Conservation Assessment Program (CAP) Completing the Site Questionnaire and Selecting Your Assessor

Today's webinar will be recorded and will be available for viewing on CAP's Current Participants Web page:

Welcome to the 2012 Conservation Assessment Program!

CAP Process: The Beginning Museums complete Site Questionnaire which involves a self-study of collections. Museum chooses assessor(s) Assessor(s) conduct two day site visit

The Site Questionnaire: What it is and Why it’s Important

Tips for Completing the Site Questionnaire 1.Use your CAP Application as much as possible 2.The Facilities Information Section 3.For the Question on local weather statistics (pg.12), consult: 1.city-data.com 2.weather.gov – the tabular weather forecast provides hourly temperature and humidity readings and predictions for four days 3.weather.com for temperatures for the current and previous month

Tips for Completing the Site Questionnaire For the question on local air quality (pg.12), consult: -airnow.gov: a federal website that provides information on the Air Quality Index (AQI). -Data for time periods beyond the current day can be downloaded at: research

The Importance of Selecting the Right Assessor for Your Museum Every museum is different! The assessor should be sensitive to your institution’s purpose, collections, and assessment goals. The recommendations that the assessor develops will play a pivotal role in guiding the museum’s conservation efforts for years to come.

Selecting an Assessor: Where to Start? How to select a qualified assessor: Choose from the Program Packet Choose from the Program Packet Choose from the Regional List Choose from the Regional List Choose a preservation professional not on our list Choose a preservation professional not on our list

Steps for Selecting a CAP Assessor Determine the institution’s goals for the assessment Examine the assessor’s professional experience and areas of expertise Talk to potential assessors Talk to the assessor’s references

Interviewing an Assessor (See Appendix A in the Handbook for Participating Institutions, pg. A1) Tell the assessor about your museum (type, location, types and numbers of collections objects and buildings, staff, previous surveys, goals for CAP, etc.) Ask them about the types of museums they have surveyed, how they collect information, what information they consider important, what they include in the report Find out what their professional fees and availability are (and what is included in the professional fee)

Checking References (See Appendix B in the Handbook for Participating Institutions, pg. A3) Some questions to ask: Was the CAP site visit a positive experience? Was the report submitted in a timely manner? Has the report been useful in implementing improvements to the care of collections, and has it been a useful fundraising tool? Would you hire the assessor again?

Do you want to use an assessor who is not yet CAP-approved? To propose an assessor who is not on the CAP list, you need to submit Form B, with their name and contact information to Heritage Preservation. We will contact the individual for a resume and writing sample, and will notify you whether or not they are approved to be a CAP assessor. To qualify as a CAP assessor, and individual needs to have evidence of conservation/preservation training, at least five years of experience in the field, and experience conducting general surveys or assessments. *Remember, do not contract with a proposed assessor until the CAP staff notifies you that he or she has been approved to conduct CAP assessments.

The Agreement Once you have selected your assessor, you will need to draw up an agreement for the assessment. We strongly encourage you to use the sample agreement that you can find in Appendix C (pg. A5) of the Handbook for Participating Institutions (you can also request an electronic copy)

The agreement must include the following information: Total cost of the assessment (including what is and is not included in the assessor’s professional fees) Who will make travel and lodging arrangements (may be done by either the museum or the assessor) Total cost of travel, meals, and lodging expenses Additional expenses, including telephone calls, duplicating, and postage Dates for the site visit (must be before December 31, 2012) Dates for the rough draft and final report (Heritage Preservation recommends the rough draft be due within eight weeks of the site visit). The final deadline for 2012 reports is March 1, 2013.

The CAP Budget There is no standard fee charged by assessors, and their travel and lodging expenses may vary depending on location. Your museum may have to pay between $430 and $1,020 toward the cost of the assessment. 1 Assessor2 Assessors Museum BudgetAllotmentEstimated cost for museum AllotmentEstimated cost for museum Less than $250,000 $3,590$430$7,190$670 $250,000 to $1,000,000 $3,490$530$7,020$850 More than $1,000,000 $3,390$630$6,840$1,020

Example Budget Scenarios (from pg. 6 of your CAP Handbook): The Museum’s allocation is $3,390 The assessor fee is $3,300, and travel/lodging/meals are $90 and arranged by the assessor. The assessor fee is $3,300, and the travel/lodging/meals are $165 and arranged by the museum The assessor fee is $3,850 and travel/lodging/meals are $165 and arranged by the assessor

What is due by March 19, 2012? 2 or 3 copies of the completed Site Questionnaire Completed Form A (Museum/Assessor Summary of Agreement and CAP Budget) Copies of the agreement(s) (signed and dated by both the assessor and the designated CAP contact person at your museum)

Questions? Contact the CAP staff at or at for more information