26-20-006 - IFB for Title and Escrow Services

The California Department of Housing and Community Development is soliciting fixed-price title and escrow transactional services under solicitation 26-20-006 to facilitate the assignment and transfer of local government-held loan portfolios. The scope of work involves providing services for up to 375 existing loans affecting approximately 250 individual properties, all located within the City of Lindsay, Tulare County. The contract is scheduled to begin on February 1, 2027, or upon DGS approval, with an initial term ending January 31, 2028, and options to extend for two additional twelve-month terms, not to exceed a total of three years. The agreement will be awarded to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. Evaluation factors include the bid price, with specific preferences and incentives available for certified Small Businesses and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises. Bidders must be duly licensed by the California Department of Insurance and authorized by the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation to perform title and escrow services. Key deliverables include the submission of preliminary reports in PDF format with specific document hyperlinks, with a phased delivery schedule requiring 100 reports within two weeks, another 100 within six weeks, and the remainder within ten weeks of contract execution. Administrative requirements include monthly invoicing in arrears and strict adherence to a comprehensive set of required attachments, including a cost sheet, mandatory qualifications certification, and confidentiality statement. The contract is subject to a budget contingency clause and prompt payment in accordance with the Government Code. All work is to be performed remotely during standard Pacific Time business hours.