Mortuary Services

Mecklenburg County's Department of Child, Family, and Adult Services is seeking a vendor to provide comprehensive mortuary services through a Request for Quote (RFQ) for final disposition of unclaimed or abandoned bodies. The county anticipates handling approximately 55 decedents annually and requires a vendor capable of providing 24/7 body retrieval, storage, preparation, and disposition services. Preferred disposition methods include cremation, burial, or alkaline hydrolysis, with specific pricing requirements for three age categories: up to 1 year old, 1-11 years old, and 12 years or older. Vendors must be licensed by the North Carolina Board of Funeral Service and capable of retrieving bodies within 7 calendar days of notification. The maximum allowable rate is $900 per disposition, which must cover professional license fees, transportation, death certificate filing, and all preparation and disposition costs. Responses are due by February 28, 2025, before 2:00pm EST, with questions accepted until February 10, 2025. An optional vendor meeting and demonstration is scheduled for March 16, 2025, and the initial contract term is one year with potential for two additional one-year renewals.

The RFQ includes specific Business Diversity & Inclusion (BDI) Program requirements designed to promote participation of minority-owned and women-owned businesses. While no specific set-aside percentages are explicitly stated, the county appears to encourage diverse vendor participation. The procurement does not mention incumbent vendors or existing technological infrastructure requirements. Cemetery plot costs and urns are explicitly excluded from the $900 per disposition rate. Vendors must provide comprehensive pricing for all three disposition methods across the specified age categories, demonstrating flexibility in service delivery. The procurement appears to be open to qualified funeral service providers who can meet the strict licensing, operational, and documentation requirements outlined in the RFQ. The total annual budget for these services can be estimated at approximately $49,500, based on the maximum rate of $900 multiplied by the anticipated 55 decedents per year.