STATEMENT OF WORK - MORTUARY SERVICES - FCC COLEMAN.pdf

Statement of Work

Mortuary Services - FCC Coleman

INTRODUCTION

The Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Correctional Complex, Coleman, Florida, intends to make a single award for the provision of burial and mortuary services to a responsible contractor who can provide the services in accordance with the stated requirements for the Federal Correction Complex (hereinafter referred to as FCC) in Coleman, Florida. The FCC is located at 846 NE 54th Terrace, Coleman, Florida.

The contractor shall provide complete burial and mortuary services as specified below for FCC Coleman.

Place of Performance

Mortuary services will be performed at the contractor’s funeral home

Schedule

These services are a contractual agreement. The services will be provided on an as needed basis with the contractor. Telephone calls will be made to the contractor from the Contracting Officer only.

Contractors must be available for telephone calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to include holidays.

Service will not be required to take place on holidays.

Supplies and Equipment

All supplies will be provided by the contractor.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF AN INMATE

Contractor will be contacted by the Correctional System Staff to report the inmate’s death. Within two hours of notification, the Contractor will pick the body up at the designated institution of the inmate, or occasionally at a local community hospital. The Contractor will transport the remains to the contractor’s funeral home in a suitable closed conveyance, An autopsy will be performed consistent with Florida State Law at the direction of the coroner. Contractor will be notified by the Contract Staff, Chaplain, or Health Service Administrator (HSA) if an autopsy will not be required. If an autopsy is required, the Contractor will perform arterial embalming (unless otherwise instructed) and await further instructions.

The Contracting Officer, HSA, or Chaplain will notify the Contractor of final arrangements to be made:

1) Local burial, 2) Shipment of remains, 3) Cremation. When a local burial is necessary, a FCC Chaplain will view the body as well as conduct or supervise the grave-side ceremony.

When shipment of the body is required, the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) will periodically view the body.

Shipment of the remains will be conducted using whichever method is most cost-effective for the government. Transportation of remains will be provided to an inmate’s place of conviction or to the legal residence within the United States or its territories. Shipment of remains will be coordinated between the Contractor and the COR.

The contractor will coordinate with the FCC Chaplain to establish an appropriate time and date for local burial and mortuary services. The contractor will coordinate with the Contracting Officer or the Chaplain regarding the shipment of each body. This includes:

1. Exchanging information such as the name, address, and phone number of the receiving funeral home;

2. Providing the name and location of the cemetery and the anticipated burial date, if known;

3. Sharing the details necessary to complete death certificates and other required legal documents;

4. Supplying all shipping arrangements, including times, dates, flight numbers, airlines, airports, airway bill numbers, and associated costs.

Contractor will notify the receiving funeral home concerning all shipping arrangements, while the Case Manager will notify the next of kin of the arrangements.

DISPOSITION OF DECEASED INMATES

The following specifications and procedures outlining shipment of a deceased inmate are provided for guidance purposes.

The Contractor agrees that the quality of all material and services furnished hereunder will not be inferior to these specifications.

All state and interstate shipment laws relating to the embalming, preparation, burial, and shipment of bodies must be fully observed and complied with, and in any case wherein the state law contains requirements more rigid than the requirements set forth herein, such lows will be controlling.

a. General. The Contractor shall pick up the body and transport to the contractor’s funeral parlor in a suitable closed conveyance. After embalming and dressing, the contractor shall transport the body to the air terminal, or local cemetery as directed by the Contracting Officer or designee.

Cemeteries located within a 50-mile radius of the institution will be considered local cemeteries for local burial purposes unless the Contracting Officer specifies otherwise. The contractor shall secure or furnish all necessary papers and permits for shipment or internment. Suitable space in the undertaking establishment shall be available for the performance of postmortem examinations when requested by the Government.

b. Preparation of Body. Complete embalming services will be performed including all standard practices to conform to applicable state laws.

The Contractor shall restore the body to be as lifelike in appearance as possible, including shaving face and neck, trimming hair of head, neck, and face, dressing hair properly, applying suitable cosmetics, performing derma-surgery and other restorative work as may be necessary.

The body will be placed in the casket in such a manner as to create an appearance of rest, composure, and to assure maintenance of position during shipment or local burial.

The Contractor will furnish and dress the body in all appropriate clothing, including cotton undershorts, undershirts, regular length socks, and manufactured burial suit of dark, or conservative color.

c. Burial Cases. There are, in general, two different types of burial 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. 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.

Normal Cases. Appropriate when death has been due to disease or other causes, and where there has been little or no mutilation or breakdown of body tissues. For such cases, preservation shall be accomplished by a thorough cavity treatment. Standard preservative solutions shall be used for the arterial injections and cavity saturation.

Autopsied Cases. This will be where a partial or complete autopsy has been made to an extent which will not permit a normal arterial embalming operation. FCC Coleman will notify the Contractor in writing to conduct a complete autopsy. Sectional embalming shall be used to thoroughly preserve the body, including organs, and the inside of the body cavity 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.

d. Cremation. Cremation shall be authorized in accordance with Florida state law by the individual through an advance directive or by the legal next of kin. The Contractor will be notified as soon as written verification has been received authorizing cremation. If requested by the Government, OR due to extended time between death and receipt of all necessary legal documentation, normal arterial embalming will be performed in accordance with all standard practices, conformance with applicable Florida state laws and as outlined above (b. Preparation of Body). A standard container shall be provided that is sealed and capable of transportation through the U.S. Mail or other common carrier and shall ensure the identity of the remains.

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 receipt. Reimbursement at the current postal rate will be utilized.

e. Casket. 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. METAL. State perfection cut, 20 gauge steel shell, light copper or grey with no shading, lacquer finish, interior plain panel, ivory twill, no shirring, and matching color hardware (handles).

b. Outside Container. 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.

f. Shipping of Body. In the event of an inmate death, the same regulations apply as those for transportation for an inmate release. Shipment of the remains will be by whatever conveyance is most cost beneficial to the government. Transportation of remains will be provided to an inmate’s place of conviction or to the legal residence within the United States or its territories. Shipment of remains will be coordinated between the Contractor and the COR. If the inmate’s family wants the body returned to an alternate location, the family is responsible for pickup of the body from that point or directly from the burial and mortuary services contractor. If the deceased inmate is an alien, Unit Staff or Inmate Systems Management will contact the Regional Immigration and Naturalization Office or the Consulate.

The following methods are authorized for transportation:

1. Air/Train Transportation. If the location is such that transportation by air or train is beneficial to the Government, these transportation services can be acquired.

2. Ground Transportation. If the location is such that transportation by ambulance or hearse is beneficial to the Government, the burial contract mileage rate will be the rate in the burial and mortuary services contract.

The Contractor is responsible for making all shipping arrangements for transportation (i.e. air travel, train, etc.). If location is such that transportation by ambulance or hearse is beneficial to the Government, the burial contract mileage rate will be the rate in the burial and mortuary services contract. Accordingly, if the deceased inmate’s record of residence is outside the United States, transportation to another burial and mortuary service contractor within the United States or its’ territories is appropriate. If the family wants the body returned to a foreign location, the family is responsible for pickup of the body from that point, directly from the burial and mortuary services contractor.

Special Requirement Caskets

a. Sealed Casket. 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 cases of badly decomposed or odoriferous body.

b. Outside Container. Each casket shall be furnished with one of the following types of outside containers, depending upon the type of service required. When required due to size of the deceased, an extra size casket shall be furnished without additional cost

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

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 best modern practices and equipped with bolted handles complying with the 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 container to be furnished. Unless otherwise specified, the outside container furnished shall be constructed on one inch seasoned wood manufactured in accordance with the best modern practice. No handles will be required.

Special Qualifications Required

The contractor must be properly licensed to perform these services in the state of Florida. The contractor must agree that the quality of all materials and services furnished will not be inferior to the specifications.

All state and interstate shipment laws relating to the embalming, preparation, burial, and shipment of the body must be fully observed and complied with, and in any case wherein state law contains requirements more rigid than the requirements set forth herein, such laws will be controlling. The contractor will also maintain insurance necessary to cover all potential losses. The contractor will hold harmless the FCC Coleman from all third-party claims that may arise from the operation of the contract.

Work Management

The successful Contractor will be required to follow any and all applicable guidelines for the services to be provided. The resultant contract will require the Contractor to operate a limited system of records as identified for medical treatment documentation, and required adherence to the Privacy Act of 1974.

**Death Notices will not be placed in any media type newspaper. **

The successful Contractor will be required to submit detailed itemized invoices for payment with a copy of the air freight bill

**The successful Contractor will notify the COR representative within 10 days of award the cemetery utilized for local burials. **

Inmate Management

There may be circumstances in which the contractor is required to retrieve a body from the institution. The contractor awarded this agreement will not be expected to engage in routine contact with inmates. As a contractor, you are not subject to Government supervision except in matters pertaining to security.

Nonetheless, contractor performance will be closely monitored while present within the institution.

Institution Security

The Contractor agrees to adhere to all regulations prescribed by the institution for safety, custody, and conduct of inmates. The Contractor will attend an orientation program prior to assuming institutional involvement. There may be times that require the contractor to enter the institution.

Miscellaneous Information

This is a contractual agreement and not a Civil Service appointment. As specified in FAR 37.101 “Non-personal Service Contracts” means a contract under which the personnel rendering the services are not subject, either by the contract’s terms or by the manner of its administrations, to the supervision and control usually prevailing in relationships between the Government and its employees. All duties outlined in this Statement of Work shall be performed in accordance with standards and methods generally accepted within the Contractor’s own field of expertise. Payment shall be based on the accomplishment of specific periodically evaluate the contractor’s performance of the contract. In the evaluation, the performance of the contractor will be evaluated by the COR. If the performance of an individual is deemed unacceptable based on the COR, that individual will no longer perform those duties. In this event, the contractor will be responsible for replacing that individual.

The Contractor is solely responsible for full compliance with all Federal, State, Local, and Bureau of Prisons laws, policies, rules, and regulations. In the event that two or more of the regulations conflict, the strictest of the regulations shall apply. The Contractor shall be responsible for the provision of all equipment, labor, licenses, maintenance, materials, parts, permits, repairs, tools, etc. needed to carry out the requirements of this contract.

The Contractor shall not provide the news media with any information. The contractor will be required to notify the Contracting Officer of any outside requests for information. The Contracting Officer will then submit the information to the Executive Assistant.

Payment Terms

Contractor must provide a means for electronic payment to include bank routing and account number or acceptance of purchase card payments. Payment terms shall be as specified in FAR 52.212-4(g), the due date for making an invoice payment by the designated payment office shall be the 30th day after the designated billing office has received a proper invoice, or the government accepts the services performed by the contractor.