24_021_LH_ Grave Digger Services_(RFQ).pdf

MACON-BIBB COUNTY, GEORGIA

Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

FOR

Grave Digger Services

24-021-LH

95214

MACON-BIBB COUNTY

ISSUE DATE: 04/25/2024

DUE DATE: 05/30/2024

MBE/WBE/DBE Participation: Minority, Women Owned, and other Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are encouraged to participate in the solicitation process. Additionally, respondents are encouraged to use M/W/DBE sub-consultants where possible. Small and other disadvantaged businesses requiring assistance with the competitive process can contact Cherise Stephens of Small Business Affairs at (478) 300-2297 or cstephens@maconbibb.us mailto:cstephens@maconbibb.us

I. GENERAL

A. Invitation

Notice is hereby given that Macon-Bibb County will receive responses to the Request for Qualifications (original plus 3 copies and Flash Drive) in the Procurement Department, 700 Poplar Street, Suite 308 Macon, Georgia 31201, until 12:00 o’clock NOON at the time legally prevailing in Macon, Georgia on Thursday, May 30, 2024, for Gravedigger Services for Macon- Bibb County.

NO LATE RESPONSES WILL BE CONSIDERED

The names of responding firms will be publicly read on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at 2:00 P.M. in the Macon- Bibb County Procurement Department Conference Room, located at 700 Poplar Street Suite 308, Macon Georgia 31201. Deadline to submit questions is Friday, May 9, 2024, by 3:00 p.m. All questions must be submitted via email to Lhardwick@maconbibb.us

B. Definitions

Wherever the term “Owner”, “County”, or “Macon-Bibb County” occur in this document, it shall mean Macon- Bibb County, a political subdivision of the State of Georgia acting through the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners.

C. Minority, Women Owned and other Disadvantaged Business Enterprises are encouraged to participate in the solicitation process. Additionally, respondents are encouraged to use M/W/SLBE subcontractors where possible.

D. Solicitation Documents

Announcement of this Request for Professional Services may also be posted on the Macon-Bibb County website at www.maconbibb.us/purchasing and on the Georgia Procurement Registry website https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/PRSapp/PR_index.jsp

E. Insurance Requirements

Insurance coverage shall be carried with an insurance company licensed to do business in the State of Georgia.

All coverage should be written with insurance company with a Best Rating of A or better. Insurance shall be obtained prior to commencement of work and shall remain in force throughout the period of the contract.

Macon-Bibb County shall be named as additional insured on the policy.

Workers’ Compensation: Statutory Errors and Omission: $1,000,000

General Liability: $1,000,000

F. Submittals

Responses must be sealed and identified on the outside of the package as and delivered to

“24-021-LH-Gravedigger Services” Macon-Bibb County Procurement Department

700 Poplar Street Suite 308

Macon, Georgia 31201 Telephone: (478) 803-0550

Submissions may not be withdrawn for a period of one hundred and twenty (120) days after the deadline on mailto:Lhardwick@maconbibb.us http://www.maconbibb.us/purchasing https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/PRSapp/PR_index.jsp date of closing. Macon- Bibb reserves the right to reject any and all submissions and to waive technicalities and formalities. Respondents shall carefully read the information contained herein and submit a complete response to all requirements and questions as directed. Submittals and any other information submitted by in response to the RPS shall become the property of Macon-Bibb County.

G. Responsiveness

In order to be considered “responsive” the submission must include completed copies of the following documents:

• Price Proposal Form

• Proposer Qualification Form

• List of Sub-Consultants

• Minority Participation Goal

• Financial & Legal Stability Statement

• Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act (E-Verify) Affidavit

H. Responsibility

In order to be considered “responsible” the submitting firm must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Three (3) years of experience providing the services included herein

• Licensed to do business in the State of Georgia

• Financially and Legally responsible to perform the services included herein

I. Reservations

Macon-Bibb County will not provide compensation to Respondents for any expenses incurred by the Respondent(s) for submittal preparation or for any demonstrations that may be made, unless otherwise expressly stated or required by law.

Each submission should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of your firm’s ability to meet the requirements of this RPS. Emphasis should be on completeness, clarity of content, responsiveness to the requirements, and an understanding of the Owner’s needs.

Macon-Bibb County makes no guarantee that an award will be made as a result of this RPS and reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submittals, with or without cause, waive any formalities or minor technical inconsistencies, or delete any item/requirement from this RPS or contract when deemed to be in the Owner’s best interest.

Macon-Bibb County will consider only representations made within the submission in response to this RPS.

Owner will not be bound to act by any previous knowledge, communication, or submission by the firms other than this RPS.

Failure to comply with the requirements contained herein may result in the submission being deemed “non-responsive” or “non-responsible”. Nonresponsive submissions will not be reviewed for potential award.

II. SCOPE OF SERVICES

Macon-Bibb County is seeking to ensure that gravedigging services performed in Macon-Bibb County cemeteries are performed by qualified gravediggers. Only persons who lawfully perform gravedigging services (“Gravediggers”) which receive awards via this Request for Qualifications may contract with mortuaries, morgues, estates of the deceased, families of the deceased, or other persons to perform gravedigging services in Macon-Bibb County cemeteries. Gravediggers selected by Macon-Bibb County to perform gravedigging services will furnish all labor, materials, and equipment to dig and fill graves at Rose Hill Cemetery, Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Hill Cemetery, Old City Cemetery, and any other cemetery owned by Macon-Bibb County.

Duties range from skilled operation of backhoe for precision digging of grave sites to hand digging as needed.

Gravediggers selected to perform gravedigging work pursuant to this RFQ are not performing services described herein as agents of Macon-Bibb County. Further, Gravediggers while digging graves in Macon-Bibb County cemeteries shall:

• Adhere to best practices in the preparation of the grave and surrounding area for the arrival of funeral home undertaker.

• Gravedigger will perform the work for the opening and closing of the grave site. To include grave digging services using grave digging equipment (ex. mechanical excavator or backhoe). Some gravesites will require hand digging. Graves should be dug at least 3’ wide and 8’deep.

• Measure and set grave markers, place concrete boxes inside the graves, cover graves with plywood boards for safety purposes, and perform the back filling of grave sites.

• After the burial, grave diggers are to lower caskets into graves, cover caskets with concrete lids, replace the dirt over graves and affix the grave markers or headstones.

• Provide general maintenance of the burial site, including removing mounds and topping of graves, and general cleaning around the burial gravesite area that will maintain the integrity of the cemetery landscape when opening and closing the grave site.

III. SUBMITTAL FORMAT AND REQUIREMENTS

Submissions must be organized in a manner to display the required information in easily accessible tabs labeled:

Firms Background Letter of Interest History of the firm (including years in business) Contact information (including address(es), telephone/Fax numbers, email, etc.

Structure of the firm (include principal(s), project team, if applicable)

Experience Resume(s) of key personnel Reference list List of projects with similar scope and size

Project Approach Detailed plan for accomplishing the project

IV. SCORING (total possible number of points = 100)

Experience – Maximum 40 points Describe capability and experience, provide details of current contract, demonstrate the ability to work with minimal supervision as part of a team.

Project Approach– Maximum 40 Points Describe protocol and equipment, and techniques utilized for excavating grave sites.

Disadvantage Business Enterprise Participation-Maximum 20 points

Scoring will be performed by a team of reviewers utilizing the Point Allocation Guidelines included as Attachment “B”.

V. AWARD BASIS

Award will be recommended to the respondent with the highest number of points.