Future Broward County Cremation and Unclaimed Remains Services Contract

Broward County, Florida is issuing a pre-advertisement notice for an upcoming competitive solicitation to establish multiple open-end contracts for cremation and unclaimed remains services. The County seeks qualified funeral establishments or direct disposal establishments to provide direct cremation services and handle the transportation, storage, and final disposition of unclaimed and indigent human remains on a 24/7 basis within Broward County. Key service deliverables include removing decedents from the place of death, maintaining licensed refrigeration and cremation facilities, responding to transport requests within one to two hours depending on location type, completing cremations within ten days of authorization, capturing thumbprints prior to cremation, storing cremains for up to 90 days, and scattering uncremated remains at sea in the Atlantic Ocean if not claimed within that timeframe. Vendors must also submit transportation documentation and Electronic Death Registration System entries within 48 hours, attempt to identify decedents and locate relatives, and deliver remains of eligible veterans to South Florida National Cemetery. Required qualifications include current licensure as a funeral or direct disposal establishment, three years of prior business operation, possession or access to State of Florida-licensed refrigeration and cremation facilities located in Broward, Miami-Dade, or Palm Beach Counties, at least one properly equipped and licensed transport vehicle, appropriate personnel background checks with no felony convictions or controlled substance abuse history, and no complaints or disciplinary actions with the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services within the past five years. Vendors must maintain minimum insurance coverage and provide certificates of insurance before award and upon renewal. The questions submission deadline is May 22, 2026, with vendor inquiries and feedback directed to Nicola Palmer at nicpalmer@broward.org or through the County's BPRO electronic bidding system.

The procurement notice does not specify set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises, women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, or other restricted vendor categories. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the pre-advertisement materials. The contract structure includes no guaranteed minimum quantity of work, and inclusion on the vendor list does not guarantee any assignments, with compensation based solely on approved indigent cremation or unclaimed cases after completion of all services, with invoices due no later than 30 days following cremation. Vendors are responsible for all costs associated with scattering cremains at sea and delivering veteran remains to the South Florida National Cemetery. No specific award value or budget range is provided in the pre-advertisement notice, as this is an open-end, as-needed contract structure. Interested vendors must register in the County's BPRO system to receive solicitation notifications and submit proposals electronically upon issuance of the formal solicitation.