P01 SOW - Veterans Burial Services.pdf

SECTION 1- Supplies or Services/Prices

1.1 STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW)

BACKGROUND

The Iowa City VA Health Care System (ICVAHCS), Iowa City, IA, has a requirement for a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to provide funeral and burial services for deceased unclaimed remains. The BPA will be for Base Year plus Option Years.

PURPOSE/GENERAL DESCRIPTION

TASKS

The Contractor shall provide preparation of the veterans remains and transportation to final resting place at the Rock Island National Cemetery and shall include the following:

1. Pick up the deceased patient at the place of death within 24 hours of the death, after being notified by the ICVAHCS Business Office staff.

2. Transport the body of the deceased to its place of business to prepare the body for burial.

3. Dressing Remains. The funeral home will provide the appropriate clothing to be used in the burial.

4. Remains shall be prepared, dressed and cosmetically enhanced (hair/make-up) comparable to any other burial.

5. Each remain, viewable or non-viewable, shall be embalmed that provides the optimum result.

6. Provide a basic wooden or metal casket.

7. Remains shall be placed in the casket in a manner that will create an appearance of rest and composure and ensure maintenance of position during transit.

8. The US flag will be furnished by the VA to be draped over the casket at the time of funeral service.

9. The Contractor shall have the necessary vehicles to transport the body from the VAMC to the funeral home and then from funeral home to the National Cemetery for interment.

10. The remains shall be carefully and professionally placed in the type of vehicle normally used in for funeral services.

11. The Contractor shall coordinate and transport the remains in a hearse or funeral coach to the Contractor’s facility; and when ready for burial, the Contractor shall transport the remains to the National Cemetery for burial.

12. In the event that interment is to be other than at the Rock Island National Cemetery, additional expenses may be allowed for transportation with prior authorization from the COR.

13. The Contractor shall have adequate storage space to hold and store (refrigeration) the remains until burial arrangements are confirmed.

14. The Contractor shall possess the current transit permit at the time of award of Contract. Permits covering burial or removal of the body, if required, are to be secured and paid for by the Contractor.

15. The Contractor’s employees shall have the appropriate and current license(s) prior to commencing work under this contract. Copies of registrations and licenses shall be furnished upon COR’s request.

17. Offerors must be an approved member of the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science, Iowa Department of Public Health licensing board.

1.2 Type of Order

The Government will place firm fixed price Task Orders against this BPA. Separate funding will be provided for each Call Order.

1.4 Severable/Non-Severable Services

The services to be acquired under this BPA will be for non-severable services that will be specified at the Call Order level. Funds are only available for use for the line item to which they are obligated.

SECTION 2 - Performance and Deliverables

2.1 Period of Performance

The period of performance of this BPA shall be a base period of twelve (12) months with four (4) twelve

(12) month option periods. The option periods may be exercised in accordance with FAR Clause 52.217- 9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (MAR 2000). The period of performance shall commence with the effective date of the BPA. Each Call Order issued under this BPA will specify the period of performance for the work to be performed under that Call Order.

2.2 Place of Performance

The place of performance is anticipated to be at Iowa City VA Medical Center, 601 Hwy 6 W, Iowa City, IA, 52246-2208.

The preparation of the body will take place at the funeral provider's place of business.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION (NARA) RECORDS

MANAGEMENT LANGUAGE FOR CONTRACTS RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS

1. Applicability

1.1. This clause applies to all Contractors whose employees create, work with, or otherwise handle Federal records, as defined in Section B, regardless of the medium in which the record exists.

2. Definitions

2.1. “Federal record” as defined in 44 U.S.C. § 3301, includes all recorded information, regardless of form or characteristics, made or received by a Federal agency under Federal law or in connection with the transaction of public business and preserved or appropriate for preservation by that agency or its legitimate successor as evidence of the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, operations, or other activities of the United States Government or because of the informational value of data in them.

2.2. The term Federal record:

2.2.1. includes Department of Veteran Affairs records.

2.2.2. does not include personal materials.

2.2.3. applies to records created, received, or maintained by Contractors pursuant to their Department of Veteran Affairs contract.

2.3. may include deliverables and documentation associated with deliverables.

3. Requirements

3.1. Contractor shall comply with all applicable records management laws and regulations, as well as National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) records policies, including but not limited to the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. chs. 21, 29, 31, 33), NARA regulations at 36 CFR Chapter XII Subchapter B, and those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a).

These policies include the preservation of all records, regardless of form or characteristics, mode of transmission, or state of completion.

3.2. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, all data created for Government use and delivered to, or falling under the legal control of, the Government are Federal records subject to the provisions of 44 U.S.C. chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), as amended, and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a), as amended and must be managed and scheduled for disposition only as permitted by statute or regulation.

3.3. In accordance with 36 CFR 1222.32, Contractor shall maintain all records created for Government use or created in the course of performing the contract and/or delivered to, or under the legal control of the Government and must be managed in accordance with Federal law. Electronic records and associated metadata must be accompanied by sufficient technical documentation to permit understanding and use of the records and data.

3.4. Department of Veteran Affairs and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation.

Records may not be removed from the legal custody of Department of Veteran Affairs or destroyed except for in accordance with the provisions of the agency records schedules and with the written concurrence of the Head of the Contracting Activity.

Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. In the event of any unlawful or accidental removal, defacing, alteration, or destruction of records, Contractor must report to Department of Veteran Affairs. The agency must report promptly to NARA in accordance with 36 CFR 1230.

3.5. The Contractor shall immediately notify the appropriate Contracting Officer upon discovery of any inadvertent or unauthorized disclosures of information, data, documentary materials, records or equipment. Disclosure of non-public information is limited to authorized personnel with a need-to-know as described in the contract action.

The Contractor shall ensure that the appropriate personnel, administrative, technical, and physical safeguards are established to ensure the security and confidentiality of this information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is properly protected. The Contractor shall not remove material from Government facilities or systems, or facilities or systems operated or maintained on the Government’s behalf, without the express written permission of the Head of the Contracting Activity. When information, data, documentary material, records and/or equipment is no longer required, it shall be returned to Department of Veteran Affairs control or the Contractor must hold it until otherwise directed. Items returned to the Government shall be hand carried, mailed, emailed, or securely electronically transmitted to the Contracting Officer or address prescribed in the contract action. Destruction of records is EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED unless in accordance with Paragraph (4).

3.6. The Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, contracts. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and Department of Veteran Affairs guidance for protecting sensitive, proprietary information, classified, and controlled unclassified information.

3.7. The Contractor shall only use Government IT equipment for purposes specifically tied to or authorized by the contract and in accordance with Department of Veteran Affairs policy.

3.8. The Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any non-public Department of Veteran Affairs information that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

3.9. The Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected from public disclosure by an exemption to the Freedom of Information Act.

3.10. The Department of Veteran Affairs owns the rights to all data and records produced as part of this contract. All deliverables under the contract are the property of the U.S. Government for which Department of Veteran Affairs shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest. Any Contractor rights in the data or deliverables must be identified as required by FAR 52.227-11 through FAR 52.227-20.

3.11. Training. All Contractor employees assigned to this contract who create, work with, or otherwise handle records are required to take Department of Veteran Affairs-provided records management training. The Contractor is responsible for confirming training has been completed according to agency policies, including initial training and any annual or refresher training.

[Note: To the extent an agency requires contractors to complete records management training, the agency must provide the training to the contractor.]

4. Flowdown of requirements to subcontractors

4.1. The Contractor shall incorporate the substance of this clause, its terms and requirements including this paragraph, in all subcontracts under this contract action, and require written subcontractor acknowledgment of same.

4.2. Violation by a subcontractor of any provision set forth in this clause will be attributed to the Contractor.

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Records Management Language for Contracts RECORDS MANAGEMENT OBLIGATIONS