FANNIN COUNTY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP # 2025-003 TRANSPORT AND MORTUARY SERVICES FOR HUMAN REMAINS

Solicitation ID:

2025-003

Status:

Posted

Contact Name:

Julie Criswell

Contact Number:

(903) 583-7451

Contact Email:

jcriswell@fanninco.net

Response Due Date:

7/15/2025

Response Due Time:

3:00 PM

Agency/Texas SmartBuy Member Number:

C0740

Posting Requirement:

Emergency (Less than 14 days) or Procurement Under 25,000

Solicitation Posting Date:

7/3/2025

Last Modified:

7/3/2025 6:46 pm

Class/Item Code:

95264-Mortuary And Funeral (Including Crematory Services);
57864-Recycling and Refurbishing Equipment, Machines, and Supplies;
41042-Mortuary Furniture: Autopsy Tables, Cadaver Tables, Refrigerators, Etc.;
46561-Mortuary And Morgue Equipment And Supplies: Embalming Fluid, Embalming Pumps, Injectors, Etc. (See 410-42 For Furniture; 475-73 For Cadaver Bags And Shrouds; 495-82 For Scales);

Theenclosed REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL and accompanying SPECIFICATIONS are for yourconvenience in submitting an offer for the enclosed referenced TRANSPORT andMORTUARY SERVICES FOR HUMAN REMAINS.

----------------------

TheCommissioners Court of Fannin County, TX reserves the right to accept or rejectany/or all proposals as it shall deem to be in the best interest of FanninCounty. Receipt of any proposalshall under no circumstances obligate Fannin County to accept the lowestproposal . The award of the contract or contractsshall be made to one or more responsible contractor or contractors whoseproposal is determined to be the most attractive to Fannin County, resultingfrom negotiation, taking into consideration the relative importance of priceand other evaluation factors set forth in the request for proposal.

Proposals shall include this RFP and alladditional documents submitted. Eachproposal shall be placed in a separate sealed envelope, manually signed in inkby a person having the authority to bind the firm in a contract and markedclearly on the outside as outlined below.

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

One(1) original and three (3) copies of all proposal documents shall be sealed andsubmitted as contractor's response to:

FANNIN COUNTY

PURCHASING AGENT

JULIE CRISWELL

101 E. SAM RAYBURN DR.

SUITE 313

BONHAM, TX 75418

(903) 583-0054

SUBMITTALS MUST BEFILED IN THE COUNTY PURCHASING AGENT OFFICE BEFORE 3:00 PM TUESDAY, JULY 15,2025

Label envelope: RFP # 2025-003 TRANSPORT and MORTUARY SERVICES

SUBMITTALS SHALL BEOPENED AT 3:15 PM TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2025 IN THE FANNIN COUNTY PURCHASINGAGENT’S OFFICE, 101 E. SAM RAYBURN DR. SUITE 313, BONHAM, TX 75418

SELECTION AND AWARD PROCESS

FanninCounty uses a two-step process for the final selection or selections for awardingthe Janitorial service proposal.

Step 1 consists ofa Qualifications package to be submitted by Janitorial companies interested inbeing considered. The County may selectup to three (3) short-listed companies based on evaluation of the writtenmaterials submitted. Short-listedcompanies may be asked to submit additional information.

Step 2 consists ofthe election of one or more finalist following interviews with the short-listedcompanies. The County initiatesnegotiations with the selected company or companies. If negotiations are unsuccessful, the Countyenters in to the process with the next highest ranked short-listed company. Any contract is subject to the approval ofthe Commissioners Court.

NO INDIVIDUAL OF ANY COUNTY DEPARTMENTHAS THE AUTHORITY TO LEGALLY AND/OR FINANCIALLY COMMIT THE COUNTY TO ANYCONTRACT, AGREEMENT OR PURCHASE ORDER FOR GOODS OR SERVICES, UNLESSSPECIFICALLY SANCTIONED BY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL .

ADDENDA TO THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Requestsfor interpretations and clarifications of the RFP may only be made in writing.All requests must be submitted in writing to Julie Criswell, Purchasing Agent, atjcriswell@fanninco.net.

Itshall be the responsibility of each vendor, prior to submitting the competitiveproposal, to check the website to confirm if addenda were issued and to makesuch addenda a part of the competitive proposal.

LATEPROPOSALS

Proposalsreceived in the Purchasing Office after submission deadline shall be returnedunopened and will be considered void and unacceptable. Fannin County is not responsible for latenessof mail, carrier, etc., and time/date stamp in the Purchasing Office shall bethe official time of receipt.

ALTERING PROPOSALS

Anyinterlineation, alteration, or erasure made before receiving time must beinitialed by the signer of the proposal, guaranteeing authenticity.

WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

Aproposal may not be withdrawn or cancelled by the contractor for a period ofninety (90) days following the date designated for the receipt of proposal, andcontractors so agree upon submittal of their proposal.

PROPOSAL OPENING

Proposalswill be received and publicly acknowledged at the location, date, and timestated above. Contractors, theirrepresentatives, and interested persons may be present. The proposals shall be received andacknowledged so as to avoid disclosure of the contents to competing contractorsand kept secret during negotiations. Allproposals shall be open for public inspection after the contract is awarded,except for trade secrets and confidential information contained in the proposaland identified by contractor as such.

SALES TAX

FanninCounty, Texas is by statute exempt from the state sales tax and federal excisetax; therefore, the proposal price shall not include taxes.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Nopublic official or Fannin County employee shall have interest in this contract,in accordance with Vernon, Texas Codes Annotated, Local Government Codes Title5, Submitted C, Chapter 171.

INTRODUCTION

Fannin County is soliciting sealedproposals from qualified vendors for Transport and Mortuary services for humanremains.

Services will include, but arenot limited to, removal, transportation, storage, and otherrelated tasks as specified in this Request for Proposals (RFP).This RFP is part of a competitive procurement process designedto ensure all qualified Vendors have a fair and equal opportunity toparticipate. While pricing will be considered, it will not be the soledetermining factor; the County reserves the right to negotiate termsthat provide the best overall value. The County may awardcontracts to one or more Vendors, and if multiple contractsare awarded, a rotation schedule will be implemented to ensureequitable distribution of services. All services must be performedexclusively by employees of the awarded Vendor(s); subcontractingis strictly prohibited.

SCHEDULE FOR SELECTION PROCESS

The following projected dates are set forth for yourknowledge and understanding:

· FanninCounty begins the RFP Process on July 1st, 2025

· Writtenquestions must be directed to Julie Criswell at jcriswell@fanninco.net . Questions related todefinitions or interpretations of the RFP must be submitted in writing on orbefore July 11, 2025

· Proposalsare due no later than July 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM

· Proposalswill be opened July 15, 2025 at 3:15 PM

· AScreening Committee will meet with candidates July 29, 2025 at 2:30 PM andthe Commissioners Court will follow up with the Screening Committees decisionno later than August 5, 2025.

RIGHT OF COUNTY TOCANCEL REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, TO ELECT NOT TO AWARD, TO REJECT SUBMITTALS, ANDTO WAIVE INFORMALITIES OR IRREGULARITES

I. PROPOSAL TERMS

· The CommissionersCourt of Fannin County reserves the right to reject any and all proposalsreceived as a result of this RFP. If oneor more proposals are selected, it will be the most advantageous regardingprice, quality of service, the independent contractor's qualifications, andcapabilities to provide the specified service, and other factors, which may beconsidered in the best interest of the County. The County does not intend to award a contract fully based on anyresponse made to the proposal. The Countyreserves the right to consider proposals for modifications at any time before acontract would be awarded, and negotiations would be undertaken with theindependent contractor or contractors whose proposal is deemed to best meet theCounty’s specifications and needs.

· Proposalsmust be signed by an official authorized to bind the independent contractor toits provisions for a period of no less than (90) days. Failureof the successful bidder to accept the obligation of the contract may result inthe cancellation of any award.

· Inthe event it becomes necessary to revise any part of the RFP, addenda will beprovided. The deadline for submission ofproposals may be adjusted to allow for revisions. To be considered, the entire proposaldocument, with any amendments, should be returned by the specified date, timeand method identified on page 1 of this document.

· Proposalsshould be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward, concisedescription of the independent contractor's ability to meet the requirements ofthe RFP. Proposals shall be written inink or typewritten. No erasures arepermitted. Mistakes may be crossed outand corrected and must be initialed in ink by the person signing the proposal.

· Theprice quotations from the contractor stated in this proposal will not besubject to any price increase from the closing date of this RFP to the mutuallyagreed to date of contract. It is anticipated that if a contract is awarded forthese services that services will begin on July 1, 2025.

· FanninCounty reserves the right to increase or decrease the amount of janitorialservices based upon annual budget constraints with fifteen (15) days’ notice.

· Fannin County reserves the right to award a separatecontract to separate vendors for each item/group or to award one or more contractfor the entire RFP.

· During the contract term Fannin County reserves the rightto add or remove locations as determined necessary by the County with fifteen (15)days’ notice. If locations are modified the contract pricing may be adjustedaccordingly.

II. PROPOSAL SPECIFICATIONS

Please provide the following information asattachments:

· Independentcontractor’s qualifications

· Yearsin business

· Experienceproviding the level and type of service specified in the RFP.

· Signed andnotarized Proposal Affidavit

· CompletedProposal Response Form

·

· Copy of LicensedFuneral Director’s License

· Copy ofMortuary/Storage Facility License

· Three (3) currentreferences of Transport and Mortuary Service agreements covering similarservices listed in the proposal. Include company name, contact name, phonenumber and email address.

Note: Government references arepreferred.

III. EVALUATIONCRITERIA

The following criteria will be usedby some County employees to evaluate the proposals and make a selection:

v 30% Qualifications & Experience

v 25% Service Approach

v 25% Cost & Value

v 10% References & Past Performance

v 10% Licenses & Compliance

County staff may choose to meet with the top-ratedofferors. Any additional informationrequested shall be considered as part of the proposal and evaluated assuch. Fannin County reserves the rightto negotiate a best and final offer with the selected vendor.

IV. STANDARD CONTRACT PROVISIONS

Should a contract be awarded, the selected contractor orcontractors will be required to adhere to a set of general contract provisionsthat will become a part of any formal agreement. The following is a summary ofthe general terms and contract provisions that apply to all independentcontractors of service to Fannin County.

A. GENERAL TERMS – INDEPENDENTCONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The independent contractor is to report to the County’sdesignated representative and will cooperate and confer with him/her asnecessary to insure satisfactory work progress.

2. All reports, estimates, memoranda and documents submittedby the independent contractor must be dated and bear the independentcontractor's name and be submitted to the County’s designated representative.

3. All reports made in connection with these services aresubject to review and final approval by the County’s designated representative.

4. The County may review and inspect the independentcontractor's activities during the term of this contract.

5. If applicable, the independent contractor shall submit afinal, written report to the County’s designated representative.

6. After reasonable notice to the independent contractor, theCounty may review any of the independent contractor's internal records,reports, or insurance policies.

7. The independent contractor will provide the requiredservices personally and will not subcontract or assign the services without theCounty’s prior written approval.

8. The independent contractor will not hire any Countyemployee for any of the required services without the County’s prior writtenapproval.

9. All employees hired bythe independent contractor must pass a background check before completing anyscope of work for the county.

10. TheIndependent contractor has the right to hire employees as needed. Each employee’slegal name, address and driver’s license number must be submitted to the CountyJudge where a criminal background check will be completed prior to receivingaccess to any of the County’s buildings.

11. The parties agree that the independent contractor isneither an employee nor an agent of the County for any purpose.

B. INDEMNIFICATION/HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT

The contractor agrees to indemnify and save harmlessthe County and its officers and employees from all claims and liability due toactivities of itself, its agents, or employees, performed under this contractand which are caused by or result from error, omission, or negligent act of theProvider or of any person employed by the contractor. The contractor shall also indemnify and saveharmless the County from any and all expense, including, but not limited to,attorney fees which may be incurred by the County in litigation or otherwiseresisting said claim or liabilities which may be imposed on the County as aresult of such activities by the contractor or its employees. The contractor further agrees to indemnifyand save harmless the County from and against all claims, demands, and causesof action of every kind and character brought by any employee of the contractoragainst the County due to personal injuries and/or death to such employeeresulting from any alleged negligent act by either commission or omission onthe part of the contractor.

C. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

Any successful offerorshall be required to show evidence of Comprehensive General Liability Insuranceand Automobile Liability Insurance with Fannin County, Texas, listed asadditional named insured. Any successfulofferor shall also be required to carry Workers' Compensation Insurance in fullcompliance with the laws of the State of Texas.

Thesuccessful bidder shall furnish certificates of insurance as outlined below:

A. Certificates ofInsurance

1. Shall furnishcertificates of insurance issued by an insurance company authorized to dobusiness in the State of Texas and who have consistently maintained an AM BestRating of A-, A, A+ or A++ since January 1, 2003. The certificate shall provide that thecoverage not be reduced or cancelled without thirty (30) days advance writtennotice to Fannin County, Purchasing Office, 101 E. Sam Rayburn Drive, Suite 313Bonham, TX 75418.

2. The certificateof insurance and the underlying insurance policies shall name Fannin County asan additional insured.

B. Insurance PolicyLimits Requirements

1. Shall providecomprehensive general liability insurance and comprehensive automobileliability insurance, each policy having limits no less than One Million andno/100 ($1,000,000.00) Dollars per claimant / One Million and no/100 ($1,000,000.00)Dollars / per occurrence; Two Million and no/100 ($2,000,000.00) Dollarsaggregate; of Three Million and no/100 ($3,000,000.00) Dollars combined limits.

2. In addition tothe insurance policies required in Paragraph B(1), above, shall also provide anumbrella/excess liability policy of insurance with limits no less than OneMillion and no/100s ($2,000,000.00) Dollars.

C. Coverage’sRequired in Comprehensive General Liability Insurance Policies.

1. The comprehensivegeneral liability insurance policy shall include coverage for the following:

a. Premisesoperations

b. Independentcontractors

c. Products /completed operations

d. Personal injury

e. Advertisinginjury

f. Contractualliability

g. Medical payments

h. Undergroundhazard

i. Explosion andcollapse hazard

2. The comprehensivegeneral liability insurance policy shall name Fannin County as an additionalinsured.

D. CoveragesRequired in Comprehensive Automobile Liability

Thecontractor shall provide comprehensive automobile liability insurance,including coverage for loading and unloading hazards, and for owned/hired/leasedvehicles. The automobile Liability policy having limits no less than One Millionand no/100 ($1,000,000.00) Dollars.

The comprehensive automobile insurance policy shallname Fannin County as an additionalinsured.

D. BOND

Each proposer must submit a bidbond or cashier’s check for five percent (5%) of the total amount bid. Once the RFP is awarded,the successful vendor must submit a performance and/or payment bond for the full amount of the award prior tocommencement of work.”

E. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Theindependent contractor will comply with all federal, state, and localregulations, including, but not limited to, all applicable OSHA/MIOSHArequirements and the Americans with Disabilities

Act.

F. INTEREST OF INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR AND FANNINCOUNTY

Theindependent contractor promises that it has no interest that would conflictwith the performance of this contract. No officer, agency, employee of Fannin County, or member of itsgoverning body, may participate in any decision relating to this contract whichaffects his/her personal interest or the interest of any corporation,partnership or association in which he/she is directly or indirectlyinterested, or has any personal or pecuniary interest.

G. CONTINGENT FEES

Theindependent contractor promises that it has not employed or retained anycompany or person, other than bona fide employees working solely for theindependent contractor, to solicit or secure this contract, and that it has notpaid or agreed to pay any company or person, other than bona fide employeesworking solely for the independent contractor, to solicit or secure thiscontract and that it has not paid or agreed to pay any company or person, otherthan bona fide employees working solely for the contractor, any fee,commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gifts or any other considerationcontingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this contract. For breach of this promise, the County maycancel this contract without liability or, at its discretion, deduct the fullamount of the fee, commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gift, or contingentfee from the compensation due the independent contractor.

H. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Theindependent contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicantfor employment because of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, nationalorigin, physical handicap, age, height, weight, marital status, veteran status,religion or political belief (except as it relates to a bona fide occupationalqualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of thebusiness). The independent contractoragrees to post notices containing this policy against discrimination inconspicuous places available to applicants for employment and employees. All solicitations or advertisements foremployees, placed by or on behalf of the independent contractor, shall statethat all qualified applicants shall receive consideration for employmentwithout regard to race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin,physical handicap, age, height, weight, marital status, veteran status,religion, or political belief.

I. EQUAL ACCESS

Theindependent contractor shall provide the services without discrimination basedon race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, maritalstatus, physical handicap, or age.

J. OWNERSHIP OF DOCUMENTS AND PUBLICATION

As a resultof this contract, all documents developed will be freely available to thepublic; none may be copyrighted by the independent contractor. During the performance of the services, theindependent contractor will be responsible for any loss of or damage to thedocuments while they are in its possession and must restore the loss or damageat its expense. Any use of theinformation and results of this contract by the independent contractor mustreference the project sponsorship by Fannin County. Any publication of the information or resultsmust be co-authored by the County.

J. ASSIGNS & SUCCESSORS

This contractis binding on the County and the independent contractor, their successors andassigns. Neither the County nor theindependent contractor will assign or transfer its interest in this contractwithout the prior written consent of the other.

K. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT

In cases oftermination without cause, either party may terminate the contract by givingthirty (30) days written notice to the other party.

L. PAYROLL TAXES

Theindependent contractor is responsible for all applicable state and federalsocial security benefits and unemployment taxes and agrees to indemnify andprotect the County against such liability.

M. CHANGES IN SCOPE OR SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

Changesmutually agreed upon, by the County and the independent contractor will beincorporated into this contract by written amendments signed by both parties.

N. CHOICE OF LAW AND FORUM

This contractis to be interpreted by the laws of Texas. The parties agree that the proper forum for litigation arising out ofthis contract is Fannin County, Texas.

O. EXTENT OF CONTRACT

This contractrepresents the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all priorrepresentations, negotiations, or agreements, whether written or oral.

V. TERMS AND SPECIALCONDITIONS

A. TERM OF CONTRACT

The initial term of thecontract shall begin September 1, 2025 and end August 31, 2027. Upon the conclusion of this initial 12 months, the County,at its option may terminate this contract, or may choose to extend the contractfor a one (1) year period. Thereafter, the contract may be extended for all ofthe County’s facilities for three (3) additional one (1) year periods underlike terms and conditions. Notice of intent to renew would be issued in writingby Fannin County thirty (30) days prior to the expiration dates of thecontract.

B. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS