UNSPSC 85171501: Grave digging

UNSPSC 85171501 Grave digging, a Commodity code, describes state and local procurement for burial and cremation services for indigent, unclaimed, and deceased individuals in state custody, encompassing body removal and transport, refrigerated storage, cremation or burial preparation, grave plots and digging, and final disposition of human remains. Recent solicitations show state and local governments purchasing integrated mortuary service packages rather than grave digging in isolation — the code captures the full funeral service cycle, from deceased-scene response through burial or cremation completion. Issuing bodies include county medical examiners' offices, county health and human services departments, state corrections agencies, and large county housing and community development departments; Texas jurisdictions (Sarasota, Collin, Hays, Harris counties and the state Health and Human Services Commission) and Florida counties (Broward, Pinellas) appear most active, alongside Illinois Department of Corrections facilities and Georgia Department of Corrections. The scope varies by jurisdiction: some solicit cremation-only services on as-needed, non-exclusive bases (Collin County Medical Examiner quoted cremation services at approximately $17,500 annually for twenty decedents), while others procure comprehensive packages including transportation, embalming, casket provision, burial containers, grave markers, and funeral services for 700 to 1,300 annual cases (Harris County projects approximately 1,300 cremations or burials; Pinellas County approximately 720 claimed and unclaimed cases; Hays County and Broward County offer open-end, multiple-award contracting).

Recent representative opportunities include Sarasota County's Invitation for Bids (IFB 262887MH, due August 4, 2026) for body removal and transport services across three counties under a three-year contract; the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's Invitation for Bids (HHS0017352, due July 17, 2026) for mortality resources and disaster mass-fatality response with four strike teams, mortuary trailer storage and maintenance, and firm-fixed pricing historically $269,485.68 over four years; Harris County Housing and Community Development Department's Request for Proposal (RFP 260073, due April 20, 2026 with pre-proposal conference March 31, 2026) for approximately 1,300 annual cremations and burials under the Bereavement Services Program starting January 1, 2027, with a mandatory minimum wage of $21.65 per hour and five service options priced on a unit basis; and Illinois Department of Corrections' multiple Requests for Quote for burial services at Centralia Correctional Center (three-year contracts with up to ten-year total terms, including a small-business set-aside, due dates in March and April 2026). Pinellas County (RFP 26-0292-RFP, closed April 23, 2026) capped annual pricing at $30,000 with a five-year contract term; Collin County (Quote 2026-286, due June 18, 2026) established primary, secondary, and tertiary multi-award cremation vendors with itemized pricing by body type and weight; and Broward County issued a pre-advertisement notice (May 15, 2026) for multiple open-end cremation and unclaimed remains contracts on 24/7 response requirements with no minimum volume guarantee and compensation based solely on completed cases. Georgia Department of Corrections cancelled its offender burial services solicitation (RFQ GDC0001197, posted February 24, 2026, cancelled April 20, 2026) to redevelop requirements.