1-RFB 1270-25 Transportation and Storage of Human Remains.pdf

Formal Bid #1270-25 Potter County Transportation and Storage of Human Remains Page 1 of 27

Company Name:

County of Potter

STATE OF TEXAS

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

900 S. POLK, SUITE 604

AMARILLO, TEXAS 79101-3412

PHONE: (806) 349-4819

FAX: (806) 349-4825

amyfarkas@co.potter.tx.us

RFB NO. 1270-25

REQUEST FOR BID:

POTTER COUNTY ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR

TRANSPORTATION AND

STORAGE OF HUMAN REMAINS

BIDS DUE: AUGUST 29, 2025

BY 10:00 A.M.

Formal Bid #1270-25 Potter County Transportation and Storage of Human Remains Page 2 of 27

County of Potter

STATE OF TEXAS

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

900 S. POLK, SUITE 604

AMARILLO, TEXAS 79101-3412

PHONE: (806) 349-4817

FAX: (806) 349-4825

alysonvillalon@co.potter.t.ux

Request for Bid

Formal Bid #1270-25 Potter County Transportation and Storage of Human Remains

Sealed bids in single copy unless otherwise stated, subject to Terms and Conditions of this Request for Bid and other contract provisions, will be received at the office of the Potter County Purchasing Agent, 900 S. Polk, Suite 604, Amarillo, Texas, 79101 until 10:00 a.m. Central Time, August 29th, 2024.

The Potter County Purchasing Department is willing to assist any bidder(s) in the interpretation of bid provisions or explanation of how bid forms are to be completed. Assistance can be received by visiting the Purchasing Office at 900 S. Polk, Suite 604 or by calling 806/349-4817.

READ CAREFULLY

Please quote us prices on the articles on the attached bid sheet. The right is reserved to accept or reject all or any part of your offer, and to accept the offer the Commissioners' Court considers to be the lowest responsible bid. Bids are to be returned sealed in an envelope clearly indicating that a bid is enclosed and reflecting the bid number.

By submitting this bid, the undersigned hereby certifies that said bid has been independently arrived at and that price, terms, or conditions appearing or applicable hereto, have not and will not be disclosed by or on behalf of the bidder to another bidder or competitor.

The undersigned by his/her signature represents that he/she is authorized to bind the bidder to fully comply with the terms and conditions of the attached Request for Bid, Specifications, and Special Provisions for the amount(s) shown on the accompanying bid sheet(s). By signing below, you have read the entire document and agreed to the terms therein. The bid is good for 60 days unless otherwise noted. All prices must be typewritten or written in ink.

Company Name: Address:

Contact Name: City, State, Zip:

Telephone Number: FAX Number:

Email: Date:

By: By:

Authorized Representative – Signed by Hand Authorized Representative – Typed or Printed mailto:alysonvillalon@co.potter.t.ux

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

The items checked below represent components that comprise this bid package. If the item IS NOT checked, it is NOT APPLICABLE to this bid/proposal. Offerors are asked to review the package to be sure that all applicable parts are included.

If any portion of the package is missing, notify the Purchasing Department immediately.

It is the Offeror's responsibility to be thoroughly familiar with all Requirements and Specifications. Be sure you understand the following before you return your bid packet.

X 1. Cover Sheet

Your company name, address, and your signature (IN INK) should appear on this page.

X 2. Table of Contents This page is the Table of Contents.

X 3. General Requirements

You should be familiar with all the General Requirements.

4. Notice of restrictions of work site area This section provides information you must know regarding construction operations in a restricted area.

X 5. Special Requirements and Conditions This section contains the requirements and conditions required to properly submit a bid for the materials/services sought by the County.

X 6. Specifications

This section contains a detailed description of the materials/services sought by the County.

X 7. Pricing Sheet This form is used to solicit exact pricing of materials/services and delivery costs.

X 8. Attachments

X a. Disclosure of Interested Parties House Bill 1295

X b. Insurance Requirements

This requirement is applicable for a building or construction contract.

X c. Reference Sheet When this information is required, you must use this sheet.

d. Pre-Bid Walk Through Schedule

Schedule and Instructions for Pre-Bid Walk Through.

X e. TWCC Rule 110.110 Workers’ Compensation Insurance Requirements This requirement is applicable for a building or construction contract.

X f. Conflict of Interest Questionnaire

For Vendors doing business in Potter County.

X g. Verifications and Certifications As required by law.

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POTTER COUNTY

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

FOR BIDS

READ THIS ENTIRE DOCUMENT CAREFULLY. FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR

FULFILLING ALL THE REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS. BE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THEM.

General Requirements apply to all advertised bids; however, these may be superseded, whole or in part, by the SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/INSTRUCTIONS OR OTHER DATA CONTAINED HEREIN. Review the Table of Contents. Be sure your bid package is complete.

ACCESS TO RECORDS

In special circumstances, vendor may be required to allow duly authorized representatives of Potter County or the State of Texas and the federal government access to contracts, books, documents and records necessary to verify the nature and extent of the cost of services provided by the vendor.

ADDENDA

When specifications are revised, the Potter County Purchasing Department will issue an addendum addressing the nature of the change.

Offerors must sign and include it in the returned bid package.

ASSIGNMENT

The successful offeror may not assign, sell or otherwise transfer this contract without written permission of Potter County Commissioners’ Court.

AWARD

Potter County reserves the right to award this contract on the basis of LOWEST AND BEST BID in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, to waive any formality or irregularity, to make awards to more than one offeror, and to reject any or all bids. In the event the lowest dollar offeror meeting specifications is not awarded a contract, the offeror may appear before the Commissioners’ Court and present evidence concerning his/her responsibility after officially notifying the Office of the Purchasing Agent of his/her intent to appear.

BID FORM COMPLETION

Fill out and return to the Potter County Purchasing Department ONE (1) complete bid form in an appropriately sized envelope or box.

PACKAGE MUST SHOW THE BID NUMBER, DESCRIPTION AND BE MARKED “SEALED BID.” An authorized representative of the offeror should sign the Bid Cover Sheet. The contract will be binding only when, the County Auditor, as applicable, certifies funds and a Purchase Order is issued.

BID RETURNS

Offerors must return all completed bids to the Potter County Purchasing Department reception desk at 900 S. Polk, Suite 604, Amarillo, TX, 79101, or electronically via Bonfire(https://co-potter-tx.bonfirehub.com/opportunities) before 10:00 A.M. LOCAL TIME IN AMARILLO, TEXAS on the date specified. Late bids will not be accepted.

BONDS

If this bid requires submission of bid guarantee and performance bond, there will be a separate page explaining those requirements. Bids submitted without the required bid bond or cashier's check is not acceptable.

CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION INELIGIBILITY, AND VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION The Contractor certifies by execution of this Contract that it is not ineligible for participation in federal or state assistance programs under Executive Order 12549, “Debarment and Suspension.” The Contractor further agrees to include this certification in all contracts between itself and any subcontractors in connection with the services performed under this contract. Contractor also certifies that contractor will notify Potter County in writing immediately if contractor is not in compliance with Executive Order 12549 during the term of this contract.

Contractor agrees to refund Potter County for any payments made to the contractor while ineligible.

CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP

If ownership of your firm should change during the term of this contract, Potter County must be notified in writing within ten (10) days and a new declaration of relationships submitted immediately to the Potter County Purchasing Agent. Failure by the vendor to provide written notification of change of ownership may result in cancellation of the contract.

https://co-potter-tx.bonfirehub.com/opportunities

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CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN CONTRACTS

The Commissioners shall not approve the expenditure of any funds in favor of a business entity in which a county official or employee either directly or indirectly owns a substantial interest unless prior to any vote or decision on any matter involving the business entity, the Commissioners are made aware of the interest of the official or employee and provided further that the official or employee take no part in the negotiating, making, accepting, or approving any payment, agreement or contract affecting the business entity and performs no duty for Potter County in connection with the business entity.

CONTRACT OBLIGATION

Potter County Commissioners’ Court must award the contract and the County Judge or other person authorized by the Potter County Commissioners’ Court must sign the contract before it becomes binding on Potter County or the offerors. Department Heads are NOT authorized to sign agreements for Potter County. Binding agreements shall remain in effect until all products and/or services covered by this purchase have been satisfactorily delivered and accepted.

CONTRACT RENEWALS

Renewals may be made ONLY by written agreement between Potter County and the offeror. Any price escalations are limited to those stated by the offeror in the original bid.

DIGITAL FORMAT

If offeror obtained the bid specifications in digital format in order to prepare a response, the bid must be submitted in hard copy according to the instructions contained in this bid package. If, in its bid response, offeror makes any changes whatsoever to the County’s published bid specifications, the County’s bid specification as published shall control. Furthermore, if an alteration of any kind to the County’s bid specification is only discovered after the contract is executed and is or is not being performed, the contract is subject to immediate cancellation without recourse.

DISQUALIFICATION OF OFFEROR

Upon signing this bid document, an offeror offering to sell supplies, materials, services, or equipment to Potter County certifies that the offeror has not violated the antitrust laws of this state codified in Texas Business and Commerce Code §15.01, et seq., as amended, or the federal antitrust laws, and has not communicated directly or indirectly the bid made to any competitor or any other person engaged in such line of business. Any or all bids may be rejected if the County believes that collusion exists among the offerors. Bids in which the prices are obviously unbalanced may be rejected. If multiple bids are submitted by an offeror and after the bids are opened, one of the bids is withdrawn, the result will be that all of the bids submitted by that offeror will be withdrawn; however, nothing herein prohibits a vendor from submitting multiple bids for different products or services.

E-MAIL ADDRESS CONSENT

Vendor affirmatively consents to the disclosure of its e-mail addresses that are provided to Potter County or any agency of Potter County.

This consent is intended to comply with the requirements of the Texas Public Information Act, Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. §522.137, as amended, and shall survive termination of this agreement. This consent shall apply to e-mail addresses provided by Vendor, its employees, officers, and agents acting on Vendor’s behalf and shall apply to any e-mail address provided in any form for any reason whether related to this bid/proposal or otherwise.

EVALUATION

Evaluation shall be used as a determinant as to which bid items or services are the most efficient and/or most economical for the County. It shall be based on all factors that have a bearing on price and performance of the items in the user environment. All bids are subject to tabulation by the Potter County Purchasing Department and recommendation to Potter County Commissioners’ Court. Compliance with all bid requirements, delivery and needs of the using department are considerations in evaluating bids. Pricing is NOT the only criteria for making a recommendation. The Potter County Purchasing Department reserves the right to contact any offeror, at any time, to clarify, verify or request information with regard to any bid. If the Bid Document is incomplete or otherwise fails to conform to the requirements of the RFB, County alone will determine whether the variance is so significant as to render the Bid non-responsive, or whether the variance may be cured by the Bidder or waived by the County, such that the Bid may be considered for award.

FISCAL FUNDING

A multi-year lease or lease/purchase arrangement (if requested by the Special Requirements/Instructions), or any contract continuing as a result of an extension option, must include fiscal funding out. If, for any reason, funds are not appropriated to continue the lease or contract, said lease or contract shall become null and void on the last day of the current appropriation of funds. After expiration of the lease, leased equipment shall be removed by the offeror from the using department without penalty of any kind or form to Potter County. All charges and physical activity related to delivery, installation, removal and redelivery shall be the responsibility of the offeror.

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GOVERNING FORMS

In the event of conflict between these General Requirements and any other contract or agreement between the parties, these General Requirements shall control. Additionally, the following provisions contained in any other contract or agreement between the parties shall be void:

a) Provisions requiring resolution of disputes by binding arbitration;

b) Provisions providing for venue in any jurisdiction other than Potter County, Texas;

c) Provisions providing for application of the law of any state other than the State of Texas;

d) Provisions requiring contractual indemnification by Potter County (this does not apply to or foreclose contribution or indemnity available under Texas statutory or common law);

e) Provisions requiring Potter County to name a vendor as an additional insured under insurance coverage carried by Potter County;

f) Waivers of implied warranties;

g) Provisions purporting to disclaim or nullify representations regarding the quality, characteristics, benefits, fitness, or reliability of a product or service;

h) Limitations on amounts of damages recoverable by Potter County under any theory of liability.

GOVERNING LAW

This invitation to bid is governed by the competitive bidding requirements of the County Purchasing Act, Texas Local Government Code, §262.021 et seq., as amended. Offerors shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Offeror is further advised that these requirements shall be fully governed by the laws of the State of Texas and that Potter County may request and rely on advice, decisions and opinions of the Attorney General of Texas and the County Attorney concerning any portion of these requirements.

GRANT FUNDING

Any contract entered into by the County that is to be paid from grant funds shall be limited to payment from the grant funding and the vendor/provider understands that the County has not set aside any County funds for the payment of obligations under a grant contract. If grant funding should become unavailable at any time for the continuation of services paid by the grant, and further funding cannot be obtained for the contract, then the sole recourse of the provider shall be to terminate any further services under the contract and the contract shall be null and void.

HIPAA COMPLIANCE

Offeror agrees to comply with the Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable Health Information of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, PL 104-191, 45 CFR Parts 160-164, as amended, and the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act, Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 181, as amended, collectively referred to as “HIPAA”, to the extent that the Offeror uses, discloses or has access to protected health information as defined by HIPAA. Offeror may be required to enter a Business Associate Agreement pursuant to HIPAA.

HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT

Contractor, the successful offeror, shall indemnify and hold Potter County harmless from all claims for personal injury, death and/or property damage resulting directly or indirectly from contractor's performance. Contractor shall procure and maintain, with respect to the subject matter of this bid, appropriate insurance coverage including, as a minimum, public liability and property damage with adequate limits to cover contractor's liability as may arise directly or indirectly from work performed under terms of this bid. Certification of such coverage must be provided to the County upon request.

INSPECTIONS & TESTING

Potter County reserves the right to inspect any item(s) or service location for compliance with specifications and requirements and needs of the using department. If an offeror cannot furnish a sample of a bid item, where applicable, for review, or fails to satisfactorily show an ability to perform, the County can reject the bid as inadequate.

INTER-NET DISCLAIMER

Potter County will not be Responsible or Liable for errors and omissions within bid documents and bid addendum obtained from inter-net sources that are not authorized by Potter County. Vendors obtaining bid information from the inter-net are encouraged to contact the Potter County Purchasing Department to request all documentation relevant to this bid.

INTER-LOCAL PARTICIPATION

It is hereby made a precondition of any bid/offer for a Contract for supplies or services and a part of these specifications, that the submission of any bid/offer in response to this request constitutes a bid/offer made under the same conditions, for the same price, and for the same effective period as this bid/offer, to any other governmental entity having an inter-local agreement with Potter County. It is further understood that any other governmental entity that elects to use a Potter County Semi-annual or annual award will issue its own Contracts or purchase orders and will require separate billing.

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INVOICES AND PAYMENTS

Offerors shall submit an original invoice on each purchase order or purchase release after each delivery, indicating the purchase order number.

Invoices must be itemized. Any invoice that cannot be verified by the contract price and/or is otherwise incorrect will be returned to the offeror for correction. Under term contracts, when multiple deliveries and/or services are required, the offeror may invoice following each delivery and the County will pay on invoice. Contracts providing for a monthly charge will be billed and paid on a monthly basis only. Prior to any and all payments made for goods and/or services provided under this contract, the offeror should provide his/her Taxpayer Identification Number or social security number as applicable. This information must be on file with the Potter County Auditor’s office.

Failure to provide this information may result in a delay in payment and/or back-up withholding as required by the Internal Revenue Service.

MAINTENANCE

Maintenance required for equipment bid should be available in Potter County or Amarillo City Limits by a manufacturer-authorized maintenance facility. Costs for this service shall be shown on the Pricing/Delivery Information form. If Potter County opts to include maintenance, it shall be so stated in the purchase order and said cost will be included. Service will commence only upon expiration of applicable warranties and should be priced accordingly.

MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS

Under the "Hazardous Communication Act", commonly known as the "Texas Right To Know Act", an offeror must provide to the County with each delivery, material safety data sheets, which are applicable to hazardous substances, defined in the Act. Failure of the offeror to furnish this documentation will be cause to reject any bid applying thereto.

MULTIPLE BID AWARD

At the discretion of the Commissioners’ Court, Bids may or may not be awarded to a separate vendor. Potter County reserves the right to concurrently award this bid to the Second Lowest Bidder. The Second Lowest Bidder may provide services requested by Potter County in the event that the Low Bidder experiences circumstances, which prevent the Low Bidder from providing the service requirements within the time frame, set forth by the County.

NAME BRANDS

Specifications may reference name brands and model numbers. It is not the intent of Potter County to restrict these bids in such cases, but to establish a desired quality level of merchandise or to meet a pre-established standard due to like existing items. Offerors may offer items of equal stature and the burden of proof of such stature rests with offerors. Potter County shall act as sole judge in determining equality and acceptability of products offered.

NEW MILLENIUM COMPLIANCE

All products and/or services furnished as part of this contract must be compliant for the present year and forward. This applies to all computers including hardware and software as well as all other commodities with date sensitive embedded chips.

POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

An outside consultant or contractor is prohibited from submitting a bid or proposal for services on a Potter County project of which the consultant or contractor was a designer or other previous contributor, or was an affiliate, subsidiary, joint venture or was in any other manner associated by ownership to any party that was a designer or other previous contributor. If such a consultant or contractor submits a prohibited bid or proposal, that bid or proposal shall be disqualified on the basis of conflict of interest, no matter when the conflict is discovered by Potter County. Potential bidders are advised that they may have to disclose requirements pursuant to the Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 176. This law requires persons desiring to do business with the County to disclose any gifts valued in excess of $250.00 given to any County Official or the County Official’s family member, or employment of any County Official or the County Official’s family member during the preceding twelve (12) month period. The disclosure questionnaire must be filed with the Potter County Clerk.

Refer to Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 176 for the details of this law.

PRICE INCREASES

Any and all increases in pricing provided in your quote must be given to the Potter County Purchasing Agent in writing at least 30 days in advance of price increase.

PRICING

Prices for all goods and/or services shall be firm for the duration of this contract and shall be stated on the Pricing/Delivery Information form.

Prices shall be all inclusive: No price changes, additions, or subsequent qualifications will be honored during the course of the contract. All prices must be written in ink or typewritten. Pricing on all transportation, freight, drayage and other charges are to be prepaid by the contractor and included in the bid prices. If there are any additional charges of any kind, other than those mentioned above, specified or unspecified, the offeror MUST indicate the items required and attendant costs or forfeit the right to payment for such items. Where unit pricing and extended pricing differ, unit pricing prevails.

PROCUREMENT CARDS

Procurement Cards (MasterCard) may be utilized for purchase of items awarded on this bid. Potter County will not accept or pay any Interchange Fees or Credit Card Processing Fees associated with Procurement Card Transactions. All Procurement Card transactions are exempt from local and state sales tax.

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PURCHASE ORDER AND DELIVERY

The successful offeror shall not deliver products or provide services without a Potter County Purchase Order, signed by an authorized agent of the Potter County Purchasing Department. The fastest, most reasonable delivery time shall be indicated by the offeror in the proper place on the Pricing/Delivery Information form. Any special information concerning delivery should also be included, on a separate sheet, if necessary. All items shall be shipped F.O.B. INSIDE DELIVERY unless otherwise stated in the specifications. This shall be understood to include bringing merchandise to the appropriate room or place designated by the using department. Every tender or delivery of goods must fully comply with all provisions of these requirements and the specifications including time, delivery and quality. Nonconformance shall constitute a breach, which must be rectified prior to expiration of the time for performance. Failure to rectify within the performance period will be considered cause to reject future deliveries and cancellation of the contract by Potter County without prejudice to other remedies provided by law. Where delivery times are critical, Potter County reserves the right to award accordingly.

RECYCLED MATERIALS

Potter County encourages the use of products made of recycled materials and shall give preference in purchasing to products made of recycled materials if the products meet applicable specifications as to quantity and quality. Potter County will be the sole judge in determining product preference application.

SCANNED OR RE-TYPED RESPONSE

If in its response, offeror either electronically scans, re-types or in some way reproduces the County’s published bid/proposal package, then in the event of any conflict between the terms and provisions of the County’s published bid/proposal package, or any portion thereof, and the terms and provisions of the response made by offeror, the County’s bid/proposal package as published shall control. Furthermore, if an alternation of any kind to the County’s published bid/proposal package is only discovered after the contract is executed and is or is not being performed, the contract is subject to immediate cancellation.

SEVERABILITY

If any section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase or word of these requirements or the specifications shall be held invalid, such holding shall not affect the remaining portions of these requirements and the specifications and it is hereby declared that such remaining portions would have been included in these requirements and the specifications as though the invalid portion had been omitted.

SILENCE OF SPECIFICATIONS

The apparent silence of specifications as to any detail, or the apparent omission from it of a detailed description concerning any point, shall be regarded as meaning that only the best commercial practice is to prevail and that only material and workmanship of the finest quality are to be used. All interpretations of specifications shall be made on the basis of this statement. The items furnished under this contract shall be new, unused of the latest product in production to commercial trade and shall be of the highest quality as to materials used and workmanship.

Manufacturer furnishing these items shall be experienced in design and construction of such items and shall be an established supplier of the item bid.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS

Offerors are responsible for including all pertinent product data in the returned bid package. Literature, brochures, data sheets, specification information, completed forms requested as part of the bid package and any other facts which may affect the evaluation and subsequent contract award should be included. Materials such as legal documents and contractual agreements, which the offeror wishes to include as a condition of the bid, must also be in the returned bid package. Failure to include all necessary and proper supplemental materials may be cause to reject the entire bid.

TAXES

Potter County is exempt from all federal excise, state and local taxes unless otherwise stated in this document. Potter County claims exemption from all sales and/or use taxes under Texas Tax Code §151.309, as amended. Texas Limited Sales Tax Exemption Certificates will be furnished upon written request to the Potter County Auditor.

TERM CONTRACTS

If the contract is intended to cover a specific time period, the term will be given in the specifications under SCOPE.

TERMINATION

Potter County reserves the right to terminate the contract for default if the offeror breaches any of the terms therein, including warranties of offeror or if the offeror becomes insolvent or commits acts of bankruptcy. Such right of termination is in addition to and not in lieu of any other remedies which Potter County may have in law or equity. Default may be construed as, but not limited to, failure to deliver the proper goods and/or services within the proper amount of time, and/or to properly perform any and all services required to Potter County's satisfaction and/or to meet all other obligations and requirements. Potter County may terminate the contract without cause upon thirty (30) days written notice.

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TERMINATION FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS

Potter County has the option to terminate this contract immediately without prior notice if offeror fails to perform any of its obligations in the contract if the failure (a) created a potential threat to health or safety or (b) violated a law, ordinance, or regulation designed to protect health or safety.

TEXAS HOUSE BILL 1295

In 2015, the Texas Legislature adopted House Bill 1295, which added Section 2252.908 to the Government Code and applies to all contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2016. The law states that a governmental entity may not enter into certain contracts with a business entity unless the business entity submits a disclosure of interested parties to the governmental entity at the time the business entity submits the signed contract to the governmental entity. The law applies to all contracts/purchases of a governmental entity that require an action or vote by the governing body of the entity. With regards to Potter County purchases, a vendor that is awarded a contract or purchase that is approved in Commissioners’ Court is required to electronically create a Form 1295 through the Texas Ethics Commission website (https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/elf_info_form1295.htm) and submit a signed and notarized copy of the form to Potter County Purchasing. A contract, including County-issued purchase order, will not be enforceable or legally binding until the County receives and acknowledges receipt of the properly completed Form 1295 from the awarded vendor.

TITLE TRANSFER

Title and Risk of Loss of goods shall not pass to Potter County until Potter County actually receives and takes possession of the goods at the point or points of delivery. Receiving times may vary with the using department. Generally, deliveries may be made between 8:30 a.m.

and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Offerors are advised to consult the using department for instructions. The place of delivery shall be shown under the "Special Requirements/Instructions" section of this bid package and/or on the Purchase Order as a "Deliver To:" address.

WAIVER OF SUBROGATION

Offeror and offeror's insurance carrier waive any and all rights whatsoever with regard to subrogation against Potter County as an indirect party to any suit arising out of personal or property damages resulting from offeror's performance under this agreement.

WARRANTIES

Offerors shall furnish all data pertinent to warranties or guarantees which may apply to items in the bid. Offerors may not limit or exclude any implied warranties. Offeror warrants that product sold to the County shall conform to the standards established by the U.S. Department of Labor under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. In the event a product does not conform to OSHA Standards, where applicable, Potter County may return the product for correction or replacement at the offeror's expense. If the offeror fails to make the appropriate correction within a reasonable time, Potter County may correct at the offeror's expense.

https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/elf_info_form1295.htm

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Rev. 03/07

VENDORS OWING TAXES

Pursuant to TX Local Government Code 262.0276, Potter County Commissioners Court has adopted a policy, which requires that vendors’ taxes be current as of the date bids/proposals are due. Bidders with delinquent taxes on the due date will not be eligible for award. Whether or not a vendor’s taxes are delinquent will be determined by an independent review of the Tax Office records. Vendors who believe a delinquency is reflected in error must contact the Potter County Tax Office to correct any errors or discrepancies prior to submitting their bid in order to ensure that their bid will be considered. Tax records are available online at the Potter Randall Appraisal District website—www.prad.org. Prior to submitting a bid, vendors are encouraged to visit the Potter Randall Appraisal District website, set up a portfolio of their accounts, and make their own initial determination of the status of their tax accounts. Furthermore, if, during the performance of this contract, a vendor’s taxes become delinquent, Potter County reserves the right to provide notice to the Auditor or Treasurer pursuant to Texas Local Government Code §154.045. This policy is effective for all bids due on or after March 1, 2005.

http://www.prad.org/

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SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/INSTRUCTIONS

FORMAL BID #1270-25 TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE OF HUMAN REMAINS

POTTER COUNTY, TEXAS

The Potter County Commissioners’ Court is soliciting Bids from qualified vendors to enter into a one (1) year Contract from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. The contract may be renewed for one

(1) additional one (1) year period. to cover Transportation and Storage of Human Remains for Potter County as set forth in this Request for Bid.

All bids must be received in the Potter County Purchasing Department, no later than 10:00 a.m., Central Daylight Time, August 29, 2025, all bids which are mailed, shipped, etc., should be addressed as follows:

Alyson Villalon

Potter County Purchasing Agent 900 S. Polk, Suite 604 Amarillo, TX 79101

Bids may also be submitted electronically via Bonfire (https://co-potter-tx.bonfirehub.com/opportunities).

All bids must be in sealed envelopes clearly marked with Bid Number and Bid Title. Completed Bids must be clearly marked “ORIGINAL” and contain all original signatures.

The Potter County Commissioners’ Court reserves the right to reject in whole or in part any or all bids, waive minor technicalities, and award the bid which best serves the interest of Potter County.

Any inquiries related to this RFB should be addressed in writing and faxed, emailed, or submitted through the County’s electronic bid system to the attention of Alyson Villalon at 806-349-4817 or alysonvillalon@co.potter.tx.us prior to 2:00 p.m., August 22, 2025.

Late bids will be returned to the Offeror unopened. Potter County will not be responsible for un-marked, or improperly marked bids, or bids delivered to the wrong address.

Advertising / Solicitations While performing services under this contract, Contractor shall not solicit business for or provide information about any funeral home establishment. While performing services under this contract, Contractor shall not identify itself as a provider of services and shall not directly or indirectly convey to the family, next of kin, or person responsible for making funeral arrangements for a deceased person transported pursuant to this contract any information obtained as a result of services rendered pursuant to this Contract to directly or indirectly contact the family, next of kin, or person responsible for making funeral arrangements for a deceased person transported, pursuant to this Contract for the purpose of soliciting business for, or providing information about, any provider of funeral services or merchandise. As used herein, the term “Contractor” shall include Contractor, Contractor’s employees, agents and representatives, and any other person acting on behalf of Contractor.

Award The bid award analysis will include compliance with bid specifications, past performance with Potter and Randall Counties, references, and overall cost. Potter County reserves the right to consider deviations from these specifications. Award of any contract and any subsequent renewals will be contingent upon availability of Potter County funds.

https://co-potter-tx.bonfirehub.com/opportunities mailto:alysonvillalon@co.potter.tx.us

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Bid Rejection Any bids not conforming to the specifications in this Request for Bid shall be rejected. It will be the responsibility of the offeror to conform to the specifications unless alternatives have been specifically cited by the vendor and acceptance is made on the basis of the exception.

Bid Requirements Each bidder should submit as a bid this entire RFB, completed where necessary, for example, the RFB cover sheet, Price Sheets, Attachment Sheets, etc. Bids must be submitted on this form and if accepted by the Commissioners’ Court of Potter County shall constitute a contract binding between the vendor and Potter County. Use an envelope clearly indicating on the outside the Bid Number, Bid Description, and marked "SEALED BID". Potter County shall not be responsible for any effort or cost expended in the preparation of a response to this FFB. All protests should be coordinated through the Purchasing Office prior to award recommendation to Commissioners’ Court.

Bid Withdrawal Bids may be withdrawn at any time prior to the official opening. Alterations made before opening time must be initialed by the Offeror to guarantee authenticity. After the official opening, bids may not be amended, altered, or withdrawn without the recommendations of the Purchasing Agent and the approval of the Potter County Commissioners’ Court. All bids become the property of Potter County and will not be returned to the Offeror.

Cancellation Either party upon thirty (30) days’ written notice prior to cancellation may terminate the contract.

Contractor shall provide the defense for and indemnify and hold harmless Potter County from all claims, suits, causes of action, and liability arising out of the execution of this connection with Contractor’s use of the premises hereunder.

Catastrophic Events In the event of a catastrophic situation, deemed by and under jurisdiction of Potter County, the contract for this service will, at the request of Potter County, be negotiated for service and price among any and all vendors meeting specifications required by Potter County for that particular catastrophic situation.

Estimate of Calls Potter County does not guarantee either a minimum or maximum number of pick-ups or a minimum or maximum amount of compensation under this contract.

Insurance Contractor shall supply the County with properly executed certificates of insurance prior to the signing of the contract with the County. (See attachment “b” for minimum requirements).

Non-Performance Continuing non-performance of the vendor in the terms of this Contract shall be a basis for the termination of the contract by the County. Potter County shall not pay for work, equipment, or supplies, which are unsatisfactory. Vendors will be given a reasonable opportunity before termination to correct deficiencies.

This, however, shall in no way be construed as negating the basis for termination for non- performance.

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Payment All Potter County invoices are to be submitted to Potter County Auditor, 900 S. Polk, Suite 716, Amarillo, Texas 79101, 806/349-4800. Potter County will pay original invoices that clearly itemize the goods and/or services provided as to quantity, part number, description, price, applicable discount (if any), labor charges showing time differential, if applicable and if previously agreed to, and delivery, installation, and set-up costs, if applicable and if previously agreed to. Only charges as stated on the Price/Delivery Information Sheet(s) submitted as a part of the bid will be considered.

References Contractor/Vendor must complete the list of references as furnished with the bid. References should be for projects of similar size and scope. Failure to do so may render the bid unresponsive. (See Attachment “c”)

Sub-Contractors Contractor/Vendor shall supply the County with a list of any sub-contractors which may be utilized in the fulfillment of this contract.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Formal Bid #1270-25 Transportation and Storage of Human Remains

Potter County, Texas

SCOPE AND INTENT: This specification covers Transportation and Storage of Human Remains for Potter County for a one (1) year period, October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. Potter County is seeking the services of a firm to provide all services, equipment, and supplies necessary for body removal/transport and storage services on an as needed basis within each county. Bodies will be transferred either to a forensics lab in Potter County, a forensics lab outside of these two counties (i.e. Lubbock, Dallas- Fort Worth), or the storage facility of the Transport Company. The estimated annual number of bodies is 177 for Potter County. Return trips may also be required. The apparent silence of the specifications as to any detail or to the apparent omission from it of a detailed description concerning any point shall be regarded as meaning that only the best commercial practices are to prevail. All interpretations of these specifications shall be made based on this statement.

A. REMOVAL, TRANSPORTATION, AND STORAGE OF BODIES

1. Removal and Transport of all deceased persons from the place of death in Potter County to a forensics lab in Potter or a forensics lab outside of these counties (i.e. Lubbock, Dallas-Fort Worth, etc.) and/or return to Potter County as directed by a Potter County Justice of the Peace (Justice of the Peace will assign return location upon order of autopsy).

a. All Removal and Transportation of bodies by the carrier must be in compliance with Texas

Administrative Code, Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 181.3 b1.

b. The carrier must possess and maintain a storage facility large enough to store multiple bodies at once awaiting further action and the Storage of bodies by the carrier must be in compliance with Texas Administrative Code, Title 25, Part 1, Chapter 181.4.

c. The carrier is responsible for knowing and complying with the applicable statues regarding transport of human bodies.

d. Carrier must provide 24-hour service with communication-equipped vehicles (cell phone, pager, radio, etc.) for multiple pickups per day seven days per week, 365 days per year. No more than two hours should be allocated per call at the contracted price at the scene of removal.

e. The carrier must respond to calls from the Justices of the Peace in the shortest possible response time.

f. Carrier must assign sufficient personnel for each pickup, and two people will respond to all non-hospital calls.

g. All bodies must be wrapped in clean white sheets to preserve physical evidence that may be on the body.

h. The carrier will keep body bags in inventory.

i. The carrier will represent the Justice of the Peace Offices as far as transporting the bodies to the forensic facilities only. At no time will the carrier represent the offices in any other matter, especially pertaining to inquest or make any promises to the family regarding the timing of the release of the body or promise of an autopsy to the family. Further, the carrier shall not solicit business or use this service to obtain an advantage.

j. Carrier must accept full liability in case of an accident with post-mortal body mutilation or in case of theft or loss of personal articles from the body in route to the forensics labs.

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k. Carrier personnel shall place all bodies suspected of having infectious diseases or are in any way suspected of creating a biological hazard in a body bag and shall ensure that the body is tagged noting the suspected biological hazard.

l. Contractor shall supply each vehicle with sufficient staff when responding to a call for service. The attendants shall follow all reasonable instructions of law enforcement personnel with respect to the preservation of evidence. The contractor’s staff is solely responsible for body removal & must be capable of removing body without assistance from others at the scene.

m. Attendants shall conduct themselves in a professional, compassionate manner at all times, whether they are at the scene or on the route to the morgue. The contractor shall ensure that all remains are treated with respect and dignity. The contractor shall be properly attired to always present a professional appearance.

n. Due to pending autopsy investigation, comments, speculation, opinions, and/or any other comments, solicited or unsolicited, shall not be discussed with any person either at or away from the scene at any time.

o. Successful bidder agrees that, in the event that he/she is unable to respond to a death scene within a reasonable time (not exceeding forty (40) minutes), the successful bidder will obtain the service from a different transportation service in order to meet the required response time of forty (40) minutes from initiating call. In such cases the alternate transportation service will bill the successful bidder and the successful bidder will bill Potter County for the service at the contracted price.

p. In the case that the autopsy may not be done immediately (night or weekend pickup), refrigerated storage will be required to be provided by the vendor. Vendors must have adequate storage facilities to house the remains until the time that an autopsy can be completed. The Successful Bidder must provide addresses of the storage facilities where the human remains shall be stored.

B. LIABILITIES AND INSURANCE

1. Neither Potter County, nor the Justice of the Peace Offices of Potter County shall be held responsible or liable for any property lost or stolen, or the mishandling of the body during the process of transporting the body from the death scene to the forensic labs.

2. All vehicles used in the transporting of bodies to the forensic labs must be maintained in good mechanical condition and be fully insured by the successful bidder.

3. Successful bidder must furnish Potter County with properly executed certificates of insurance to be in effect during the term of agreement.

4. A copy of all presently employed persons’ driver licenses must accompany the response to this bid. If Potter County awards this contract to your firm, a check of each driver license will be performed.

C. COST

1. Bidder to quote cost of removal and transporting of approximately 177 bodies per year for Potter

County and on a per body/call basis. In case of multiple fatalities at a single scene, the carrier must provide single unit per two bodies and such a unit carrying two bodies should be considered as a single call/single charge.

2. Any other costs must be indicated on the bid sheet and approved by Commissioners’ Court before they become a part of the contract.

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PRICING SHEET

1. Cost of removal and transportation of human remains from scene of death in Potter County to a forensics lab or storage facility located in Potter County on a per body/call basis:

2. Cost to Deliver Remains to a forensics lab located outside of Potter or from the scene of death or storage facility (i.e. Lubbock, Dallas-Fort Worth):

A. Loaded Mile Charge: $ per mile

B. Standby time for driver (not to exceed 10 hours)

$ per hour

C. Per Diem Charges (if per diem will be charged, bid how many hours of wait time trigger which per diem and what the amount is that will be charged):

Wait Time (in Hours) Per Diem Description Per Diem Amount Hours 1st Meal $ Hours 2nd Meal $ Hours 3rd Meal $ Hours Hotel Room $

3. Storage Costs

A. Refrigerated Storage fee of the deceased $ per day (only if remains are not able to be transported immediately)

4. Other Costs

A. Body Bag charge for standard bags as needed $ each

B. Body Bag charge for oversized bags as needed $ each

C. Any other costs – specify: $

Indicate the # of vehicles in your fleet setup for the transport of human remains:

Indicate the # of full-time employees that work for your company:

Indicate the # of part time employees that work for your company:

Is your company able to respond within 40 minutes of being called for transport, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?

Yes No

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PRICING SHEET IF THIS CONTRACT IS RENEWED

1. Cost of removal and transportation of human remains from scene of death in Potter County to a forensics lab or storage facility located…