Grave Relocation Harlan Co P. 17

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Purchases, on behalf of the Division of Right of Way and Utilities, is issuing a Request for Bid (RFB 605 2500000464) for grave relocation services in Harlan County related to US-421 Corridor highway improvements. The procurement seeks a qualified funeral director to disinter an estimated 17 graves (with the possibility of additional graves being discovered) from Kirk Cemetery and reinter the remains at Resthaven Cemetery in Keith, Kentucky, approximately 6 miles away. The scope of work includes nine line items: constructing access from US 421 to the cemetery location requiring tree clearing and path construction up a steep incline (24 hours); trenching and searching for additional graves (16 hours); disinterring 17 graves; providing reinterment containers with rust-proof identification tags for 21 remains; transporting remains to Resthaven Cemetery; and providing replacement monuments (10 replacement monuments at 14" top x 18" base with polished front and back, 4 gray granite markers at 12"x8"x6" for unknown graves, and 1 upright Kirk Family Cemetery monument at 3'x4'x8") and 22 temporary grave markers. Bidders must submit sealed bids electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service eProcurement system by February 20, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with a tentative award date of February 28, 2025. All work must be completed within 30 days of notification to commence, weather permitting. Award will be made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder based on price as the sole evaluation criterion. The successful bidder must provide a performance bond equal to 100 percent of the contract price (or $20,000 minimum if the contract is $20,000 or less), general liability insurance with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence, and maintain Kentucky workers' compensation insurance. Payment terms specify 90 percent of the contract amount upon completion of work and the final 10 percent upon determination by the Grave Relocation Agent that all work is satisfactory and no property damage has occurred.

Kentucky resident bidder preference applies in accordance with KRS 45A.494, with reciprocal preference potentially available depending on nonresident bidders' states of origin. The procurement includes set-asides for qualified bidders such as Kentucky Correctional Industries, Kentucky Industries for the Blind, and qualified nonprofit agencies for individuals with severe disabilities, who receive applicable preferences if responsive and responsible. All bidders must be registered in the Commonwealth eProcurement System and must complete required affidavits regarding resident bidder status, campaign finance compliance, contractor employee legal status, and any use of subcontractors. The contractor shall be responsible for all equipment, materials, labor, and transportation necessary to complete the work in compliance with KRS 381.765, 600 KAR 3:020, and 901 KAR 5:090, with Resthaven Cemetery handling opening, closing, restoring reinterment sites, seeding, straw application, and monument installation. No incumbent vendor or current contractor is identified in the solicitation documents. The contract is a one-time award with no renewal options specified, and the bid sheet requires vendors to submit line-item pricing for hourly rates, per-unit pricing for disinterment and reinterment services, per-mile transportation pricing, and per-unit pricing for monuments and markers. The contact for all inquiries is Paige Grass, Division of Purchases, at 502-564-4630 or paigej.grass@ky.gov.