Transport of Deceased Persons – Regional Collection Services

The TDP regional collection service is a critical function supporting the operations of CCoV and VIFM. The service ensures the safe, respectful and timely transportation of deceased persons who have been reported to the Court and require examination at VIFM. When a reportable death is referred to the Court, a transport request is issued for the collection of the deceased person from the Place of Death (POD) and transfer to the VIFM mortuary in Southbank. This activity is referred to as a Collection Service and is the most time-critical component of the TDP operating model. Timely collection is essential to support bereaved families, minimise delays at the POD, and preserve forensic and evidentiary requirements. Collection services are currently delivered through two service categories: ·        Metropolitan Collection Services – servicing metropolitan Melbourne and designated surrounding areas. ·        Regional Collection Services – servicing regional Victoria through a network of regional funeral directors and specialist transport providers. The scope of this RFQ is limited to Regional Collection Services only . Metropolitan Collection Services are not in scope for this RFQ. Once examination and coronial requirements have been completed, the deceased person is released to the family’s nominated funeral director. Where the nominated funeral director is located within metropolitan Melbourne, collection from the VIFM mortuary is arranged directly by the funeral director and is outside the scope of the TDP service. Where the deceased person is released to a funeral director located in regional Victoria, transport from the VIFM mortuary to the regional funeral director forms part of the TDP service and is referred to as Regional Repatriation Services. The current service delivery arrangements were established through a public procurement process and are due to expire in June 2027. This tender process relates to Regional Collection Services only . Objectives of this exercise are to: 1.      Obtain competitive pricing for regional deceased person collection services. 2.      Confirm Service Provider capability, capacity and geographic coverage across the nominated regions. 3.      Validate Service Providers' ability to meet the required service standards, response times and operational requirements. 4.      Identify any risks, assumptions or constraints that may affect service delivery. 5.       Inform the selection of Service Providers that provide the best value for money and quality service outcomes. For more details please refer to the RFQ documents.