Michigan.gov/MiProcurement proposal instructions Department of Corrections Prisoner Funeral Services Request for Proposal No. 240000002204 Solicitation Manager Name: Arnold Vande Mark Direct Phone: 517-335-2083 Email: VandemarkA@michigan.gov Main Phone: 1-855-MI-PURCH 1-855-647-8724 This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) for:

Michigan Department of Corrections Prisoner Funeral Services RFP Timeline

*A bidder’s proposal received at 3:00:01 p.m. Eastern is late and subject to disqualification.

This RFP is subject to change. Check www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS for current information.

1. PROPOSAL PREPARATION. The State recommends reading all RFP materials prior to preparing a proposal, particularly these Proposal Instructions and the Vendor Questions Worksheet. Bidders must follow these Proposal Instructions and provide a complete response to the items indicated in the RFP Structure and Documentation table below. References and links to websites or external sources may not be used in lieu of providing the information requested in the RFP within the proposal. Include the bidder’s company name in the header of all documents submitted with your proposal. Note that all documents and information submitted as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received by the State may be posted on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

RFP Structure and Documentation

2. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE STATE. The sole point of contact for the State concerning this RFP is listed on the Cover Page. Contacting any other State personnel, agent, consultant, or representative about this RFP may result in bidder disqualification.

3. MODIFICATIONS. The State may modify this RFP at any time. Modifications will be posted on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. This is the only method by which the RFP may be modified.

4. QUESTIONS. Bidder questions about this RFP must be emailed to the Solicitation Manager no later than the time and date specified on the Cover Page. In the interest of transparency, only written questions are accepted. Answers to questions will be posted on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. Submit questions using the format below; a Microsoft Excel format or similar is suggested.

5. DELIVERY OF PROPOSAL.

Electronic – The bidder must submit its proposal, all attachments, and any modifications or withdrawals electronically through www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. The price proposal should be saved separately from all other proposal documents. The bidder should submit all documents in a modifiable (native) format (examples include but are not limited to Microsoft Word or Excel and Google Docs or Sheets). In addition to submitting documents in a modifiable format, the bidder may also submit copies of documents in PDF. Attachment file size is limited to 6 MB per document. Bidder’s failure to submit a proposal as required may result in disqualification. The proposal and attachments must be fully uploaded and submitted prior to the proposal deadline. Do not wait until the last minute to submit a proposal, as the SIGMA VSS system requires the creation of an account and entry of certain information, in addition to uploading and submitting the materials. The SIGMA VSS system will not allow a proposal to be submitted after the proposal deadline identified in the solicitation Closing On/Closing Date fields (Summary view/Detail view), even if a portion of the proposal has been uploaded.

Questions on how to submit information or how to navigate in the SIGMA VSS system can be answered by calling (517) 284-0540 or (888) 734-9749. The Solicitation Manager will not provide assistance related to the submittal of the proposal and all attachments on the day of the proposal deadline. Responsibility for a complete submission lies with the bidder. Note that all documents and information submitted in any manner as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received may be posted by the State on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

6. MANDATORY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS. To avoid disqualification, the bidder must provide documentation to support the following:

· The Contractor must have cold body storage available.

· The Contractor must have at least one licensed Funeral Director on staff.

· The Contractor must be able to provide services Statewide which includes the removal and transportation of deceased prisoners.

Only proposals meeting the mandatory minimum requirements will be considered for evaluation.

7. EVALUATION PROCESS. If all mandatory minimum requirements are met, the State will evaluate each proposal based on the following factors:

Proposals receiving 80 or more technical evaluation points will have pricing evaluated and considered for award.

The State may utilize all bidder information, without regard to a proposal’s technical score, to determine fair market value for goods or services sought. The State is not obligated to accept the lowest price proposal. If applicable, the State’s evaluation will include consideration of a bidder’s qualified disabled veterans/service-disabled veteran owned business(QDV/SDVOB) status under MCL 18.1261(8). Additional information on the SDVOB preference is available at: Michigan.gov/SDVOB.

The State strongly encourages strict adherence to the Contract Terms. The State reserves the right to deem a bid non-responsive for failure to accept the Contract Terms. Nevertheless, the bidder may submit proposed changes to the Contract Terms in track changes (i.e., visible edits) with an explanation of the bidder’s need for each proposed change. Failure to include track changes with an explanation of the bidder’s need for the proposed change constitutes the bidder’s acceptance of the Contract Terms. General statements, such as that the bidder reserves the right to negotiate the terms and conditions, may be considered non-responsive. Failure to respond timely to requests for proposed changes to Contract Terms during ongoing negotiations may be cause for disqualification.

The State may but is not required to conduct an on-site visit to tour and inspect the bidder’s facilities; require an oral presentation of the bidder's proposal; conduct interviews, research, reference checks, and background checks; and request additional price concessions at any point during the evaluation process.

8. NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY. The State reserves the right to issue a Notice of Deficiency to bidders if the State determines after the proposal deadline that a portion of the RFP was deficient, unclear, or ambiguous. Failure to respond to a Notice of Deficiency timely may be cause for disqualification.

9. CLARIFICATION REQUEST. The State reserves the right to issue a Clarification Request to a bidder to clarify its proposal if the State determines the proposal is not clear. Failure to respond to a Clarification Request timely may be cause for disqualification.

10. RESERVATIONS. The State reserves the right to:

a. Disqualify a bidder for failure to follow these instructions.

b. Discontinue the RFP process at any time for any or no reason. The issuance of an RFP, your preparation and submission of a proposal, and the State’s subsequent receipt and evaluation of your proposal does not commit the State to award a contract to you or anyone, even if all the requirements in the RFP are met.

c. Consider late proposals if: (i) no other proposals are received; (ii) no complete proposals are received; (iii) the State received complete proposals, but the proposals did not meet mandatory minimum requirements or technical criteria; or (iv) the award process fails to result in an award.

d. Consider an otherwise disqualified proposal if no other proposals are received.

e. Disqualify a proposal based on: (i) information provided by the bidder in response to this RFP; (2) the bidder’s failure to complete registration on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS ; or (3) if it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false or misleading information in response to the RFP.

f. Consider prior performance with the State in making its award decision.

g. Consider overall economic impact to the State when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation. This includes but is not limited to: considering principal place of performance, number of Michigan citizens employed or potentially employed, dollars paid to Michigan residents, Michigan capital investments, job creation, tax revenue implications, and economically disadvantaged businesses.

h. Consider total-cost-of-ownership factors (e.g., transition and training costs) when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation.

i. Refuse to award a contract to any bidder that has failed to pay State taxes or has outstanding debt with the State.

j. Enter into negotiations with one or more bidders on price, terms, technical requirements, or other deliverables.

k. Award multiple, optional-use contracts, or award by Contract Activity.

l. Evaluate the proposal outside the scope identified in the Evaluation Process section of this document if the State receives only one proposal.

11. AWARD RECOMMENDATION. The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who offers the best value to the State, as determined by the State. Best value will be determined by the bidder meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of the factors stated in the Evaluation Process section of this document, and price, as demonstrated by the proposal. The State will post an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS or in the manner it was originally published

12. DEBRIEF MEETING AND BID PROTEST. The State will post an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis which will provide instructions on how to request a debrief meeting.

If you wish to initiate a protest of the award, you must submit your written protest to MDOC-Procurement@michigan.gov no later than 3:00 p.m., five (5) business days after posting the Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis. The State reserves the right to adjust this timing and will publish any change.

Additional information about the protest process is available at DTMB - Programs and Policies (michigan.gov) under the “Bidder Protests” link.

13. STATE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD. Contracts equal to $250,000 or greater than require approval by the State Administrative Board. The State Administrative Board’s decision is final; however, its approval does not constitute a contract. The award process is not complete until the awarded contractor receives a contract fully executed by all parties.

14. GENERAL CONDITIONS. The State will not be liable for any costs, expenses, or damages incurred by a bidder participating in this solicitation. The bidder agrees that its proposal will be considered an offer to do business with the State in accordance with its proposal, including the Contract Terms, and that its proposal will be irrevocable and binding for a period of 180 calendar days from date of submission. If a contract is awarded to the bidder, the State may, at its option, incorporate any part of the bidder’s proposal into a contract. This RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract. This RFP may not provide a complete statement of the State’s environment or contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached. The bidder understands that their proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Other than verified trade secrets, proposals submitted via www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS are the State’s property.

15. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT. As a public record, all portions of the bidder’s proposal and resulting contract are subject to disclosure as required under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231, et seq. However, the State may exempt some information from disclosure as permitted by law. Under MCL 18.1261(13)(b), records containing “a trade secret as defined under section 2 of the uniform trade secrets act, 1998 PA 448, MCL 445.1902,” are exempt from disclosure under FOIA. In addition, “financial or proprietary information” submitted with a bidder’s proposal is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. A bidder’s failure to comply with this Section is grounds for rejecting a bidder’s proposal as non-responsive. As a part of its proposal, each bidder must follow the procedure below.

SUBMIT A COMPLETED “CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM” (CT FORM) WITH YOUR BID. Completion and submission of the CT Form is required regardless of whether the bidder seeks confidential treatment of information. Failure to submit a completed CT Form may be cause for disqualification from the solicitation process. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow CT Form instructions, the proposal may be publicly disclosed in its entirety without redaction after an award recommendation.

Complete and sign Section 1 of the CT Form if the bidder does NOT request confidential treatment of information contained in its proposal; or

i. Complete and sign Section 2 of the CT Form if the bidder requests confidential treatment of certain information. Bidder must also submit a “Public Copy” of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly labeled as the “Public Copy.”

Failure to complete and sign a CT Form may result in disqualification of the bidder. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow the CT Form instructions, the proposal, in its entirety, will be treated as a “Public Copy” and may be publicly disclosed by the State without redaction after bidders have been notified of an award recommendation

b. FOIA REQUESTS. If a FOIA request is made for a bidder’s proposal, the Public Copy may be distributed to the public along with the bidder’s CT Form. The CT Form is a public document and serves as an explanation for the redactions to the Public Copy. Do not put any trade secret, financial, or proprietary information in the CT Form. Do not redact the CT Form itself.

c. NO ADVICE. The State will not advise a bidder as to the nature or content of documents entitled to protection from disclosure under FOIA or other laws, as to the interpretation of such laws, or as to the definition of trade secret or financial or proprietary information. Nothing contained in this provision will modify or amend requirements and obligations imposed on the State by FOIA or other applicable law.

d. FAILURE TO REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT. Failure to request material be treated as confidential as specified herein relieves the State, its agencies, and personnel from any responsibility for maintaining material in confidence.

e. Bids containing a request to maintain an entire proposal as confidential may be rejected as non-responsive. Bidders may not request confidential treatment with respect to resumes, pricing, and marketing materials. The State reserves the right to determine whether material designated as exempt by a bidder falls under MCL 18.1261 or other applicable FOIA exemptions. If a FOIA request is made for materials that the bidder has identified as trade secret, financial, or proprietary information, the State has the final authority to determine whether the materials are exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

f. Bidder forever releases the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees from all claims, rights, actions, demands, damages, liabilities, expenses and fees, which arise out of or relate to the disclosure of all or a portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP. Bidder must defend, indemnify and hold the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees harmless, without limitation, from and against all actions, claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, attorney fees, and expenses (including those required to establish the right to indemnification), arising out of or relating to any FOIA request, including potential litigation and appeals, related to the portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP that bidder has identified as a trade secret, or financial or proprietary information. The State will notify bidder in writing if indemnification is sought. The State is entitled to: (i) regular updates on proceeding status; (ii) participate in the defense of the proceeding; (iii) employ its own counsel; and to (iv) retain control of the defense, or any portion thereof, if the State deems necessary. Bidder will not, without the State’s written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise, or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, action, or proceeding. If a State employee, official, or law is involved or challenged, the State may control the defense of that portion of the claim. Any litigation activity on behalf of the State, or any of its subdivisions under this Section, must be coordinated with the Department of Attorney General. An attorney designated to represent the State may not do so until approved by the Michigan Attorney General and appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General.

confidential treatment form INSTRUCTIONS. Bidder must complete either Section 1 or Section 2 of this CT Form and sign where indicated. Do not complete both sections. This CT Form must be signed by the individual who signed the bidder’s proposal. A completed CT Form must be submitted with your proposal, regardless of whether your proposal contains confidential information.

Failure to submit a completed CT Form with your bid is grounds for rejecting the proposal as non-responsive. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow CT Form Instructions, the proposal, in its entirety, will be treated as a “Public Copy” and may be publicly disclosed by the State without redaction after bidders have been notified of an award recommendation. See the Confidential Treatment Form and The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) sections of the Proposal Instructions for additional information Section 1. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS NOT REQUESTED This section must be completed, signed, and submitted with the proposal if the bidder does not request confidential treatment of any material contained in the proposal. If this section is completed, do not complete Section 2. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS REQUESTED.

By signing below, the bidder affirms that confidential treatment of material contained in their proposal is not requested.

RFP Number

RFP Title

Signature

Date

Printed Name, Title, Company

Section 2. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS REQUESTED This section must be completed, signed, and submitted with the proposal if bidder requests confidential treatment of any material contained in the proposal. Submission of a completed CT Form is required to request confidential treatment. If this section is completed, do not complete Section 1. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS NOT REQUESTED.

Provide the information in the table below. Bidder may add rows or additional pages using the same format shown in the table. Bidder must specifically identify the information to be protected as confidential and state the reasons why protection is necessary.

The CT Form will not be considered fully complete unless, for each confidentiality request, the bidder: (1) identifies the Proposal Page #, Section #, and Paragraph #, (2) identifies whether the material is a Trade Secret (TS), Proprietary Financial Information (FI), or Proprietary Information (PI), and (3) explains the specific legal grounds that support treatment of the material as TS, FI, or PI. Bidders must provide a complete justification as to how the material falls within the scope of an applicable FOIA exemption or relevant case law. Bidders must not simply cite to an applicable exemption or case name. Bidders must also provide the contact information for the person at their organization authorized to respond to inquiries by the State concerning the material.

Bidder must also submit a “Public Copy” of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly labeled as the “Public Copy”.

(1) Proposal Page #, Section #, Paragraph # (2) Material is Trade Secret (TS), Proprietary Financial Information (FI), Proprietary Information (PI) (3) Applicable FOIA Exemption with Written Justification (4) Bidder Contact Information

By signing below, the bidder affirms that confidential treatment of material contained in their proposal is requested and has attached to this form a redacted “Public Copy” of the bidder’s proposal.

RFP Number

RFP Title

Signature

Date

Printed Name, Title, Company vendor questions worksheet Provide a detailed response to each question. “You” and “company” refers to the bidder.

1. Contact Information

Bidder’s sole contact person during the RFP process. Include name, title, address, email, and phone number.

Person authorized to receive and sign a resulting contract. Include name, title, address, email, phone number and vendor customer code in SIGMA VSS.

2. Company Background Information

Legal business name and address. Include business entity designation, e.g., sole proprietor, Inc., LLC, or LLP.

What state was the company formed in?

Phone number.

Website address.

Number of years in business.

Number of employees.

Legal business name and address of parent company, if any.

Has there been a recent change in organizational structure (e.g., management team) or control (e.g., merger or acquisition) of your company? If the answer is yes: (a) explain why the change occurred and (b) how this change has affected your company.

Discuss your company’s history. Has growth been organic, through mergers and acquisitions, or both?

Has bidder ever been debarred, suspended, or disqualified from bidding or contracting with any entity, including the State of Michigan? If yes, provide the date, the entity, and details about the situation.

Has your company been a party to litigation against the State of Michigan? If the answer is yes, then state the date of initial filing, case name and court number, and jurisdiction.

Within the last 5 years, has your company or any of its related business entities defaulted on a contract or had a contract terminated for cause? If yes, provide the date, contracting entity, type of contract, and details about the termination or default.

State your gross annual sales for each of the last 5 years.

If receiving a contract under this RFP will increase your gross revenue by more than 25% from last year’s sales, explain how the company will scale-up to manage this increase.

Describe partnerships and strategic relationships you think will bring significant value to the State.

State the physical address of the place of business that would have primary responsibility for this account if bidder is awarded a contract under this RFP.

To demonstrate qualification as a qualified disabled veteran, you must provide:

(a) Proof of service and conditions of discharge (DD214 or equivalent);

(b) Proof of service-connected disability (DD214 if the disability was documented at discharge or Veterans Administration Rating Decision Letter or equivalent if the disability was documented after discharge); and

(c) Legal documents setting forth the ownership of the business entity.

In lieu of the documentation identified above, you may provide proof of certification by the National Veterans Business Development Council.

Enter the names of documents submitted with your proposal to demonstrate status as a qualified disabled veteran.

4. Participation in RFP Development or Evaluation

If you enter “YES”, you are not eligible for contract award or to work as a subcontractor for the awarded vendor.

If you enter “YES,” you are not eligible for contract award. An awarded vendor may not partner or subcontract with anyone to provide goods and services required under a resulting contract if that subcontractor or partner assisted in the development of this solicitation.

If you enter “YES”, you are not eligible for contract award or to work as a subcontractor for the awarded vendor.

5. State of Michigan Experience and Prior Experience

Does your company have experience working with the State of Michigan? If so, please provide a list (including the contract number) of the contracts you hold or have held with the State for the last 10 years.

Describe at least 3 relevant experiences from the last 5 years supporting your ability to successfully manage a contract of similar size and scope for the work described in this RFP. The experience listed must reflect work that is currently in production.

Experience 1

Company name.

Contact name.

Contact role at time of project.

Contact phone.

Contact email.

City.

State.

Zip.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

2. What role did your company play?

3. How is this project experience relevant to the subject of this RFP?

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

Experience 2

Company name.

Contact role at time of project.

City.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

Experience 3

Company name.

Contact role at time of project.

City.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

6. Standard Contract Terms

Bidder must affirm agreement with the attached Contract Terms. If not in agreement, written exceptions in accordance with the Evaluation Process section of the Proposal Instructions must be provided with Bidder’s proposal.

7. Michigan Economic Impact

Number of employees currently employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Number of additional employees to be employed at locations within the State of Michigan if awarded this Contract (if any).

Minimum wage paid to employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Average wage paid to employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Percentage of employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan that are covered by employer-provided health insurance.

8. Labor, Antidiscrimination and Environmental Laws Compliance

Bidder must disclose any violations of state or federal labor, antidiscrimination and employment laws and regulations received within the past five years.

Bidder must disclose any violations of state or federal environmental laws and regulations received within the past five years.

9. Supplier Diversity

10. Other

11. Response to State Requests

Contractor must enter company name here.

Schedule A – statement of work contract activities Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 240000002204 Prisoner Funeral Services This schedule identifies the anticipated requirements of any Contract resulting from this RFP. The term “Contractor” in this document refers to a bidder responding to this RFP, as well as the Contractor who is awarded the contract. The term “bidder” is used to identify where specific responses to the RFP are required.

The Contractor must respond to each requirement or question and explain how it will fulfill each requirement. Attach any supplemental information and appropriately reference within your response.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO CONTRACTORS/BIDDERS: There are specific requirements for which acceptance must be simply acknowledged through a checkbox(es), and others that require further explanation. Click one checkbox and complete the entries as identified.

BACKGROUND

The Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) is responsible for ensuring all deaths of prisoners under the jurisdiction of the MDOC are reported and investigated. Prisoners under the jurisdiction of the MDOC include those housed within all MDOC correctional facilities, including Duane Waters Health Center, in a County Jail, and in a hospital. Investigations include possible criminal acts and claims of alleged negligence. The MDOC is also responsible for reasonable and timely notification of next-of-kin and ensures the bodies of deceased prisoners are removed and transported in a timely manner. If there is no next-of-kin or the next-of-kin is not able to claim the deceased prisoner’s body, the MDOC is responsible for ensuring the appropriate funeral services are obtained and disposition of the deceased prisoner is conducted. This RFP and resulting Contract does not apply to federal prisoners and prisoners from another state housed in a MDOC correctional facility.

SCOPE

Upon email or telephone notification from the MDOC, the Contractor must be available to remove and transport a deceased prisoner under the jurisdiction of the MDOC. This includes deceased prisoners housed at the following locations:

1. All MDOC correctional facilities, including the Duane Waters Health Center.

2. County Jails (statewide).

3. Hospitals (statewide).

Within four (4) hours of notification from the MDOC, the Contractor must arrive to the location housing the deceased prisoner(s), unless there are documented delays, or the delay is approved by the MDOC Program Manager. Removal of the deceased prisoner(s) must occur as soon as possible after arrival. For deceased prisoner(s) at all locations, the Contractor must document any delays in arrival beyond two hours in the applicable Monthly Service Compliance Report. The Contractor must be available for the removal and transportation of a deceased prisoner 24 hours per day, seven days per week (if necessary). The Contractor must be reachable via telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Contractor must be able to provide funeral services, which include but are not limited to:

1. Transportation of deceased prisoner(s),

2. Funeral preparation including embalming, if required

3. Cremation,

4. Provide a proper burial container,

5. Family viewing/visitation, and

6. Transportation to a final resting place for burial, inurnment, or entombment as requested by the MDOC.

There is no guaranteed number of prisoner deaths in any given year of contract period. All costs for services for claimed bodies are the sole responsibility of the deceased prisoner’s family, person(s) or entity claiming the deceased prisoner’s body.

The MDOC will not be responsible for and will not make payment for private services, which includes a casket, cemetery plot, vault opening and closing at a burial plot, chapel services, or full funeral services. These costs are the sole responsibility of the next-of-kin or designee once the deceased prisoner is claimed.

MINIMUM MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

1. The Contractor must have cold body storage available.

2. The Contractor must have at least one licensed funeral director(s) on staff.

3. The Contractor must be able to provide services Statewide which includes the removal and transportation of deceased prisoners.

List all exception(s):

1. Requirements

1.1. General Requirements

The Contractor must provide the following:

A. The Contractor must be able to provide funeral services to include at a minimum:

1. Embalming,

2. Cremation,

3. Proper burial container,

4. Family viewing/visitation, and

5. Transportation to a final resting place for burial, inurnment, or entombment.

B. The Contractor must be available for the removal and transportation of a body 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

The Contractor shall describe how the above requirement(s) will be met/achieved. Response:

C. All vehicles entering a MDOC correctional facility will be inspected before entry of the secure perimeter.

D. Upon email or telephone notification from the MDOC, the Contractor must be available to remove and transport a deceased prisoner under the jurisdiction of the MDOC. This includes deceased prisoners housed at the following locations:

1. All MDOC correctional facilities, including the Duane Waters Health Center (See Schedule D).

2. County Jails (statewide),

3. Hospitals (statewide).

Within four hours of notification from the MDOC, the Contractor must arrive to the location housing the deceased prisoner(s). Removal of the deceased prisoner(s) must occur as soon as possible after arrival. For deceased prisoner(s) at all locations, the Contractor must document any delays in arrival beyond four hours. If Contractor is unable to consistently meet this requirement, a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) may be issued to rectify the issue and prevent future gaps in service.

The Contractor shall describe how the above requirement(s) will be met/achieved.

Response:

The Contractor shall indicate if it will utilize subcontractors to complete contract activities.

Response:

E. The Contractor shall be the initial point of contact. The Contractor may utilize subcontractors in order to service parts of the State within the required time frames.

F. Removal of the deceased prisoner must be carried out in a respectful and professional manner. Universal precautions must be used, and the deceased must be covered or placed in a body bag and strapped in/down via the use of modern, up-to-date equipment. If deemed necessary, two Contractor staff may be needed to remove the deceased prisoner.

G. If an autopsy is required, the Contractor will be required to transport the deceased prisoner to either the Medical Examiner’s office or Medical Examiner’s designated holding area. If an autopsy is not required, the Contractor will transport the body directly to the funeral home.

H. At no time is the Contractor to discuss medical procedures with the deceased prisoner’s family, the media, or third parties. If the family requests information, the Contractor must refer the family to the Administrative staff at the facility from which the deceased prisoner was removed, or the Program Manager if the prisoner was removed from a non-MDOC facility and the prisoner’s MDOC facility is unknown.

I. The Contractor is prohibited from making any comments to the media about any deceased prisoner. Media inquiries made to the Contractor must be promptly referred to the Program Manager.

J. The Contractor must have the ability to provide transportation for abnormally heavy deceased prisoner. A deceased prisoner weighing in excess of 300 pounds is considered abnormally heavy.

The Contractor shall indicate the capability of its equipment in terms of handling abnormally heavy prisoners including any weight restrictions.

K. If the Contractor provides family viewing/visitation, it must be approved by the Warden or Administrative Assistant of the MDOC correctional facility that had the prisoner on their count, or the prison where the prisoner was assigned. The deceased prisoner must be clean of fluids, hair combed, and body covered to the neck with a clean blanket or sheet. The deceased prisoner must be viewed in a clean and presentable room.

L. The funeral home and its staff must show compassion and treat the deceased and his/her family with respect.

M. The Contractor must be legally licensed and must provide all products and supplies required for embalming, cremation, and burial. The Contractor shall be responsible for observing and adhering to the rules and regulations regarding the appropriate products and supplies that are allowed at the various cemeteries in the State of Michigan.

N. The Contractor shall provide the following burial containers:

1. Grey Flannel cloth covered burial casket.

2. Basic cremation container.

The Contractor shall provide weblinks or attach color pictures of the burial containers.

O. The Contractor must provide transportation to the final resting place, unless the deceased prisoner is being released to another funeral home at the request of the next-of-kin.

P. Standard procedure for the Contractor will be the cremation of the deceased, unless embalming is requested by the next-of kin or designee upon claiming of the body.

Q. Release of claimed bodies to next-of-kin or designee shall be handled by the Contractor. On occasion, the Medical Examiner’s office will intervene in the determination of release of a deceased prisoner. The intervention usually takes place when an autopsy is done, which by law, authorizes the Medical Examiner(s) to release the deceased prisoner.

R. The State prefers a Contractor that can assist in researching deceased prisoner next-of-kin and providing information to the MDOC by request.

The Contractor shall explain if it will be able to provide the requested service, Response:

The Contractor shall explain what capabilities and databases it has available to provide the requested services.

Response:

The Contractor shall state what is the additional cost of this service.

Response:

S. If the deceased prisoner’s next-of-kin has not claimed the body, but has requested the cremains, the Contractor must provide shipping services at cost of the next-of-kin or designee’s expense. Next-of-kin or designee is allowed to remove cremains in person from the Contractor’s location at no cost.

T. If no one claims the body of the deceased prisoner, the Contractor must provide the cremains to MDOC for burial at Cherry Hill Cemetery in Jackson, Michigan, or another MDOC designated location. The Contractor must provide cremains of unclaimed bodies to the MDOC on a quarterly basis or as agreed upon between the Contractor and MDOC Program Manager. Confirmed and approved veterans will be interred, entombed, or inurned at the appropriate cemetery.

U. The Contractor must have cold body storage available. If the deceased prisoner is in cold storage for 10 calendar days, the Contractor must contact the MDOC Program Manager.

Where is the Contractor’s cold body storage located?

Response:

What is the capacity of the Contractor’s cold body storage?

Response:

What is the longest duration a body can be stored in the Contractor’s cold body storage?

Response:

What is the Contractor’s contingency plan for cold body storage, if the Contractor’s cold body storage is at capacity? Does this plan account for any additional costs to the MDOC?

Response:

V. The Contractor must be licensed to perform funeral services in the State of Michigan. The Contractor must provide evidence (either license number or a copy of the license) of each of the following State of Michigan licenses in its bid response:

1. Funeral Director’s License, License Number

2. Funeral Establishment License, License Number

3. Certificate of Authority to Operate a Cemetery/Crematory, License Number

4. Crematory License, License Number

The Contractor must provide its Funeral Director’s License(s), License Number(s)

Response:

The Contractor must provide its Funeral Establishment License, License Number

Response:

The Contractor must provide its Certificate of Authority to Operate a Cemetery/Crematory, License Number

Response:

The Contractor must provide its Crematory License, License Number

Response:

W. The Contractor must have at least one licensed funeral director on staff.

The Contractor must provide the number of licensed funeral directors that it has on staff.

Response:

X. The Contractor is responsible for proper completion, filing and obtaining death certificate(s) and filing of all legal documents in accordance with the local and state regulations of deceased bodies not claimed by next-of-kin. The Contractor’s address and license number must appear on the death certificate. The proper paperwork must be filed within five (5) business days of the prisoner’s death.

Y. Upon Program Manager request, The Contractor must provide a copy of the death certificate, of deceased bodies not claimed by next-of-kin, to the facility that had the prisoner on its count at the time of death within 45 days of the prisoner’s death. If the deceased prisoner is to be buried at Cherry Hill Cemetery (located in Jackson Michigan), the Contractor must provide an additional copy of the death certificate to the following:

MDOC Business Office 4000 Cooper Street Jackson, MI 49201

Z. The Contractor must immediately contact the MDOC Program Manager if the next-of-kin or designee made a request (e.g. burial location, distribution of ashes, etc.), but has not claimed the deceased prisoner.

AA. In the event that a prisoner dies in the Upper Peninsula and the next-of-kin is in the Upper Peninsula, all efforts should be made to not transport the deceased prisoner from the Upper Peninsula, unless authorized by the MDOC Program Manager. The Contractor must have a location or subcontractor location in the Upper Peninsula for these occurrences where the next-of-kin can pick up the deceased.

The Contractor shall describe how the above requirement(s) will be met/achieved.

Response:

AB. All services must be provided in accordance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and requirements covering the provision of said services.

AC. The MDOC Program Manager or designee may contact the Contractor to surrender the body of a deceased prisoner as an anatomical gift to an organization.

AD. The MDOC Program Manager or designee may contact the Contractor to surrender the body or cremains of a deceased prisoner to a benevolent association that will provide for the burial of the prisoner in accordance with the tenants of the religion.

List all exception(s):

1.2. Additional Services

MDOC may be interested in additional services not identified above in requirements. If the Contractor is able to provide additional services that is not included above, please provide additional information on the types of Services available and if there is an additional cost associated with the additional service.

The Contractor must explain any additional services its organization provides.

Response:

1.3. Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA), 42 U.S.C. § 15601 A. The Contractor and the Contractor Personnel shall comply with the Final Rule implementing PREA, all applicable PREA standards (See Schedule A SOW -Attachment 1) and the agency’s policies. The Contractor and Contractor Personnel shall make itself familiar with and at all times shall observe and comply with all PREA regulations that in any manner affect the performance under this Contract.