MODIFICATION
Q -- MORTUARY SERVICES
- Notice Date
- 3/29/2011
- Notice Type
- Modification/Amendment
- NAICS
- 812210
— Funeral Homes and Funeral Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, Clinical Center/Office of Purchasing & Contracts, 6707 Democracy Blvd, Suite 106, MSC 5480, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-5480
- ZIP Code
- 20892-5480
- Solicitation Number
- 11-001592
- Archive Date
- 4/16/2011
- Point of Contact
- Malinda Dehner, Phone: 301-594-6320, Barbara Taylor, Phone: 301-594-5915
- E-Mail Address
-
dehnerm@cc.nih.gov, Barbara_Taylor@nih.gov
(dehnerm@cc.nih.gov, Barbara_Taylor@nih.gov)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- Total Small Business
- Description
- Amendment #1 Questions submitted by vendor for solicitation 11-001592. Answers supplied by the government. A.Base Notice/Solicitation Description Question 1.The solicitation states: The associated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 812210 with a size standard size of $7.0 Million. SBA Defines the objective for the imposition of size standards as follows: Size standards are critical in the government-contracting process because they ensure a “level playing field” for competition among small businesses of varying sizes. http://www.sba.gov/category/navigation-structure/contracting/contracting-officials/size-standards// SBA SOP 90 01 4 entitled “Size Determination Program and Review of Size Standards” (http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/serv_tools_sop_90014.pdf) defines the process of firm revenue size determination as follows: (Chapter 5, Paragraph 3, Page 29) How Do I Calculate Average Annual Receipts? You must calculate average annual receipts by using the firm’s and its affiliates’ (bold and underline provided by writer) Federal income tax returns for the last 3 completed fiscal years divided by three. Receipts mean gross or total income plus the cost of goods sold. This includes receipts from rents, fees commissions, and other income. a.Similar to the banking industry (which is used as an example in this publication), the funeral service industry is going through a transition of firm mergers, acquisitions, vertical integrations and consolidations. Will the government utilize the above SOP defined aggregate receipt total for making bid eligibility determinations for this solicitation? ANSWER: THE OFFEROR MUST BE REGISTERED IN THE CENTRAL CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION (CCR )AS A SMALL BUSINESS UNDER 812210. B.Statement of Work Questions 1.Preparation of the Body: The contractor shall pick-up the body within eight hours from the time of CC request. a.Will the government include a provision to allow the contractor to request an extension to this time period due to Acts of God (e.g., a major snowstorm in the metropolitan Washington area)? ANSWER: YES. IF THE SPECIFIED TIMEFRAME CANNOT BE MET, THE CONTRACTOR MUST INFORM THE GOVERNMENT AND REQUEST AN EXTENSION TO THE TIME PERIOD. The contractor shall complete the preparation of the body within two (2) business days from the time of CC request unless religious and/or cultural traditions dictate a shorter timeframe. b.The above statement is also included in paragraph 6 on page 2 under Scenario II.: Patient expires at the NIH Clinical Center and his/her remains are prepared and then transported to his/her home state/country. c.Does this two (2) business day timeframe apply to overseas shipments which require the contractor to contact the recipient foreign embassy to schedule casket banding by their personnel prior to shipment? ANSWER: THE SPECIFIED TIMEFRAME APPLIES, UNLESS THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE THAT TIMEFRAME IMPOSSIBLE (SUCH AS LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS). IF THE SPECIFIED TIMEFRAME CANNOT BE MET, THE CONTRACTOR MUST INFORM THE GOVERNMENT AND REQUEST AN EXTENSION TO THE TIME PERIOD. Scenario I; Patient expires at the NIH Clinical Center and mortuary services are provided in the DC Metro Area #3. Local Interment: (SOW page 2, paragraphs 3-5) there appears to be no mention of a headstone, identification or permanent gravesite marker for the deceased. d.Does the government intend that a gravesite identification marker be supplied by the contractor? ANSWER: THIS WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SOW AND HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONSIDERED. THIS MAY BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE AND MAY BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE AWARDEE. e.If a gravesite marker is required, will the government require uniform identification, i.e., that the marker be engraved with the person’s name, year of birth and year of death consistent with the cremation urn markings referenced in #4? ANSWER: THIS WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SOW AND HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONSIDERED. THIS MAY BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE AND MAY BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE AWARDEE. f.If a marker is required, what style (i.e. flat or upright, concrete or granite, size and specifications of the marker) must be supplied by the contractor and placed at the gravesite? ANSWER: THIS WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SOW AND HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY BEEN CONSIDERED. THIS MAY BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE AND MAY BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE AWARDEE. #4. Cremation (with Funeral Home Viewing Services, if requested): Disposition of unclaimed cremains: It would appear that the government would desire a procedure to treat unclaimed cremains in concert with those of a traditional body burial and also be consistent with the stated standards for polished metal etc. A government defined final disposition of all cremains is essential to relieve the contractor of the liability for final disposition or perpetual storage of the cremains g.Will the government define the final disposition of cremains in the contractor’s possession that have not been requested to be returned to the next of kin? ANSWER: YES. THE GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE REGARDING THE FINAL DISPOSITION OF CREMAINS IN THE CONTRACTOR’S POSSESSION THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REQUESTED TO BE RETURNED TO THE NEXT OF KIN TO THE AWARDEE UPON AWARD OF THE CONTRACT. h.Will the government consider it appropriate to utilize a traditional burial or columbarium (niche) placement with external memorialization that includes the person’s name, year of birth and year of death? ANSWER: NO 2.Scenario II; Patient expires at the NIH Clinical Center and his/her remains are prepared and transported to his/her home state/country: a.Same question asked in 1 c. above. ANSWER: THE SPECIFIED TIMEFRAME APPLIES, UNLESS THERE ARE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAKE THAT TIMEFRAME IMPOSSIBLE (SUCH AS LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS). IF THE SPECIFIED TIMEFRAME CANNOT BE MET, THE CONTRACTOR MUST INFORM THE GOVERNMENT AND REQUEST AN EXTENSION TO THE TIME PERIOD.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/HHS/NIH/CCOPC/11-001592/listing.html)
- Place of Performance
- Address: 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States
- Zip Code: 20892
- Zip Code: 20892
- Record
- SN02411866-W 20110331/110329234658-cae96f0950b34280025585fd02c02f16 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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