PL0061 Body Removal and Storage Procurement

The Council is responsible for providing the Coroner Service for the Essex Coroner Area which includes the administrative areas of Essex County Council and the two unitary authorities (Thurrock Council and Southend City Council).

The H.M. Coroner has a duty to investigate the death where the Coroner has reason to suspect that

(i) the deceased died a violent or unnatural death;

(ii) the cause of death is unknown; or

(iii) the deceased died while in custody or otherwise in state detention.


Where such a death occurs in the community, the H.M. Coroner may order the body to be removed to any suitable Storage Location. In the majority of cases the Storage Location will be a Hospital Mortuary or Funeral Director, however other Storage Locations will also be used as required to meet demand.

In the majority of cases a Police Officer will instruct the Contractor to collect and remove the body, however on occasions this instruction may also be received from H.M. Coroner or a Coroner’s Officer.

This procurement is seeking suppliers to deliver body removal and body storage solutions. This specification sets out the requirements for both using the following lots :-

PL0061 BODY REMOVAL & STORAGE – Lot 1 Area 1
PL0061 BODY REMOVAL & STORAGE – Lot 1 Area 2
PL0061 BODY REMOVAL & STORAGE – Lot 1 Area 3
PL0061 BODY REMOVAL & STORAGE – Lot 1 Area 4
PL0061 BODY REMOVAL & STORAGE – Lot 1 Area 5
PL0061 BODY REMOVAL & STORAGE – Lot 1 Area 6

PL0061 BODY STORAGE – Lot 2 Area 1
PL0061 BODY STORAGE – Lot 2 Area 2
PL0061 BODY STORAGE – Lot 2 Area 3
PL0061 BODY STORAGE – Lot 2 Area 4
PL0061 BODY STORAGE – Lot 2 Area 5
PL0061 BODY STORAGE – Lot 2 Area 6

This contract is being procured for the initial period from 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2026. The Authority may at its sole discretion extend the Contract Term by such period as it may specify in written notice given not less than 3 months’ prior to the expiry of the Contract Term (as extended from time to time) and may do so on as many occasions as it shall think fit provided that such extensions shall not exceed 36 months in total.

All the requirements under this contract will be required to be delivered 24 hours per day, 7 days a week for 52 weeks of the year.