Special Notice / Hearing: None
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Robert J. Foucrault, Coroner
Subject: Forensic Pathology Services Master Service Agreement
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the Coroner, or designee(s), to execute agreements and/or amendments with each contractor listed in Attachment A to provide as-needed forensic pathology services for the term of August 2, 2022 through June 30, 2025 in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,827,280, and granting a waiver of the competitive bidding process for the provision of the above forensic pathology services pursuant to County Ordinance Code Section 2.83.050(e).
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BACKGROUND:
The Coroner's Office is required by statute to investigate and determine the cause and manner of death in all violent, sudden, or unusual deaths in the County of San Mateo. To carry-out this statutory duty, the Coroner's Office contracts with forensic pathologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Medicine, of which there are currently fewer than 500 practicing full-time in the entire United States.
The need for reliable on-call forensic pathology services is critical, as the recognized industry standard for completion of all autopsies is within 24 hours of the death, a standard that, in certain circumstances, becomes even more pressing, such as in cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, suspected homicides, and where religio-cultural practices require burial in less than 24 hours. Further, since November 2019, the Coroners' Office has been accredited by the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IAC&ME), which, in order to maintain accreditation, requires the Coroner's Office to complete all autopsy reports within 90 calendar days of the autopsy having been conducted.
Over the course of the past two-plus years the Coroner's Office has encountered significant difficulties in recruiting and retaining Board-certified forens...
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