Statement of Work Burial Services.docx

STATEMENT OF WORK

BURIAL SERVICES FOR THE INMATE POPULATION OF FCI ATLANTA

INTRODUCTION

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Institution, Atlanta intends to make a single award for the provision of Mortuary and Burial services to a responsible Contractor who can provide the services in accordance with the stated requirements for the Federal Correctional Institutional Institution, located in Atlanta, Georgia. The Contractor shall provide complete burial services to include burial services as specified below.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Contractor shall perform services consisting of transportation of the deceased from the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) or local community hospital. The contractor will be notified whether an autopsy will be required. The contractor shall also provide services consisting of embalming, preparation of the body, burial cases to include a casket and outside container and transportation or shipping of the remains. Services may consist of cremation if indicated by the FCI.

Contractor shall be contracted by the Health Services Administrator, Duty Officer, or Correctional Supervisor during non-business hours and advised of the inmate’s death, within two hours of notification; the contractor will pick up the body at the FCI or the local Medical Facility and transport to GBI for an autopsy.

Correctional Supervisor will notify the contractor of final arrangements to be made which may include local burial, cremation or shipment of remains. A FCI Chaplain may view the body as well as conduct or supervise a grave side ceremony when a local burial is necessary. Contractor shall assist the institutional chaplain to work out an acceptable time and date for local burial.

Contractor will also assist the Correctional Supervisor with the following: 1) Exchanging information concerning the name, address, and phone number of the receiving funeral home, 2) name and location of cemetery and date of burial 3) exchange information necessary to complete death certificates and other necessary legal documents 4) provide airline, airway quotes and costs 5) contractor shall notify the receiving funeral home concerning all shipping arrangements.

Inspection of remains will be done by Contracting Officer and/or Special Investigation Section (SIS) prior to shipment of the body to its final destination. Due the time and cost to the government to review the body prior to shipment of remains, the funeral home will not be further than 45 miles from the institution. The FCI will be provided five (6) copies of the Certified Death Certificate.

PREPERATION OF THE BODY

Contractor shall provide embalming services to be performed in all standards and practices to conform to applicable state laws. The contractor shall restore the body to be as lifelike in appearance as possible including shaving of face, neck, trimming and dressing hair properly, applying suitable cosmetics and performing restorative work as needed, the deceased shall resemble his prior self.

The contractor shall furnish and dress the body in all necessary clothing, including cotton undershorts, undershirt, regular length socks, and a manufactured burial suit conservative in style and color.

There are in general two different types of burial cases normal cases and autopsied 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. All post embalming inspection of the body shall be made by the embalmer to determine preservation is uniform and complete, or whether further treatment is required.

· Normal Case: Appropriate when death has been due to disease or natrual causes, and where there has been little to no mutilation or breakdown of body tissue. Standard preservation solutions shall be used for preservation.

· Autopsied Case: Appropriate when a partial or complete autopsy has been made to an extent which will not permit a normal arterial embalming operation. The FCI may request a complete autopsy, if deemed necessary by the Warden. Sectional embalming 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 incisions shall be tightly sutured and treated to prevent leakage.

Cremation may occur when the legal next of kin makes written request for such services.

a. If requested by the government, or due to extended time between death and receipt of all necessary legal documentation, normal, arterial embalming shall be performed in accordance with all standard practices, conformance with applicable state laws and as outlined in Preparation of Body above. Prior approval shall be obtained from the Government before embalming.

b. Contractor will be notified as soon as written verification has been received authorizing cremation.

c. The contractor shall provide for crematory services that conform to standard practices and all applicable state laws, and shall ensure the identity of the remains.

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

e. 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.

A post-embalming inspection of each body shall be made by the embalmer to determine whether the preservation is uniform and complete, or whether further 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.

CASKET AND OUTSIDE CONTAINER

Contractor shall provide a standard size casket, manufactured in accordance with minimum industry standards shall be furnished. If a requirement for a sealed or oversized casket arises, the contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer for authorization. A standard casket will be Metal State perfection cut, 20 gauge steel shell that will be light copper or grey with no shading, lacquer finish, interior plain panel, ivory twill, no shirring, and matching color hardware (handles). A sealed casket when required as indicated by the Contracting Officer shall be metal, 20 gauge steel shell, constructed in accordance with industry standards of commercial practice so as 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 communicable disease, to meet pertinent state or interstate regulations, or in the cases of badly decomposed or odoriferous body. Oversized casket may be used only when authorized by the FCI and must meet industry standards.

Each casket shall be furnished with the types of outside container required by industry standards. The type of container may differ depending on the mode of transportation required.

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

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

c. In case of local burial, rules and regulations of the cemetery in which internment is made shall govern the type of contained 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 practices.

SHIPPING OF THE BODY

Contractor shall arrange and provide shipment of the body transportation may be provided by air, train or ground. Ground transportation shall be provided if the location is such that transportation by ambulance or hearse is beneficial to the Government, the burial contract mileage rate in the burial services contract. The same regulations apply as those for transportation for an inmate release. The Bureau of Prisons pays for transportation to the inmate’s residence of record or place of trial. Accordingly, if the deceased inmate’s record of residence is outside the United States, transportation to the residence of record is appropriate. If the family wants the body returned to a location, other than the two alternatives mentioned above, the family is responsible for pickup of the body from that point, or directly from the burial service contractor.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED

The contractor shall be licensed with the state and other regulatory agencies. The contractor shall submit copies of all licensing and certificates of insurance with their quotes. The contractor will also maintain insurance necessary to cover potential losses. The contractor shall assume full responsibility for the compliance with all Federal, State, City and county laws, rules and regulations governing Mortuary/Burial Services. The contractor will hold harmless FCI Atlanta from all third party claims that may arise from this contract.

The resultant contract will require the Contractor to operate a limited system of records as identified for medical treatment documentation, and require adherence to the Privacy Act of 1974. Death Notices will not be placed in any media. The successful Contractor will be required to submit detailed itemized invoices for payment with a copy of the air freight bill.