Cremation services, deceased animals, term contract

Palm Beach County Board of County Commissioners issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for cremation services of deceased animals under a term contract. The procurement seeks qualified vendors to provide pickup, transportation, and incineration services for animal carcasses weighing less than 500 pounds, including dogs, cats, pigs, goats, and calves, with occasional larger livestock animals. The solicitation encompasses three specific line items: pickup services estimated at 52 annual occurrences, transportation services estimated at 50,000 pounds annually, and the provision of eight freezer storage bins (29" W x 38" L x 33" H with 500-pound weight capacity each) for transit rotation. Vendors must submit fixed unit pricing with no escalation clauses, maintain prices firm for ninety days from opening, and provide references demonstrating similar services provided within the past three years. Required qualifications include registration in the County's Vendor Self Service system, Commercial General Liability Insurance of at least $500,000, Business Auto Liability Insurance of at least $500,000, and Workers' Compensation Insurance per Florida Statute Chapter 440. Additionally, vendors must provide proof of a valid Florida Department of Agriculture permit to transport animal carcasses and documentation that the crematorium is registered with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Department of Environmental Protection. The RFQ was posted on June 16, 2021, with a non-mandatory site inspection scheduled for June 28, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. at Animal Care and Control in West Palm Beach, and responses were due by July 7, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. local time. All quotes are evaluated on an all-or-none basis with award going to the lowest responsive, responsible vendor.

The procurement includes Small/Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise (S/M/WBE) preferences and a five percent local preference provision for Palm Beach County businesses. The successful vendor will be awarded a twelve-month term contract with options to renew for four additional twelve-month periods, subject to mutual written agreement and appropriation of funds, and a post-award meeting must occur within five days of award notification. Payment is rendered upon County acceptance of services based on actual weight of carcasses confirmed at the County facility scales, with invoices submitted to the Palm Beach County Finance Department bearing the purchase order number. No incumbent vendors or specific budget ranges were listed in the solicitation documents. The evaluation criteria prioritize responsive and responsible bidders offering the lowest pricing, with consideration given to vendor qualifications, insurance coverage, and required regulatory compliance documentation.