Senate Art Committee lays out procurement, budget and timeline to commission busts of Elizabeth Freeman and Abigail Adams

Senate Art Committee members and staff on Oct. 11 agreed on next steps to commission two busts — of Elizabeth Freeman and Abigail Adams — for placement in the Massachusetts Senate chamber, focusing discussion on materials, artist-selection methods, procurement rules and a draft budget range.

The committee said it will pursue a limited competitive solicitation (an RFQ/RFP) and asked staff and committee members to draft and circulate documents ahead of a follow-up meeting in June to finalize the solicitation and a shortlist of artists.

The conversation centered on four interlocking decisions the committee must make to start the commissioning process: whether one artist should create both busts or two separate artists should be selected; what materials should be permitted (marble or bronze were favoured but culturally significant alternatives were discussed); how to structure procurement under Senate rules; and setting a budget that will inform the procurement path.

Bianca Hoffman, Senate counsel's office, summarized the procurement threshold that will shape the process: "If the cost of a goods and services is under a hundred thousand dollars, the…