Case Study: Relocating a Major Federal Institution with Precision

A federal institution housing a vast collection of records, books, articles, and other artifacts worldwide needed to relocate part of the collection. With hundreds of millions of items involved, including rare book collections, films, music, maps, patents, and copyright records, this was no small feat.

THE CHALLENGE:

The documents and articles in archival storage are irreplaceable and vital to preserving history. Any movement of these materials requires extreme caution and great attention to detail.

Due to deterioration and age, the federal institution needed to relocate collections to new facilities. The relocation effort was phased over two years, department by department. The move from an archival warehouse in Landover, MD, included 84,000 boxes of books, papers, recorded media, and other articles
and needed to be completed within 12 weeks. In addition, they demanded swift accessibility of items for this no-fail move.

THE SOLUTION:

A move of this scale and importance demanded a professionally designed plan in consultation with the federal institution. They scheduled the move to align with their archival schedule to avoid disruption.

Additionally, the movement of delicate items required an experienced team of security-cleared personnel, a high degree of confidence in vehicle operation, and careful packing of various shapes, sizes, and weights.

They needed a unique cataloging solution with a chain of custody to ensure personnel from the federal institution could access items during the operation. Establishing a single point of contact was essential to manage the relocation complexities and urgent access needs.

APPROACH:

The experienced Interstate Logistics team was the logical choice for the federal institution’s intricate move. Not only does Interstate Logistics have more than 80 years of experience with activities in the local market, across the nation, and around the world, their expertise in unique, irreplaceable, and complicated moves made them the ideal choice. Well known for its paramount accountability, Interstate Logistics managed and staffed the project with its own experienced personnel.

Interstate Logistics convened a team for collaborative discussions and then developed a comprehensive plan tailored to the project’s unique needs. The plan called for daily shifts to be managed during business hours only. They assigned twenty people to each shift, operating three trucks.

Over three months, Interstate Logistics executed the project, moving items from a 50,000-square-foot warehouse. Due to their unique size, they carefully packaged many items. Cataloging documents for easy access, inventorying each asset, manifesting, and precisely relocating items preserved the library’s cataloging system at the new site.

They created a new labeling system for this project to ensure the accurate placement of all items on the shelves at the new facility. The cataloging and labeling system also ensured that materials were easily retrievable for the federal institution personnel within the required two-hour window. They prepared and submitted detailed project plans daily to keep the federal institution informed.

Interstate Logistics coordinated transportation with the United States Capitol Police and followed precise security measures for the move. They managed detailed manifests, sealed vehicles before departure, and required background checks, fingerprinting, and badging for all personnel involved

OUTCOME:

Interstate Logistics completed the project 100% on time and within budget. Over three months, 84,000 boxes were moved securely with no loss. In addition, the federal institution continues to use the labeling process invented for this move.