Statement_of_Work.pdf

Statement of Work

Standard Size Wood Caskets for U.S. Army Europe

This statement of work establishes the standards for caskets, air trays, and special shipping instructions for U.S. Army Mortuaries operating in Europe.

Note to reviewers – several sections of this statement of work are copied directly from the Army Regulation (AR) 3638-2.

1. WOOD CASKETS. The contractor shall meet or exceed the specific requirements in accordance with AR 638-2 Appendix C as listed below:

Appendix C

Armed Services Specification for Hardwood Caskets for Continental of the United States Base and Port of Entry Requirements

C–1. Classification Standard size perfection cut half-couch hardwood casket. The inside dimensions must not be less than 77 1/2 inches in length, measured between the inner surfaces of the end panels, and 22 1/2 inches in width, measured between the inner surfaces of the side panels.

C–2. Applicable documents Military standards. MIL–STD–1916 the issue in effect on the date of invitation for bids or requests for proposals, forms a part of this Armed Services specification to the extent specified herein.

C–3. Requirements

a. Sample casket. When specified, a sample completed casket or sample casket without upholstery must be made avail-able to the contracting officer or his or her authorized representatives for quality assurance inspection in accordance with paragraph C–5. The approval of the sample is acceptance of the casket, but does not relieve the contractor of responsibility for compliance with all applicable provisions of this specification. The pre-furnished samples should be manufactured in the same facilities to be used for the manufacture of caskets to be furnished under contract.

b. Materials. Materials must conform, as a minimum, conform to the applicable specifications and requirements specified hereinafter. Unless otherwise specified herein, tolerances for materials must conform, as a minimum, conform to this specification.

c. Woods. Select hardwoods must be used throughout the caskets. The hardwood used in fabricating or constructing the caskets must be one of the following: poplar, salix (willow), or cottonwood.

d. Thickness. Thickness of the rough lumber used in hardwood caskets must not be less than 4/4 (1 inch) stock.

e. Fabric (lining). The construction of this cloth should be, as a minimum, be as follows:

warp, 92 ends-100 denier dull acetate yarn; filling, 52 picks-150 denier dull acetate yarn. The acetate taffeta fabric’s finish must be flat or embossed. The color should be rosetan.

f. Nonwoven fabric material tissue. The nonwoven material for backing the fabric of the lining assemblies must be scrim laminate consisting of 3 feet by 2 1/2 feet nylon scrim with two plies of tissue adhesively bonded to each side of scrim and white in color.

g. Pillow and body pocket. The pillow and body pocket must be a minimum of 40 percent cotton and 60 percent linters or synthetic equivalent.

h. Upholstering. See the following paragraphs.

i. Lining assemblies. The lining assemblies for the interior of the head panel lid, sides and ends of casket, overlay, mattress spread, pillowcase, two-piece top (lid) supports (one-piece top (lid) supports must be finished to complement the casket), and the sides of the casket body must be as specified in paragraph C–3e, backed with fabric specified in paragraph C–3f. The head top must be lined with interior styling. The foot top must be lined with fabric and backing as specified in paragraphs C–3f and g or may be upholstered by applying a rigid one-piece insert, simulating fabric finish. The assemblies for the lid or head panel (as applicable), top of the pillowcase, outside exposed body lining, and top side of overthrow must be “Wave Crushed,” tufted, tailored, or shirred either by hand or machine. The puffing may be shirred or tailored. The interior assemblies for the sides and ends of casket must be tailored or shirred by hand or machine. Before lining the casket, the inside of the shell must be cleaned of all foreign material.

j. Pillow. The pillow should be made of nonwoven material specified in paragraph C–3g and filled with a minimum of 2 1/4 pounds of the specified filling material. The pillow then must be encased in an outer fabric cover as specified in paragraph C–4e. The pillow must be sized to properly fit the casket.

k. Mattress. The casket must be equipped with an adjustable inner spring. The mattress should be made of fabric spec-ified in paragraph C–3g or polyethylene (.004) film and filled with cotton or synthetic filling in one piece, such as polyester, excluding all foam type, excelsior materials, and fiberglass. The mattress fill must render a minimum uniform thickness of 2 inches.

The mattress also must also be sized to properly fit the casket.

l. Side panels. Side panels of the casket body must have padding in the skirting or apron area.

m. Finish. All exposed surfaces of wood components must be thoroughly sanded. A walnut color stain and sealer must be applied to all exposed surfaces and edges. A walnut color stain should be applied to the outside edge of the bottom of the hardwood casket. Exterior wood surfaces, exposed to view, including surfaces that are exposed when the casket is opened (not applicable to the bottom), must be given an adequate coating of the appropriate finish. The casket should have either a satin or high-gloss appearance following final finishing process. The sealer must be scuff sanded in all exposed view areas. Forced drying may be used, if desired. The exposed heads of screws used for assembling the casket must be appropriately finished (plated or painted) to correspond or complement the parent finish. The finish coat must level out to produce a smooth and uniform flow without orange peel, runs, wrinkles, drops, streaks, or areas of thin coating or no coating. The casket must be well finished, smooth, clear, and free from defects that may affect appearance or serviceability.

n. Casket protective cover. A cover common to the casket industry must be placed over each casket.

C–4. Construction design

a. Hardwood casket. The casket must be of hardwood, 4/4 (1 inch) stock. The casket must have a ledge and base molds (also commonly known within the hardwood casket industry as a “Stateside” design), as illustrated in figure C–1. The handle assembly must be a swing out type.

Applied lugs and corners must be either plated in finish if metal or finished in the same manner according to paragraph C–3m.

Figure C–1. Sample hardwood casket design

b. Construction details. See the following paragraphs:

(1) Body. The casket must be fabricated or constructed from not less than 4/4 (1 inch) stock hardwood. The ledge should be of the same material as the body and must be reinforced to provide sufficient bearing to support the lid assemblies.

(2) Bottom panel. The bottom panel must be constructed from hardwood lumber not less than 4/4 (1 inch) rough hard-wood stock. The construction details of the bottom follow. The bottom panel must withstand, as a minimum, 350 pounds load with no deformation when tested according to paragraph C–5h(1). The bottom panel must be appropriately reinforced to meet weight and stress requirements.

(3) Lid. The casket must consist of a two-pieced cut-top lid with traditional oval panel, top frame, and header.

(4) Assembly. Accurate, tightly mitered joints must be assembled, using joint locks, nails, and glue common to standard industry practices. Exterior surfaces must be sanded to a uniform condition to accept exterior finishing materials. Bottoms must be installed in accordance with industry practices. Top and base moldings before milling must have been at least 4/4 (1 inch) stock. No trace of screw or nail heads must be visible after finishing.

(5) Shell hardware. Each lid must be hinged with two hinges each for proper support.

Lids must be provided with locking support for retaining the lids in an open position. Each lid must have a positive lock.

(6) Handle assembly. The handle assembly must be 3 feet by 1 foot or 4 feet by 1 foot continuous swing out. The entire handle assembly must be fastened to the casket body in a manner that will ensure that the handle assembly must not rupture or show deformation when tested in accordance with paragraph C–5h(2). The finish applied to the handle assembly must be painted or plated in finish (if metal) or finished in the same manner specified in paragraph m (if hardwood) common to the hardwood casket industry.

c. Workmanship. The casket must be produced by the best means employed by those skilled in hardwood casket fab-rication and upholstering. All parts must be accurately machined and properly assembled into the finished article, and each casket must be of the quality and grade of the product established by this specification.

C–5. Quality assurance provisions

a. Responsibility for inspection. Unless otherwise specified in the contract or purchase order, the contractor is responsible for the performance of all inspection requirements as specified herein. Except as otherwise specified in the contract or order, the contractor may use his or her own or any other facilities suitable for the performance of the inspection re-quirements specified herein. The U.S. Government reserves the right to perform any of the inspections set forth in the specification where such inspections are called for to assure supplies and services conform to prescribed requirements.

b. Quality conformance inspection. When called for, sampling for inspection and acceptance must be performed in accordance with provisions set forth in MIL–STD–1916, when called for.

c. Inspection of materials and components. Per paragraph C–5a, components and materials must be inspected and tested in accordance with all the requirements of this specification and standards unless otherwise excluded, amended, modified, or qualified in this specification or applicable purchase document.

d. End item inspection. The lot should be all caskets offered for inspection at one time.

The sample unit for this inspection must be one complete casket.

e. Visual examination. Examination of the caskets must be in accordance with the classification of defects set forth in table C–1.

f. Dimensional examination. Inspection must be made of the finished caskets for dimensions specified. Any noncompliance with specified requirements must constitute a defect.

g. End item testing. Testing must be performed in accordance with paragraph C–5h.

h. Test methods. See the following paragraphs:

(1) Bottom test. The casket must be loaded with a uniformly distributed weight of 350 pounds, and the lids closed and locked. The casket must then be attached to a rectangular suspension frame by metal straps at six evenly spaced points along each side handle, as close to hardware attachment points as possible, and should be so arranged so as to produce uniform weight distribution by means of adjusting wedges. The width of the strap around the handle must be 3 inches. The suspension frame must be lifted until the bottom of the casket has cleared the floor 4 inches. There must be no deformation when loading the casket. Loading of the casket should not produce any separation between the bottom boards and the sides of the casket.

(2) Handle bend test, static loading. The test must be in accordance with paragraph C– 5h(1), except that the casket must be suspended at two points on each side. These points should be located midway between the lugs toward the ends of the casket. The same test must be performed on the end handles; each end must be lifted separately using two points of suspension on the end handle. Handles must then be examined for compliance with paragraph C–4b(3).

C–6. Casket certification The contractor must be required to provide a statement that the casket to be furnished for use under the terms of the contract conforms in all details to the minimum specifications contained therein. Extra copies of the specification may be obtained from the contracting officer.

**SPECIAL SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS**

1. Each casket when packed shall have a scratch resistant cover over it generally made from some type of material other than plastic.

2. Each casket shall have a plastic cover over the top of the material cover that protects the casket from the other packing materials.

3. Each casket shall have Styrofoam packed on the head and foot ends of the casket; to prevent crushing also protects the caskets for storage. (Caskets are stored standing up to facilitate space utilization.)

4. Swing-bar handles shall have foam like substance that protects the ends with a packing material that protects the chrome or matte finish of the hardware.

5. Styrofoam material shall be formed to the top of the casket in three to four individual pieces to help protect the caskets when they are stacked for shipment.

6. Caskets shall be packed in a rigid cardboard container or shipping box with minimal amount components to ensure the container does not come apart in shipment, transport or delivery.

7. The outer cardboard container or similar shipping container shall have at minimum three outer bands to hold the container together in shipment, transport and delivery.

8. The outer container shall be clearly labeled with the name of the casket and type of casket.

Shipping address to Europe Miesau Army Depot U.S. Army Memorial Affairs Activity - Europe Building 1252 Miesau, Germany 66892 Profit, general & administrative (G&A) and overhead on travel expenses will not be allowed.