“Changes, changes, changes” – in a nutshell, this is how we can summarize what happened in our project this past year. It was a year abounding in many interesting twists and turns of events. Formal, substantive and personal changes – these were the main features of the events of the last 12 months. Fortunately, most of the changes were positive, and all negative changes were recognised and eliminated in time.
As far as formal changes are concerned, the implementation of all the tasks of the project for the past twelve months was possible thanks to efficient management and administration of the project. A task force was created for this purpose, cooperating with an official guardian appointed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. During this time, two annexes to the grant agreement were prepared and signed, six payment claims were prepared, submitted and approved, and two updates of the list of persons authorised to process personal data were presented. As part of the ex-ante and ex-post inspections, documentation from seven tender procedures conducted in 2018 was sent to the Ministry of Culture (as an Intermediate Body) for approval (which we obtained), as well as information on estimating the value of public contracts for all contractors selected during this year. In addition, the Project Implementation Schedule was updated and an information procedure was conducted with the Intermediate Body regarding withdrawal from the agreement with one of the contractors, who declared bankruptcy, whose obligations were taken over by the bankruptcy trustee.
The changes in 2018 concerned individual project tasks. All the programme assumptions have been fulfilled, technical and conservation activities related to Task 1: “Conservation, documentation and security work on painting and stucco decorations in the Garden Galleries and the Lapidarium on the ground floor of the palace” were also completed. Currently, observations and conservation supervision are ongoing, and possible corrective actions will be carried out after the completion of Task 2, which consists of “Modernisation and reconstruction of the Garden Gallery exhibition halls on the upper level of the Palace”. In the second year of project implementation in the scope of the above-mentioned task, a tender procedure was conducted, during which the General Contractor of works was selected and construction works started. Completion of works is planned for the last quarter of 2019.
Due to the failure of the first General Contractor to perform the contract for “Renovation and security works in the Orangery building” (Task 4), the Museum terminated the contract and selected a new contractor who, in accordance with the signed contract, completed all remaining works in 2018. Remaining for 2019 is the final settlement of the task.
The next design element, related to Task 5, i.e. "Conservation of the four Hercules figures with pedestals and making copies of them”, has been completed and settled in full. This task was performed in accordance with the programme assumptions and the completion schedule.
The remaining Tasks 6, 7 and 8 (i.e. “Three-dimensional documentation of a selected section of the collection”, “Promotion” and “Project management”) were carried out in accordance with the assumptions of their material and financial schedules, and their completion will take place in 2019.
Personnel changes in the design team itself were the last modification. They encompassed the position of curator of Task 4 and Task 8. We treat them as a strengthening of the old staff with new strengths and competences. It will certainly contribute to the efficient operation and effective achievement of the assumed objectives.
