Funeral and related services

Tender description

Devon County Council on behalf of Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay is the responsible Authority and is therefore carrying out the tender process on behalf of the relative H.M. Coroners. This Framework Agreement is to be awarded to allow the efficient, timely and professional removal of bodies to the Coroner's chosen destination, both within the Exeter and Greater Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay areas and may also include when required long distance transfers within the UK. Each authority or organisation will take full liability and responsibility (including contract management) for any contracts they form under this Framework Agreement. The Framework Agreement will be formed between Devon County Council acting for and on behalf of Somerset County Council, Plymouth City Council and Torbay Council who will utilize the arrangement from Contract award. Cornwall Council may access the Framework at any point throughout the lifetime of this Framework. Specific underlying contracts for the delivery of the services under this Framework Agreement will then be formed directly between each user authority and the successful provider following call-off. Each authority or organisation will take full liability and responsibility (including contract management) for any contracts they form under this Framework Agreement The work specified is broken down into the three (3) requirements to undertake body collection services on behalf of HM Coroner in Exeter and Greater Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay. Requirement 1 — Body Transfer from Scene to Mortuary; Requirement 2 — Transfer from Mortuary to destination outside zones; Requirement 3 — Support to the Councils in the case of mass-fatalities. It is intended that each lot in this framework agreement will be let to 1 or up to 3 suppliers with the exception of Lot 10 intending up to 4 suppliers. The work specified within this tender has been split into Zone based Lots, with: Devon County Council — Lots 1, 2 and 3: A maximum of 3 suitably experienced suppliers per geographical Lot, who will be ranked according to highest overall scorer in the evaluations. The highest scoring provider will be the Primary provider for that geographical zone with the other successful providers within the Lot being the alternative (according to rank) if the primary provider is unable to provide the service. These Lots will be managed by Devon County Council in partnership with H. M. Coroner's Officer for Devon. Somerset Council — Lots 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8: A maximum of 3 suitably experienced suppliers per geographical Lot, who will be ranked according to highest overall scorer in the evaluations. The highest scoring provider will be the Primary provider for that geographical zone with the other successful providers within the Lot being the alternative (according to rank) if the primary provider is unable to provide the service. These Lots will be managed by Somerset County Council in partnership with H. M. Coroner's Officer for Somerset. Plymouth City Council — Lot 9: The council seeks to appoint only a single (1) supplier who will provide services across the 3 geographical zones. This will be based on the highest combined score on all 3 Zones 9a, 9b and 9c based on price and quality. This Lot will be managed by Plymouth City Council in partnership with H. M. Coroner's Officer for Plymouth. Torbay Council — Lots 10, 11 and 12: A maximum of 4 for suitably experienced suppliers for Lot 10. And a maximum of 3 suitably experienced suppliers per lot for Lots 11 and 12 will be appointed. Suppliers will not be ranked, as the Coroner's Officer (for Torbay) will set up an annual rolling Rota for each Lot, to include all of the successful suppliers. Each supplier will be on call for 1 calendar month at a time. The total number of months during a year will be determined by the number of suppliers on each Lot. Where the allocated supplier for any given month is unable to provide the service on an individual occasion the service provision will be offered to the supplier who is rotated for the following month and so on, until the work is allocated. Applicants should note that call-offs from the Rota are undertaken on a day-to-day basis by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary Control Room. These Lots will be managed by Torbay Council in partnership with H. M. Coroner's Officer for Torbay. Authorities named within this tender can call-off from any neighbouring geographic Zones if there is a requirement, if all named providers for that Lot are not able to provide the service in the required time. The cost for any call-off for collection into neighbouring Zones will be at the cost of the nearest allocated geographic Zone. The following will be the main receiving mortuary for the specific lot unless otherwise directed by the Coroner or Police Control Centre. Lot Number Area: Designated Mortuary: 1: North West Devon, North Devon District Hospital; 2: Mid and South Devon, North Devon District Hospital; 3: Exeter and East Devon Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital; 4: Taunton Deane, Musgrove Park Hospital; 5: Sedgemoor, Musgrove Park Hospital; 6: South Somerset, Yeovil District Hospital; 7: West Somerset, Musgrove Park Hospital; 8: Mendip, Royal United Hospital, Bath; 9: Plymouth City boundary, Plymouth Middle District, Outer Area of the Plymouth, and South West Coroner's District, Derriford Hospital; 10: Torbay Boundary, Torbay Hospital; 11: Teignbridge Area, Torbay Hospital; 12: South Hams Area, Torbay Hospital. Additional information relating to this procurement is available within the tender documents. These can be accessed from www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk