Cremation Services for Department of Corrections

The Iowa Department of Administrative Services is soliciting bids through a Request for Bid (RFB) for cremation services to support the Iowa Medical and Classification Center (IMCC), a state agency under the Iowa Department of Corrections located in Coralville, Iowa. The successful vendor will be responsible for providing direct cremation services for deceased incarcerated inmates, including removal of deceased individuals from IMCC or the University of Iowa Hospital & Clinic in Iowa City, performing cremation procedures, packaging and shipping remains to addresses designated by IMCC personnel, filing necessary state and local documentation, and delivering death certificates to IMCC. The contractor must comply with all applicable Iowa Administrative Code Chapter 100 sections 645-100.1 through 645-100.11 and relevant state and local regulations. Key qualifications include the ability to handle bodies requiring autopsy procedures on limited occasions, passage of security screening for all contractor personnel, and compliance with IMCC's outside contractor security guidelines and procedures. Historical data indicates the service averages 11 uses annually, with 14 uses recorded through the 2026 year-to-date period. The RFB was posted on April 3, 2026, with proposals due by May 8, 2026.

The RFB documents do not specify set-aside designations, restrictions on organization types, or disadvantaged enterprise requirements based on the available information. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement materials provided. Billing for services will be directed to IMCC unless IMCC personnel notify the contractor that the family will assume responsibility for costs. The bid should address specific requirements outlined in the RFB document, and vendors are responsible for determining all factors necessary for submission of a comprehensive bid. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the available documentation; however, vendors should base their pricing on the historical utilization pattern of approximately 11 services annually.