Care and Disposition of Remains - Army Publishing Directorate ...

Chapter 5
Obtaining Mortuary Services
Section I
Mortuary Services
5–1. General
a. Mortuary services. Mortuary services as used in this regulation generally consist of removal of remains from
place of death, services and supplies required for preparation of remains (restorative art, embalming, and so forth),
casket, cremation, cremation urn, outer shipping container, and delivery of remains to common carrier. Removal of
remains from one establishment to another is authorized when such removal will be advantageous to the Government;
this is provided that such removal would not constitute a breach of contract for mortuary services.
b. Authority. Mortuary services will be obtained only by contracting officials or their designated representatives. The
CAC’s mortuary affairs representatives should be appointed as duly appointed ordering officers (Federal Acquisition
Regulation) and as contracting officer representatives (Department of Defense FAR Supplement) for indefinite delivery-indefinite
quantity requirements contracts. As necessary, CAC personnel should receive the appropriate training and
be authorized to make one time purchase orders for mortuary services.
c. Limitation of mortuary services contract. Mortuary service contracts are commercial service contracts that do not
exceed the simplified acquisition threshold. Mortuary service contracts will not normally exceed the micro purchase
threshold when only the services prescribed by paragraph 5–3 are purchased.
d. Hours of availability of contract support. The CAC commanders will ensure that contracting support is available
during duty hours, non-duty hours, weekends, and holidays. Contracting support must be responsive and timely to
ensure the prompt processing of remains.
e. Contract copy. The CAC will forward, within 45 days of the purchase date, conforming copies of the contract,
contract funeral home’s general price list (GPL) and casket price list (CPL), and payment documents to the CDR,
PERSCOM (TAPC–PED–D). The contract funeral home’s standard contract may be used when obtaining mortuary
services.
f. Unauthorized commitment. Mortuary affairs personnel will ensure that they do not make unauthorized commitments
as defined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation. In the event that an unauthorized commitment is made by
Army personnel, CAC personnel will not pay the unauthorized commitment before the ratification process as prescribed
by the Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Department of Defense FAR Supplement is complete. Ratification
documentation will be submitted with the contract documents to the CDR, PERSCOM (TAPC–PED–D).
5–2. Methods of contracting mortuary services
Contracting personnel should select contract methods that maximize flexibility, responsiveness, and economy. The use
of indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity requirements contracts, Blanket Purchase Agreements, and purchase orders,
citing the specifications at appendices C–H, are appropriate means responding to mortuary service requirements.
5–3. Mortuary services contracts
The purpose of the Army’s mortuary service contract is to prepare, casket, and ship the remains to the place designated
by the PADD. A mortuary service contract should specifically identify the services and merchandise required by the
Government. The contract should not include services or merchandise that are not required by the Government or are
reimbursable to the PADD as a funeral or interment expenses. The contracting officer must obtain the selected funeral
provider’s general price list (GPL) and casket price list (CPL) before entering into the mortuary service contract.
a. Authorized services. A mortuary service contract includes only those services and merchandise necessary to
prepare and transport the remains to the place designated by the PADD. The services and merchandise provided by the
contractor must comply with the established armed service specifications. The specifications for the preparation of
remains, caskets, and cremation urns are found in appendixes C through G.
(1) Normally it is to the Army’s advantage to contract for the minimal service for forwarding of remains or minimal
service for direct cremation of remains mortuary service packages. The minimal service for forwarding of remains is a
predetermined mortuary service package offered by the funeral service provider for preparing and transferring remains
to a receiving funeral home. The minimal service for direct cremation of remains is a predetermined mortuary service
for the cremation of remains. The mortuary services offered in these packages varies among funeral providers.
Mortuary service providers are required to offer both minimal service packages by Federal Trade Commission Rule
453.
(2) The mortuary services that are normally included in the minimal service for forwarding of remains are;
professional services of the funeral director and staff, transfer of remains to funeral home in a service vehicle, hearse
for transport to a common carrier or receiving funeral home, embalming, and other preparation of remains (such as
restorative art). Itemized merchandise that should be included in a mortuary service contract that is not normally
included in the minimal service for forwarding of remains are casket and air tray.
32 AR 638–2 22 December 2000