Purchase Description_ OAC_Headstone.pdf

Purchase Description for

Government Headstone/Markers

General Information

1.0 GENERAL: The Office of Army Cemeteries (OAC) has a need to procure marble and granite headstones or flat markers to include inscription and shipping of the headstones/markers to destination cemeteries or burial grounds within the United States. This Purchase Description outlines the specifications required by the Government for the production and delivery of inscribed headstones and/or markers on behalf of the OAC.

1.1 Description of Requirement: The Contractor shall provide all materials necessary to furnish inscribed marble and granite headstones or flat markers shipped to destination cemeteries or burial grounds within the United States including Alaska and Hawaii. Shipping destination(s)/delivery location(s) will be provided on individual orders.

The Contractor shall be responsible for the following:

Manufacturing and inscribing marble and granite headstones and flat marker orders.

Packaging and palletizing shipments of the inscribed headstone or flat marker, per delivery destination.

Generating the necessary documentation for shipping and tracking of shipments.

Maintaining written quality control measures and methodology to ensure that all blank stock meets government contract specifications.

Delivery of headstone or flat marker to each specified burial ground or cemetery.

1.2 Objectives: The objective of this contract is to provide the OAC with manufacturing and shipping of government Headstones/Markers via commercial carrier, and subsequent delivery to private cemeteries and burial grounds in support of annual OAC disinterment events.

1.3 Scope: This Purchase Description establishes minimum requirements for manufacturing, crating, shipping, and delivering government headstones/markers. The Contractor shall comply with the highest industry and government standards.

Manufacturing shall be completed at the contractor’s facility and headstones/markers shall be shipped and delivered within the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Funeral home coordination in support of headstones /markers storage, transportation to placement location, and documentation of installation.

(a) The QCP is to be delivered within 30 days after contract award. Three copies of the comprehensive written QCP shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer (KO) and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) within 5 working days when changes are made thereafter. After acceptance of the quality control plan the Contractor shall receive the KO’s acceptance in writing of any proposed change to his QCP.

1.4 Material Specifications

Flat Granite Marker, Inscribed (12” x 24” x 4”) o Product Code: G1 o Drawing No.: A-G1, Rev A. dated 09/04/19

Upright Marble Headstone, Inscribed (13” x 42” x 4”) o Product Code: U1 o Drawing No.: A-U1-1 & 2, Upright Marble Headstones, Rev B, dated 08/14/19

V-1 Granite Upright Government Headstone o Product Code: V1 o Drawing No.: A-V1-1 & 2, Upright Granite Headstones, Rev B, dated 08/14/19

1.5 Munsell Scale: Whiteness, which would inhibit legibility of the inscription, or which present an objectionable appearance, shall be cause for rejection. Traits causing unacceptable appearance include:

marble with multiple, long, straight streaks;

colors which appear as draining or dripping down the stone;

coloring which would be mistaken for black microbial growth or, markings which would be mistaken for dirt;

covers with veining of blatantly dissimilar material susceptible to differential weathering;

lines likely to be misinterpreted as cracks;

broad dark markings or splotches that interfere with legibility or that create a strong visual distraction(e.g. resembling paint splatter) --- regardless of where the distraction is located;

monuments which lack a dominant background color monuments having 3 or more veins that are greater than 1-1/3 inches thick;

covers having wide (other than pencil-mark thin) veins which do not gradually blend with the background color;

covers with horizontally oriented veining haphazardly mixed with other orientations. Veining should occur across the stone primarily following the long vertical dimension or slanted by as much as ± 45 degrees from the vertical.

1.6 Testing Stone supplied under this contract shall conform to the following specifications and physical requirements. Stone shall be tested, for the tests listed below, by an approved testing laboratory for approval prior to production. Testing is required only once and should be from a representative sample of the material quarried from Danby Marble, Rutland County, Vermont.

1.6.1 Marble Testing Specifications:

Abrasive hardness: Marble shall have an abrasive hardness value (Ha) of not less than 10 when tested as specified in ASTM C241.

Absorption: Marble shall absorb not more than 0.15 percent of moisture by weight when tested for a 48-hour period as specified in ASTM C97.

Compressive strength: Marble shall have a minimum compressive strength of 7500 psi or (5.27 kg/mm2) when tested as specified in ASTM C170.

Modulus of rupture: Marble shall have a minimum modulus of rupture of 1000 psi (or 0.70kg/mm2) when tested as specified in ASTM C99.

Density: Marble shall have a density of not less than 160-lbs/ft3 (2,563-kg/m3) minimum, as specified by ASTM C97.

1.7 Granite Testing Specifications:

Abrasive hardness: Granite shall have an abrasive hardness value (Ha) of not less than 25.0 minimum when tested as specified in ASTM C241.

Absorption: Granite shall absorb not more than 0.40 percent of moisture by weight when tested for a 48-hour period as specified in ASTM C97.

Compressive strength: Granite shall have a minimum compressive strength of 13,000 psi when tested as specified in ASTM C170.

Flexural Strength: Granite shall have a minimum modulus of rupture of 1200 psi (8.27 MPa) minimum when tested as specified in ASTM C880.

Density: Marble shall have a density of not less than 160-lbs/ft3 (2,563-kg/m3) minimum, as specified by ASTM C97.

1.8 Workmanship

Each monument shall be free from defects in workmanship. Chips, cracks, open seams, or abraded edges shall not be permitted and the repair or patching of any such defects is prohibited and shall be cause for rejection. The blanks shall be free of ink, oil, crayon marks, dirt, coatings, sealers, and dust. Inscribed monuments shall be free from defects due to broken or blown out lettering. Workmanship and production shall be in accordance with industry standards and practices and regulatory safety requirements.

1.9 Inscription Specification

The Contractor shall inscribe all information as contained on the headstone and marker delivery orders. The end or limit of each line shall be indicated on a line-by-line basis as shown on the order.

Inscriptions shall be made using an air blast abrasion method. The inscription shall be at depth consistent with the technical drawing, and the dimensions of letters, numbers and emblems shall conform to details in the contract drawings.

1.10 Packaging Specification- Crating, Insurance, and Tracking on all headstones and flat markers

1.10.1 Materials

All monuments shall be packed in accordance with normal industry standards and commercial best practices to assure acceptance by the common carrier.

Nonmetal bands shall be secured around the pallet or crating for its entire height (from top to bottom) and two additional bands shall secure the pallet or crating around the width. Banding pressure shall be such that it causes no damage to the edges of the stone when packaged. Colored materials or materials capable of staining the stone (ex. uncoated cardboard, certain kinds of wood) during outdoor storage is not permitted.)

The packaging and crating shall protect the monuments throughout the handling process and during shipment and comply with the National Motor Freight Classification. Requirement:

Ensure each pallet is in good condition. The quantity of monuments that can be placed on the pallet shall depend on the pallet’s build and product-to-pallet dimensions.

Ensure that there is no product overhang. The pallet edges shall absorb the initial side impacts. Ensure the pallet extends 1-2” away from the edges of the product. Protective packaging shall encase each monument and be equal or superior to 350 PSI double wall, corrugated board.

Protect the edges of all monuments with corner guards equal or superior to fiber board. Ensure multiple monuments on a single pallet are secured firmly to the pallet.

1.10.2 Single Packaging

Packaging shall be equal or superior to two-part carton constructed of a double wall corrugated board. The front of the carton shall fit completely over the front of the monument with the top, bottom and two side flaps folding over each respective surface to protect at least half of that surface. The back of the carton shall fit completely over the back of the monument with the top, bottom and two side flaps folding each respective surface of the monument to protect at least half of that surface. The flaps of the carton halves shall be secured with ½” plastic banding or 2” filament tape. Two bands shall be secured around the carton’s entire height and two additional bands shall secure the carton around the width. Banding pressure must not damage the monument’s edges.

The packaging must be capable of protecting the headstones from abusive handling and comply with the National Motor Freight Classification standard.

Headstones and flat markers that are to be individually shipped must lie upon three 1” x 4” x 44” wooden boards (or equivalent shock absorbing base) along the monument’s 42” length with at least 2 stringers (or runners) running the width of the headstone (across the 13” dimension) and offset from either end by 10” to suspend the monument off the floor when laid flat. The edges of the shock absorbing base boards should extend 1” beyond either side of the wrapped monument. Equivalent features for runners or blocks may be used at the discretion of packaging specialists but these tine-accommodating features should be permanently affixed to the cardboard packaging to remain in place until the monument is received at its destination. This is for:

convenient pickup when using either a hand truck/dolly or forklift tines to move the headstone/flat marker;

protecting the bottom and sides of the heavy package from being scraped or battered by lifting equipment.

1.10.3 Palletizing

Each pallet shall not exceed 2,500 lbs. When multiple orders are being shipped to the same consignee or cemetery, headstones must be shipped together, with sufficient no-steel banding in conjunction with stretch wrap. Banding shall be in cross-directional pairs, four per pallet. Ensure the banding is routed through the pallet to minimize movement of the headstones while in transit. Non-staining corner cards are to be provided between the band and the monument at each corner of the banding (uncoated cardboard against the stone is unsatisfactory due to the tendency for discoloration).

The following specifications shall be used in conjunction with standard 42” x 48”, 4-way wood pallets. Headstones shall be placed on edge on the pallet in one layer and not total more than 10 headstones per pallet. The pallet’s metal fasteners, such as nails screws, staples, must not protrude to avoid either tearing the packaging or scratching the monument. Ensure the headstones are placed and stacked on the pallet with the crown (top) of the headstone within the pallet’s edge.

The Contractor shall ensure non-coloring materials are used for packing and that packing materials are not prone to compression which may cause load shifts or damage from the ensuing loose banding. The monuments shall be packed in such a manner that any adhesive, glue, or coloring from the packaging does not transfer and adhere to the stone during shipment or during interim storage prior to use.

The Contractor shall replace monuments at no additional cost to the Government if the damage is due to unacceptable packing, unacceptable palletizing arrangements, or faulty pallets. The government reserves the right to notify the Contractor by email within 5 business days of any headstones damaged during transportation. Upon notification, the Contractor shall replace the damaged monuments within five (5) calendar days from the date the e-mail was sent by MPS to the Contractor.

The Contractor shall ensure the Bill of Lading is notated with the statement “the palletized headstones shall be moved to the rear of the delivery vehicle to ensure the ability of the receiving business to offload the pallet with the use of a forklift”.

1.10.4 Labeling

The Contractor shall provide a packing list or a shipping label for all packaged monuments. The label shall be at least five (5) inches wide by four (4) inches long with the Order Number, Last Name of the Decedent(s) and Consignee. Labels shall be completely adhered to the front of the package and shall be over- coated with transparent adhesive tape that completely covers the label to prevent removal, smearing or blurring. Shipping labels shall not be covered or obscured by individual packaging or banding materials that would make the labels unreadable.

For multiple orders that have been palletized, a packing list shall be included and attached to the outside of the stretch-wrapped pallet. The packing list shall include all headstones packed on the pallet: order number, last name of the Decedent(s), and consignee. Use of a plastic, sealable pouch for the packing list pouch is required.

The front and back of each individual package, or each side of a pallet shall be labeled with the words, HANDLE WITH CARE, in one-inch high red letters. Use of commercially available labels can be used for this requirement.

Office of Army Cemeteries Arlington National Cemetery

2.0 Destination Point

Delivery F.O.B. Destination, within consignees’ premises listed at time of ordered placed.