Transportation of Cadavers

The Putnam County Board of County Commissioners is soliciting proposals for RFP 25-11, a contract for transportation of cadavers to the St. Johns County Medical Examiners Building in St. Augustine, Florida. The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to provide comprehensive transportation services, including all necessary labor, equipment, materials, and supervision for moving deceased individuals from death scenes to the medical examiner's facility for autopsies. The contract will comply with Chapter 406 and Chapter 497 of Florida Statutes, with a mandatory pre-proposal meeting held on February 21, 2025, and proposals due on March 14, 2025, at 2:00 pm EST. The initial contract term is three years (May 13, 2025 - May 12, 2028), with an option to extend for an additional three-year period. Evaluation criteria will total 100 points, with 25 points each for manpower/organization and prior experience/references, 25 points for pricing, 15 points for qualifications, and 10 points for compliance with RFP specifications. Vendors must submit one original hard copy, three duplicate copies, and a USB drive with PDF documentation.

The solicitation does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Two vendors have already submitted proposals: D.A. Boyd & Sons and Karl N. Flagg Serenity Memorial Chapel, Inc., with Flagg-Serenity Memorial Chapel currently ranked as the preferred vendor. The contract requires vendors to provide vehicles capable of transporting at least two deceased persons, personal protective equipment, and maintain a $1,000,000 general liability insurance policy. Pricing will be structured with two line items: transportation within Putnam County at $275.00 per case and transportation from outside county boundaries (up to 200 miles) at $475.00 per case. The county anticipates very few out-of-county transports, so the in-county pricing will carry the most weight in evaluation. Vendors must demonstrate the ability to respond within one hour of notification, use approved refrigeration facilities, and follow strict protocols for handling and transferring human remains, including wearing appropriate protective clothing and maintaining specific documentation standards.