UNSPSC 85171700: Thanatology services

Thanatology is a comprehensive discipline that studies the phenomenon of death in human beings and other animals --veterinary forensic thanatology-- by applying the scientific method or forensic techniques, trying to solve conflictive situations occurring

UNSPSC 85171700 Thanatology services is a Class code encompassing postmortem examination, testing, and related forensic and coroner services that state and local governments procure to support medical examiner and coroner offices, public health agencies, and disease surveillance programs. The code sees activity primarily across clinical and environmental laboratory testing tied to death investigation, disease identification in deceased persons, and environmental sampling related to public health threats. Recent solicitations reflect fragmented issuing bodies — a mix of state health departments, county coroner and medical examiner offices, county and municipal health services, independent school districts, county corrections systems, and mental health facilities — with no standout repeat buyer but consistent activity across multiple jurisdictions within the same states.

The geographic spread of recent activity clusters in Texas (Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Texas Animal Health Commission, City of Austin, Hillsborough County, Harris County, Northside ISD), Illinois (Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Human Services), Kentucky (Commonwealth of Veterans Affairs across multiple facilities), Florida (Brevard County, Collier County, Hillsborough County), Michigan (MDHHS, Michigan Veteran Homes), Colorado, Oregon, Nevada, and the District of Columbia. Representative recent opportunities include the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner soliciting postmortem testing services under an open-market blanket purchasing agreement (RFQ, July 8 and June 15, 2026); the Illinois Department of Public Health executing emergency procurement of Hantavirus laboratory testing and genomic sequencing (sole-source emergency purchase, May 27, 2026, through August 23, 2026, $99,361.34 estimated cost); and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission requesting lead sample analysis services for the Department of State Health Services (IFB HHS0017054, due July 31, 2026, with EPA-recognized NLLAP accreditation required). Non-postmortem laboratory services such as occupational health screenings, clinical lab testing for mental health and veteran facilities, and environmental surveillance testing also tag to this code, though the connection is taxonomic rather than substantive; the code shows activity across death-related testing but also bleeds into broader occupational and clinical laboratory procurement where state and local issuing bodies have classified work under this UNSPSC tier.