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sr-121410-3nCity Council Meeting: December 14, 2010 Agenda Item: J' N To: Mayor and City Council From: .Susan Cline, Acting Director of Public Works Subject: City of Santa Monica Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary - Embalming and Decedent Care Contract, and Decedent Transportation and Cremation Contract. Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council: 1. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Snyder's Embalming Service, a California-based company, for an amount not to exceed $100,000 for embalming and decedent care services at City of Santa Monica Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary for a period of 18 months, with an option to extend the contract annually fora 12-month term for up to five years. 2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Southwest Mortuary Services, Inc., aCalifornia-based company, for an amount not to exceed $100,000 for transportation of decedents and cremation services at City of Santa Monica Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary for an amount not to exceed $100,000, for a period of 18 months, with an option to extend the contract annually for a 12-month term for up to five years. Executive Summary The Cemetery Business. Plan Amendment approved by Council on April 27, 2010, includes the addition of mortuary services as part of the strategy for Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary to achieve financial sustainability. The addition of mortuary services at Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary provides the community with the convenience of arranging for end of life services, including embalming and cremation, at one location. Snyder's Embalming Service is recommended to provide embalming services for a contract amount not to exceed $100,000. Southwest Mortuary Services, Inc. is recommended to provide decedent transportation and cremation services for a contract amount not exceed $100,000. Discussion The embalming and decedent care facility at Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary is currently under construction. It is anticipated that Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary will begin offering mortuary services in spring 2011 once the facility is completed 1 and the mortuary license has been issued. Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary must have the ability to respond around the clock to any location when a death occurs to transport decedents from their place of death to Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary and provide embalming, cremation and other related services. Staff has determined that contracting for embalming, decedent transportation and cremation services would be the most cost effective option of providing these services at this time. Contractor Selection On August 8, 2010, the City published notices inviting bids to provide embalming services. Bid forms were posted on Planet Bids and notices advertised in accordance with City Charter and Municipal Code provisions. Three prospective contractors made requests for the bid documents. Two of the three submitted formal bids; the third withdrew. Bidder Bid Amount Snyder's Embalming Service $240/decedent Session Embalming Services,. LLC $450/decedent Bids were evaluated based on vendor interviews which covered aspects of vendor's ability to meet specifications, competitive pricing, response time, experience, staffing, and references. Based on these criteria, staff recommends Snyder's Embalming Service to provide embalming services for Woodlawn Cemetery, Mausoleum and Mortuary. Section 2.24.080 (b) of the Santa Monica Municipal Code allows exception to competitive bidding when goods or services have been competitively bid by another federal, state, or county agency. Staff recommends Southwest Mortuary Services, Inc. as a sole source provider for decedent transportation and cremation services as it has been previously competitively bid by several other governmental agencies including Orange County Coroner's Office, San Bernardino County Coroner's Office, and Riverside County Coroner's Office. Southwest Mortuary Services is the only vendor in Southern California that provides both decedent transport. and cremation services. The price ($295/decedent) quoted for the City of Santa Monica is consistent with that provided to the aforementioned governmental agencies. 2 Financial Impacts & Budget Actions Each of these contracts are "flow through" as the City's expenses are immediately recovered from the client families during the funeral arrangement conference. The charges are based upon a "per decedent" charge from the vendor. The contract to be awarded to Snyder's Embalming Service is not to exceed $100,000. It is projected that the mortuary will serve approximately 75 decedent families through the period ending June- 30, 2011. It is estimated that the embalming contract expenses for the initial budget phase of the contract ending June 30, 2011 will be approximately $18,000. Funds in the amount of $18,000 for the initial phase of the contract are available in account number 37641.556100 Embalming and .Decedent Care. The contract to be awarded to Southwest Mortuary Services is not to exceed $100,000. It is estimated that the decedent transportation and cremation services contract expenses for the initial budget phase of the contract ending June 30, 2011 will be approximately $23,000 based on the number of decedents projected to be cared for during this time frame. Funds in the amount of $23,000 for the initial phase of the contract are available in account number 37641.556110 Decedent Transportation and Cremation. Budget authority for subsequent years will be requested in each annual budget cycle for Council approval. Prepared by: Virgil A. County, Cemetery Administrator Forwarded to Council: r Rod Gould G City Manager 3 Acting Director of Public Works Reference Contract Nos. 9305 (CCS) and 9306 (ccs) .