Performance Work Statement.docx

Performance Work Statement (PWS) Mortuary Services for VA Salt Lake City Health Care System For Unclaimed or Indigent Veteran Remains

1.0 Scope

1.0 Scope

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS) requires a four (4) year Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) for mortuary services for deceased unclaimed or indigent Veterans under VA or VA-authorized care. The Contractor shall provide professional mortuary services—including removal, preparation, storage, cremation, embalming, casketing, transportation, and confirmation of interment—for deceased unclaimed or indigent Veterans under VA or VA-authorized care. Services must support delivery of deceased Veterans from the George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center or any VA-authorized care facility/location in the State of Utah (including contract nursing homes, State Veterans Nursing Homes, and other VA-authorized care locations) to the Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park at Camp Williams (17111 South Camp Williams Road, Bluffdale, Utah), the Southern Utah National Cemetery (2181 West 1600 South, Cedar City, Utah 84720), or other open state, federal, territory, or tribal Veterans cemeteries in Utah.

The VA anticipates approximately 15–20 unclaimed or indigent Veteran cases annually under this BPA, though actual volume may vary.

The Contractor shall perform all work in accordance with federal, state, local laws and VA policies, including VHA Directive 1601B.04 and applicable funeral service regulations.

1.1 Non-Discrimination

The Contractor shall not discriminate in the handling of remains on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, marital/familial status, age, or national origin of the deceased.

1.2 Contractor Location

The Contractor, and any subcontractor performing work under this BPA, shall be located within the State of Utah. Any change in the Contractor's location during the BPA term shall be approved in advance by the Contracting Officer. The Contractor may subcontract portions of the work to licensed Utah funeral establishments or funeral personnel as needed to provide timely service in counties or locations not served by the Contractor's primary facility. The funeral home Directors and Embalmers shall also be licensed in the state of Utah.

Given the presence of State Veterans Nursing Homes in Washington County and Weber County, the Contractor is encouraged to establish standing subcontractor relationships with licensed Utah funeral establishments located in or near those counties prior to the need arising.

1.3 Definitions

For purposes of this PWS:

· "Unclaimed remains" means the remains of a deceased Veteran for whom no next of kin has been identified or located, or for whom identified next of kin have declined or failed to make funeral or burial arrangements, as determined by the COR or designated representative.

· "Indigent remains" means the remains of a deceased Veteran whose next of kin (if any) lack the financial means to make funeral or burial arrangements, as determined by the COR or designated representative.

· "VA notification" means notice issued by the COR or designated representative to the Contractor identifying remains as unclaimed or indigent. VA notification serves as the determination date for purposes of Section 2.2.1 and starts both the Contractor's pickup response period and the 14-calendar-day holding period.

· "Business day" means a day other than Saturday, Sunday, or a federal holiday, consistent with the hours of operation specified in Section 8.0.

· "Calendar day" means every day of the week, including weekends and federal holidays.

2.0 Performance Requirements

2.1 General Requirements

The Contractor shall:

· Provide facilities, professional funeral services, storage, transportation, and resources needed for complete mortuary service delivery.

· Ensure all staff are properly licensed according to Utah law.

· Maintain compliance with NEPA Fire and Life Safety Codes and VA accessibility standards.

· Ensure hygienic conditions that support full disinfection and sanitation of facilities.

· Ensure that any subcontractor performing work under this BPA meets the same licensing, staffing, facility, and quality standards required of the Contractor under this PWS, including current Utah funeral establishment and embalmer licenses.

· Be responsible for providing professional services of the highest quality to assure that, if a positive identification viewing occurs (conducted by the COR or designated representative, per Section 2.2.4), it occurs under optimal conditions.

· Ensure that any subcontractor performing work under this BPA permits VA access for inspections, surveillance, and audits on the same basis as required of the Contractor under Sections 3.0 and 5.0.

· Ensure that any subcontractor engaged for a specific case is prepared to receive time-sensitive VA communications directly once engaged, and that the Contractor maintains full visibility into all such communications and remains fully informed of subcontractor case activity.

· The Contractor shall remain fully responsible for compliance with all requirements of this PWS, including all performance timelines and Acceptable Quality Levels under Section 4.0 and confidentiality/sensitive information requirements under Section 7.0, regardless of whether work is performed directly by the Contractor or through a subcontractor.

· Notify the COR whenever a subcontractor is engaged to perform work on a specific case under this BPA, including the subcontractor's name and role in the case. This notification does not require advance approval of the subcontracting arrangement.

2.2 Contractor Responsibilities

2.2.1 Removal & Transport

· Respond within one business day to VA notification to pick up unclaimed remains.

· Hold remains for a minimum mandatory 14-calendar-day period (the "holding period"), beginning on the date of VA notification, to allow next of kin the opportunity to come forward. This 14-day period satisfies any state or local holding requirement of 14 days or less. If applicable state or local law requires a longer holding period, the Contractor shall hold remains for the longer period, which shall also satisfy this VA requirement.

· Following expiration of the applicable holding period, the Contractor shall not proceed with burial or inurnment until receiving written notice from the VA authorizing burial/inurnment to proceed ("Proceed Notice"). The VA will endeavor to issue the Proceed Notice within 1–2 business days following expiration of the applicable holding period, absent an active next-of-kin claim, pending legal or investigative hold, or other good cause requiring an extension.

· Complete the full burial or inurnment process within 5 business days following receipt of the Proceed Notice, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the COR or designee.

· Transport remains from VASLCHCS or VA-authorized care locations to any necessary mortuary facility, then to the designated Veterans cemetery.

· Use funeral-industry-standard vehicles and professional loading practices.

· Upon identification of next of kin during the holding period, the Contractor shall not release remains except as directed by the COR or designee.

2.2.2 Storage

· Provide adequate refrigerated storage, sufficient for the volume of cases reasonably anticipated under this BPA, to hold remains for the duration of the holding period, any Proceed Notice waiting period, and completion of burial or inurnment.

2.2.3 Cremation Services

· Arrange cremation when directed.

· Provide a durable, sealed, non‑leaking urn made of acceptable material (plastic, metal, wood, ceramic/stone, etc.).

· Ensure that the urn is properly labeled and identified on both the interior and exterior.

2.2.4 Body Preparation & Embalming

The Contractor shall:

· Prepare and present remains per industry standard and any state or local laws such that a positive identification viewing, if conducted by the COR or designated representative, may occur.

· Embalm remains only when (a) embalming is requested per a known Veteran preference, or (b) embalming is required by applicable state or local law. Absent either condition, embalming is not required; refrigerated storage under Section 2.2.2 shall be used to preserve remains during the holding period.

· When embalming is performed, ensure it results in uniform preservation, disinfection, and odor elimination.

· Accommodate any known religious or cultural preferences of the Veteran communicated by the COR or designated representative, in the preparation, dressing, and handling of remains, consistent with professional and ethical funeral service standards.

2.2.5 Casketing

· Place remains in a manner that ensures appearance of rest and stability during transport.

· Provide caskets meeting minimum size and quality requirements (20‑gauge or thicker metal, no cardboard or similar materials).

· Ensure the U.S. flag furnished by the VA is properly and respectfully draped over the casket for burial services.

2.2.6 Confidentiality

The Contractor shall sign and follow confidentiality statements as required by the VA, in addition to the sensitive information handling requirements in Section 7.0. This requirement extends to any subcontractor performing work under this BPA.

3.0 Government Responsibilities

VA will:

· Notify Contractor of unclaimed remains.

· Advise the Contractor of the Veteran's preference for cremation or burial, when known.

· Provide the U.S. flag to drape the casket.

· Conduct inspections of remains, facilities, and merchandise.

· Assign a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) for oversight.

· Communicate any known religious, cultural, or cremation/burial preferences of the Veteran to the Contractor when such information is available.

· Notify the Contractor in writing prior to expiration of the applicable holding period if the holding period is to be extended due to an active next-of-kin claim, pending legal or investigative hold, or other good cause. The notification shall state the reason for the extension and, where determinable, an updated expected release date.

· Conduct a search to identify next of kin during the applicable holding period.

· Document the date and time of telephone notification to the Contractor in the case file.

· Coordinate release of remains to next of kin if identified during the holding period. Release procedures, including custody handoff, will be determined by the Contracting Officer on a case-by-case basis.

· Reserve the right to inspect any subcontractor facility, remains, equipment, or documentation involved in performance of this BPA, on the same basis as inspections of the Contractor under Section 5.0.

· Issue a Proceed Notice to the Contractor authorizing burial or inurnment, targeted within 1–2 business days following expiration of the applicable holding period, absent an active next-of-kin claim or other good cause for extension.

· Initial VA notification of unclaimed or indigent remains shall be directed to the prime Contractor. For time-sensitive matters (including pickup coordination under Section 2.2.1) arising after a subcontractor has been engaged for a specific case, the VA may communicate directly with that subcontractor, provided the prime Contractor is copied or notified concurrently.

4.0 Performance Objectives, Standards, & Acceptable Quality Levels (AQLs)

All deficiencies will be documented through the VA Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).

5.0 Quality Assurance Surveillance

The Government will monitor contractor performance through:

· Random, scheduled, and unscheduled inspections

· Observation of mortuary preparation results

· Review of Contractor’s Quality Control Program (QCP)

· Semi‑annual contractor QC reports

· Surveillance methods described in this section apply equally to any subcontractor performing work under this BPA.

6.0 Contractor Quality Control Program (QCP)

The Contractor shall maintain and submit a QCP that includes:

· Staffing and response commitments

· Processes for identifying and correcting deficiencies

· Upon written notification of a deficiency by the COR, submit a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) within 3 calendar days. For deficiencies involving health, safety, or improper handling of remains, the Contractor shall submit a CAP by the next business day following notification.

· Logs demonstrating compliance with BPA requirements

· Semi‑annual reports submitted to COR

7.0 Security & Sensitive Information Requirements

Contractor shall:

· Protect all VA sensitive information (PII/PHI).

· Follow VA Handbook 6500.6, Appendix D Contractor Rules of Behavior

· Report any suspected breaches immediately.

· Complete annual privacy/security training.

· Sign VA Rules of Behavior annually.

· Sign and follow confidentiality statements as required (see Section 2.2.6).

· Ensure that any subcontractor performing work under this BPA, and its employees, are bound by the same VA sensitive information protections, confidentiality statement requirements, privacy/security training, and Rules of Behavior obligations required of the Contractor under this section.

8.0 Hours of Operation

Work must be supported during VA normal business hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM, excluding federal holidays.

9.0 Permits & Licenses

Contractor shall:

· Maintain all required transit, cremation, burial, and facility permits for the Contractor and all subcontractors.

· The Contractor and Subcontractor funeral homes shall be registered in the state of Utah.

· The Contractor and all subcontractors shall have licensed funeral home Directors and Embalmers.

· Provide proof of funeral establishment, director, and embalmer licenses.

· Maintain required insurance.

10.0 Place of Interment

VA will specify burial at:

· Utah Veterans Cemetery & Memorial Park at Camp Williams

· Southern Utah National Cemetery (as applicable)

· Other open state, federal, territory, or tribal Veterans cemeteries in Utah.

VA provides burial plot, marker, opening/closing, and placement.

11.0 Deliverables

12.0 Duration of BPA and Orders

Estimated Award date of August 25, 2026 The BPA effective dates will be Sep 27, 2026 – Sep 26, 2030. Annual orders will be placed against the BPA with the following effective dates:

9/27/2026 to 9/26/2027 1st year 9/27/2027 to 9/26/2028 2nd year 9/27/2028 to 9/26/2029 3rd year 9/27/2029 to 9/26/2030 4th year