draft_Statement of Work RCA Mortuary Services.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

SUBJECT

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, Field Acquisition Office, Grand Prairie, Texas, intends to make a single award for the provision of mortuary services to a responsible contractor, who can provide the services in accordance with the stated requirements. Provision of mortuary services may include, but is not limited to transportation, embalming, body preparation, clothing, filing of certificates and permits, casket, shipping, cremation, and burial services. Mortuary services shall be performed for male Adult in Custody (herein after referred to as AIC) population at the Federal

Medical Center (FMC) Carswell, located in Fort Worth, Texas, who become deceased during incarceration. General information regarding the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) and its facilities is located at www.bop.gov.

SCOPE OF SERVICES

Upon notification by FMC Carswell, of an adult in custody death, the contract funeral home shall arrange for the transportation of the body from the Medical Examiner’s Office, local hospital, or institution to the contractor’s funeral home. The Contractor shall transport remains in a closed hearse or other vehicle registered within the State of Texas as a hearse used exclusively for the purpose of transporting human deceased bodies or funeral equipment.

FMC Carswell will provide the contract funeral home with an authorization to release the body from the Medical

Examiner’s Office signed by the next of kin.

On occasion, FMC Carswell may request an autopsy be conducted. The Contracting Officer will notify the contract funeral home that an autopsy is needed. Suitable space in the undertaking establishment shall be available for the performance of postmortem examinations when requested by the Government. All autopsies must be conducted by a licensed forensic pathologist and a copy of the final autopsy report must be submitted to FMC Carswell.

When burial is selected by the next of kin, the Contractor will embalm, dress, and provide the casket for the deceased. After the body preparation, the Contractor shall transport the body to the railway station, air terminal, or local cemetery as directed by the Contracting Officer. Cemeteries located within a 30-mile radius of the institution will be considered local cemeteries for local burial unless the Contracting Officer specifies otherwise.

In instances when the next of kin chooses cremation, the contractor will provide transportation to the crematory if different than the contract funeral home.

The Contractor shall secure or furnish all necessary papers and permits for shipment or interment. The Contractor shall provide FMC Carswell with two (2) certified copies of the death certificates.

The following specifications include the quality and character of material and service the Bureau requires. The

Contractor agrees that the quality of all material and services furnished hereunder will not be inferior to these specifications unless otherwise specified and completely described in a letter accompanying the quote. All state and interstate shipment laws relating to the embalming, preparation, burial, and shipment of bodies must be fully observed and complied with, and in any case wherein the state law contains requirements more rigid than the requirements set forth herein, such laws will be controlling.

A. Preparation of Body. Complete embalming services will be performed including all standard practices to conform to the applicable state laws.

There are, in general, two different types of cases. Each body shall be embalmed according to its condition and in a manner to ensure thorough preservation of all tissues. All body orifices shall be treated and closed in accordance with state laws.

1. Normal Cases. This will be usually where death has been due to disease or other causes, and where there has been little or no mutilation or breakdown of body tissue. For such cases, preservation shall be accomplished by a thorough cavity treatment. Standard preservative solutions shall be used for the arterial injections and cavity saturation.

2. Autopsy Cases. This will be where a partial or complete autopsy has been made to an extent which will not permit a normal arterial embalming operation. Sectional embalming shall be used to thoroughly preserve the body, including organs, and the inside of the body cavity shall be treated with a hardening compound. The cranial cavity shall be filled with Plaster of Paris or other suitable material and the calvarium securely replaced. All inclusions shall be tightly sutured and treated to prevent leakage.

NOTE: The Warden of FMC Carswell may order an autopsy to be performed. In these cases, the Contractor will be responsible for providing a facility suitable for having an autopsy performed. If the Warden requests an autopsy, FMC Carswell will be responsible for the associated costs. The line item will not apply if the autopsy is remanded by the State of Texas Medical Examiner.

1. Autopsies must be performed by a licensed pathologist. A pathologist must have a current medical degree with a board certification in forensic pathology and maintain necessary certifications and/or licenses to perform autopsies in the State of Texas.

2. A post-embalming inspection of each body shall be made by the embalmer to determine whether the preservation is uniform and complete, or whether treatment is required. If further treatment is required, it shall be given before final delivery of the body. The body must be in an acceptable state of preservation at the time of final delivery.

3. The Contractor shall restore the body to be as lifelike in appearance as possible in the individual case, including shaving face and neck, trimming hair of head, neck, and face, dressing hair properly, applying suitable cosmetics, performing derma surgery and other restorative work as may be necessary.

4. The Contractor will furnish and dress the body in all necessary clothing, including cotton undershorts and undershirts, regular length socks, manufactured burial suit of dark or conservative color. Clothing for females will include suitable undergarments, hose, and a manufactured burial dress of conservative style and color.

5. The body will be placed in the casket in such a manner as to create an appearance of rest and composure, and to assure maintenance of position during shipment or local burial.

NOTE: Photographs of the remains, just prior to shipment to its final destination, shall be provided to the

Contracting Officer to ensure compliance with the terms of the contract.

B. Casket: A. standard casket, manufactured in accordance with industry standards of modern practice, shall be furnished as follows:

1. Metal, State perfection cut, 20-gauge steel shelf, light copper with no shading, lacquer finish, interior plain panel, ivory twill, no shirring, copper hardware.

OR

2. Wood, Cloth Covered, State perfection cut, exterior steel plush, interior Crushed panel ivory twill, solid shirred, silver hardware.

ALTERNATE

3. Sealed Casket Metal, 20-gauge steel shell, constructed in accordance with industry standards of commercial practice to form a hermetic seal which will prevent leakage or escape of odors when properly closed and sealed. This item to be furnished only when ordered, as in the case of death by a communicable disease, to meet pertinent state or interstate regulations, or in case of body decomposed or odoriferous body.

C. Outside Container: Each casket shall be furnished with one of the following types of outside containers, depending upon the type of service required.

1. In cases of shipment by air, either a commercial air shipping bag used by commercial airlines or an air shipment tray available for purchase and use by Funeral Directors shall be provided.

2. In case of shipment by rail and/or foreign shipments, the outside shipping container shall be constructed of one-inch seasoned wood in accordance with best modern practices and equipped with bolted handles complying with laws governing the same.

3. In cases of local burial, rules and regulations of the cemetery in which interment is made shall govern the type of container to be furnished. Unless otherwise specified, the outside container furnished shall be constructed of one-inch seasoned wood manufactured in accordance with the best modern practice. No handles will be required.

D. Shipping of Body. In the event of an adult in custody death, the same regulations apply as those for transportation for a release, i.e., the Bureau pays for transport to:

1. Residence of Record, or

2. Place of Trial

The Contractor is responsible for making all shipping arrangements for transportation (i.e., air travel, train, etc.). If location is such that transportation by ambulance or hearse is advantageous to the Government, the burial contract mileage rate will be the burial services contract. Accordingly, when the deceased adult in custody’s record of residence is outside the United States, transportation to the residence of record is appropriate. The Contractor is responsible for all related clearance for bodies that will be returned to foreign countries.

If the next of kin wants the body returned to a location other than the above-referenced locations, the next of kin is responsible for transportation from that point, or directly from the burial service contractor.

If the deceased adult in custody is an alien, the BOP will initiate contact with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration

Services or the appropriate Consulate.

The following methods may be authorized for transportation:

1. Airline Transportation. If the location is such that transportation by air is beneficial to the Government, these transportation services will be required. The contractor shall coordinate required shipping arrangements. Additionally, the contractor must ensure compliance with all federal regulations governing shipment of remains, for both domestic and international destinations. The Contractor will arrange and pay for all air freight to ship body to the designated location. The Contractor will be entitled to reimbursement of any associated costs. This cost will be a separate charge to the established prices in the Schedule of

Items. The contractor will be required to submit detailed itemized invoices for payment with a copy of the air freight bill.

2. Ground Transportation. Instances where a transportation destination is local or when it is beneficial to the government, transportation by ambulance or hearse will be required. The contractor will be responsible to transport the body in this manner. Transportation of the deceased will be considered local if the destination is within a 30-mile radius of FCC Butner. Any mileage in excess of 30 miles will be paid at the rate established for the current contract year.

3. Rail Transportation. Shipment by rail will only be required when all other transport options have been exhausted.

E. Cremation. Occasionally, the legal next of kin makes written request for cremation.

1. If requested by the Government, or due to extended time between death and receipt of all necessary legal documentation, normal arterial embalming will be performed in accordance with all standard practices. The Contractor shall conform to applicable federal, state, and local laws, and the requirement outlined above (A. Preparation Body).

2. The Contractor will be notified as soon as WRITTEN VERIFICATION has been received authorizing cremation.

3. Cremation must be carried out in a facility with by-laws and regulations approved by Texas Health and

Safety Code and an air pollution control permit issued by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

(Title 30 Texas Administrative Code § 106.494), if cremation takes place in the State of Texas.

4. A standard container shall be provided that is sealed and capable of transportation through the U.S. mail or other common carrier.

5. Shipment of remains to the next of kin will be made by either the Contractor or the crematory, and will be sent first class, certified return receipt. Reimbursement will be paid by the Government at a rate of

$80.00 per mailing, unless there is a postal rate increase.

F. Local Burial. For the provision of local burial services, a cemetery located within a 30-mile radius of the FMC will be considered local. The Contractor will notify the Contracting Officer of the cemetery to be utilized for local burials within 10 days after the effective date of contract award.

When local burial services are ordered, an FMC Chaplain will view the body prior to burial, as well as conduct and supervise a brief grave-side ceremony. The Contractor shall secure all necessary papers and permits for interment and work with the Contracting Officer and FMC Chaplain to schedule an acceptable time and date for local burial.

SCHEDULE

These services are a contractual agreement. The services will be provided on an as needed basis. The Contracting

Officer will notify the Contractor when services will be required. The Contractor must be available for telephone calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to include holidays. Services will not be required to take place on holidays.

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The place of performance will be provided by the Contractor.

METHOD OF PERFORMANCE

The service provided, being professional in nature, will be provided in the manner as considered appropriate in the local community. The services will be reviewed and verified by the designated COR.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The Contractor must be properly licensed to perform these services in the State of Texas. The Contractor must agree that the quantity of all materials and services furnished will not be inferior to the specifications. All state and interstate shipment laws related to the embalming, preparation, burial, and shipment of the body must be fully observed and complied with, and in any case wherein state law contains requirements more rigid than the requirements set forth herein, such laws will be controlling.

SUPPLIES

All supplies will be provided by the Contractor.

ADULT IN CUSTODY MANAGEMENT

There may be an occasion where the contractor will be required to acquire the body from the institution. The

Contractor awarded this contract will not be subject to frequent contact with adults in custody. As a contractor, you are not subject to Government supervision, except for security related matters. However, contractor performance will be closely monitored while in the institution.

INSTITUTION SECURITY

The Contractor agrees to adhere to all regulations prescribed by the institution for the safety, custody, and conduct of adults in custody. The Contractor will attend an orientation program prior to assuming institutional involvement. As mentioned, occasions may arise that will require the contractor to enter the institution.

RELEASE OF INFORMATION

After normal working hours and holiday, the Contracting Officer or Medical Duty Officer will provide the contractor with the adult in custody’s name, social security number, and location of the body. The institution staff will always be the first to notify the next of kin regarding the death of an adult in custody and will communicate the family’s wishes to the contractor. During normal working hours, the Contracting staff will be the only personnel authorized to notify the Contractor with the above information.

The Contractor shall not provide the news media with any information. The Contractor will be required to notify the

Contracting Officer of any outside requests for information. The Contracting Officer will then submit the information to the Executive Assistant or designee.