To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sheriff’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Sheriff Eddie Engram, 707-565-2781, Sadie Benson, 707-565-3922
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Agreement for Body Removal Services
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Sheriff to execute an Agreement with NorthBay Mortuary Services, LLC for the term of July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2029, with the option to extend for two additional one-year terms for a total not to exceed contract cost of $1,250,000.
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Executive Summary:
California Government Code Section 27491 mandates that the Coroner shall investigate circumstances, manner, and cause of death for deceased persons in Sonoma County. To make these determinations, the Sheriff’s Office removes deceased persons from the location of death and transports them to the Central Morgue Facility. Body removal services are provided by contracted vendors who are authorized to operate in the State of California. This Agreement for Body Removal Services submitted to the Board for approval will ensure uninterrupted provision of mandated services.
Discussion:
Pursuant to California Government Code Section 27491, when a death occurs in Sonoma County, the Sheriff’s Office is required to remove the deceased from the place of death and transport them to the Central Morgue Facility in Santa Rosa, as directed by Coroner Bureau Investigators. If a Sonoma County resident dies outside the county under circumstances that may involve future prosecution, the County may arrange for transport of the deceased to the Morgue for autopsy. The County is also responsible for indigent burial cases and, when necessary, for transporting the remains of county residents back to Sonoma County. All removals must be conducted professionally, with appropriate consideration for the decedent’s family and friends who may be present.
Since 1989, Sonoma County has contracted vendors for transport services for deceased persons. There has been an average of 460 body removals per fiscal year, over the past three fiscal years.
A Request For Proposal (RFP) for body removal services was issued in January 2026. One vendor, NorthBay Mortuary, submitted a proposal in response to the RFP. The evaluation of the proposal by a committee consisting of personnel from the Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Health Services considered criteria such as the ability to perform body removal services as defined in the RFP and demonstrated history of providing similar services to comparable entities to ensure the proposal met the requirements of the RFP.
NorthBay Mortuary Services, LLC has a proven track record of delivering high-quality body removal services to local mortuaries and law enforcement agencies and has served as the Sheriff’s Office’s provider since 2016. Their locally based staff possess extensive experience in Sonoma County and are well-versed in the operations of the Coroner Bureau and Central Morgue Facility. Based on these qualifications, the evaluation committee determined NorthBay Mortuary remains the best fit for the County.
The recommended not-to-exceed amount of $1,250,000 for the total contract term, including possible extensions, is slightly higher than the estimated annual contract costs to allow flexibility in case of any unforeseen circumstance, such as natural disasters, that may require additional services.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
The Board has approved Agreements and Amendments for body removal services since 2001, most recently on May 11, 2021.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$204,123 |
$194,626 |
$200,465 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$204,123 |
$194,626 |
$200,465 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
$204,123 |
$194,626 |
$200,465 |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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General Fund Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$204,123 |
$194,626 |
$200,465 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Body removal services are an annual Sheriff’s Office operating expense. The expenditure for body removals for the past three fiscal years and an estimated expenditure for the current fiscal year have averaged $174,000 per year. The Sheriff’s Office FY 25-26 Adopted Budget and FY 26-27 Recommended Budget both include funds for body removal services. No additional General Fund support is requested at this time.
The FY 25-26 Adopted Budget for body removal services was derived from the estimated number of removals (498) and current contracted vendor rates. The estimated number of removals was calculated using the FY 21-22, FY 22-23 and FY 23-24 actual and FY 24-25 projected removals. As of April 2026, removals are projecting closer to 444 accounting for a decrease in expenditure. The FY 26-27 estimate is 461, utilizing the same methodology as the FY 25-26 Adopted Budget. The estimated corresponding expense utilizes the current rate and includes a 3% cost increase which was assessed in preparation for the RFP.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
There are no staffing impacts associated with this Agreement.
Attachments:
Agreement for Body Removal Services.
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A