[Vigilanteman]

The museum has never heard of "progress payments"? You put down a small advance to reserve the time and materials, then make payments as contractual milestones are completed.

I've handled multi-million dollar construction projects and that's how we do it. If the contractor seems otherwise sketchy, we may also require them to post bond or do a letter of credit.

[Steve Van Doorn]

said, "The museum has never heard of "progress payments"?"

More likely the museum is a money laundering organization