DATE: March 24, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Margaret Mims, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
SUBJECT: Retroactive Agreement with Fresno Cremation Company for Cremation Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Agreement with Fresno Cremation Company for cremation services, effective October 1, 2019, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $270,000.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The item, if approved, will provide necessary cremation services used by the Sheriff’s Coroner Division. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Non-approval of the recommended agreement would cause a disruption in the ability of the Coroner Division to offer cremation services for residents throughout Fresno County since the current agreement expired on September 30, 2019.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
This agreement is retroactive to October 1, 2019. The RFQ was issued on September 27, 2019 and an addendum added on October 8, 2019 with a closure date of October 17, 2019. The tentative award notice went out on November 5, 2019 with a one-week time frame for vendors to dispute the Department’s decision, which ended on November 15, 2019. The final agreement was signed on February 25, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum cost associated with this agreement is $162,000 for the three-year period of October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2022. If the options are exercised for years four and five, the maximum costs per year will be $54,000 with a five-year maximum of $270,000. Actual expenditures for decedent removal services will be determined by the number of cremations, age of cremated and type of service required. The estimated cost of cremations for FY 2019-20 are estimated to be $50,000 not to exceed the maximum of $54,000 (for October 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020) and sufficient appropriations are included in the Department’s FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget for Org 3111 for this purpose. Sufficient appropriations will also be included in all applicable subsequent budget requests. There are no pending invoices to be paid with this retroactive agreement.
DISCUSSION:
On June 26, 2014, Purchasing approved a procurement agreement with Smith Community Funeral Homes, Inc. for a maximum of $96,000 for cremation services, not to exceed five consecutive years. This agreement was executed before the merger of the Coroner into the Sheriff’s Office.
On September 27, 2019, a Request for Quotation (RFQ) was issued by Internal Services- Purchasing Division for the purpose of soliciting bids to provide cremation services for the Sheriff’s Office. Three responses were received and reviewed by the Sheriff’s Office. Fresno Cremation Company, dba Chapel of the Light, met all the requirements/qualifications outlined in the RFQ and was the lowest bidder. Therefore, the Department is recommending Fresno Cremation Company for cremation services.
The County estimates about 140 cremations annually. The contractor of these cremation services, as covered by the recommended agreement, is responsible for the transportation of decedent from the morgue to their location and filing death certificates and burial permits for county cremations; cremating the decedent within the state mandated time to perform the service; and insuring all cremated remains are properly boxed and labeled. The contractor is also responsible for the scattering of cremains if authorized by Coroner, as well as the shipment of cremains to a designated location authorized by the Coroner with pre-printed cremation authorization forms. In addition, the contractor will provide detailed billings that includes decedent’s name, date of cremation and Coroner’s case number. They will also provide suitable containers for cremated remains.
The recommended agreement will be effective October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2022 with the option to extend the term of agreement for two additional one-year periods upon thirty days advance written notice under the same terms and conditions. Consistent with Board direction, the agreement includes delegation of authority to the Sheriff or designee to execute both optional extensions on behalf of the County based on the contractor meeting performance standards.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with the Clerk - Agreement with Fresno Cremation Company.
CAO ANALYST:
Jeannie Z. Figueroa