Mortality Resources and Services

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), procuring on behalf of HHSC and the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), is requesting bids for Mortality Resources and Services under IFB No. HHS0017352v2, with questions due August 24, 2026, at 10:30 AM and proposals due September 9, 2026, at 10:30 AM.

The contractor must maintain long-term storage and operational management of mortuary supplies and equipment in a major metropolitan area within a 125-mile radius of Waco, Texas (excluding coastal hurricane-vulnerable areas), and deploy four DSHS-owned 32-foot mortuary trailers. The contractor must establish and maintain at least four Strike Teams capable of deploying within 24 hours of notification and arriving on-site within 48 hours; each team requires a minimum of two licensed funeral directors and two non-licensed funeral service professionals. Required services include quarterly maintenance reports, temperature monitoring, equipment rotation, preparedness training, and outreach activities. The contractor assumes full responsibility for background checks, E-Verify compliance, and adherence to HHS standards of conduct. Minimum two years of relevant experience and three verifiable references for similar contracts within the past ten years are required.

The initial contract term runs January 1, 2027, through August 31, 2027, with three optional one-year renewals and one potential extension of up to one additional year. Hourly rates for licensed funeral directors are capped at GS-12-Step 10 federal pay scale rates; non-licensed staff are capped at GS-8-Step 10, with reimbursement beginning upon arrival and ending upon deactivation. The contractor receives an annual operational allocation covering administrative expenses, management oversight, reporting, storage, maintenance, and trailer licensing. Historical spending totaled $269,485.68 from October 2022 through June 2026 as a guideline only, with no guaranteed minimum volume. Pricing must be firm and fixed, submitted on Exhibit C (Pricing Sheet), and adjustable only through CPI indices or federal minimum wage increases with HHSC approval.

The contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance: workers' compensation, commercial general liability ($1 million per occurrence), commercial automobile liability ($1 million combined single limit), professional liability ($1 million), and umbrella liability ($1 million). A HUB subcontracting plan is not required but is encouraged. Bidders must submit Exhibits A (HHS Solicitation Affirmations), C (Pricing Sheet), D (Bidder Reference Form), financial capability and solvency documentation, signed Addendum Acknowledgement Forms if applicable, and Exhibit G (Form 4109 Application for Texas Identification Number) where applicable. Failure to submit required exhibits results in bid disqualification.