclosed drawers; tray drawers; part-glazed drawers; pull-out cabinets; cabinets with solid doors; cabinets with part-glazed doors; plan chests; large format drawers; static open face drawers; roller trays; static shelves; various dimensions with plinth of 120 mm.

For the purposes of this lot a Shelf is defined as: a freestanding horizontal length of rigid material with static supports that provides a storage surface, fitted into a shelving unit.

Shelving Units are defined as: static or mobile storage furniture consisting of a freestanding upright frame with connecting supports, rails, diagonal braces or panels; into which multiple parallel horizontal shelves, usually stacked one above another, are fitted.

The following varieties of drawers and drawer units are within the scope of the lot: standard shelves; reinforced shelves; universal shelving; cantilever shelving; with options for single or double-skinned in each variety. System should include freestanding uprights; rails; supports; brackets; panels; diagonal braces (where panels not required); canopies; doors; shelf end supports; dividing panels (for back and sides). This specification is designed to cater for collection objects as well as archive and library materials.

For the purposes of this lot vertical storage solutions are defined as: storage solutions for 2D and 3D collections required to be stored upright including casts, framed prints, paintings, glass, canvases, framed textiles, rolled textiles (stored horizontally).

They may be pull-out frames which are defined as: a framed rack of steel mesh on pull-out tracks, supported by structural steel-framed supports affixed to the reverse of the structure, and steel cross-beams at the top of the structure. These can be wall-mounted.

Or they may be static frames which are defined as: a framed rack of steel mesh on supporting steelwork, affixed to the supporting structure.

For the purposes of this lot large and heavy objects and pallet racking solutions are defined as: storage solutions for large, heavy collection objects which require specialist equipment (e.g. a forklift or stacker) to be moved and heavy duty static (or mobile) support in storage. Objects defined as ‘heavy’ have a weight of over 75 kg (under 75 kg items addressed under lot 2), either as individual objects (e.g. boxed canoes) or when stored collectively (e.g. multiple large casts on a pallet).

They may be either short span racking defined as: freestanding racking/shelving comprising a vertical upright frame, horizontal load beams to support stacking of pallets, and insertable metal shelf panels; with optional top canopy, flush rear and end panels.

Or they may be long span/pallet racking defined as: freestanding widespan racking/shelving comprising vertical upright frame, horizontal load beams to support stacking of pallets, and insertable metal shelf panels; with optional timber drop-in shelf panels, flush rear and end panels, and top canopy.

This lot is designed to cater for the commission of bespoke storage solutions to be determined at call-off stage which may be required by the British Museum. Due to the nature and breadth of the Museum’s collection, there may be objects the storage needs for which are not met by the five specified lots outlined above. It is therefore anticipated that the development of a unique provision to meet the unknown needs of a specific item or grouping within the collection will be required. No sample lot specification is available, as a result. However, the Museum’s overarching standards for storage systems outlined within this framework will apply.