R499--Title and Closing Services for VHA-OHSU

The Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Network Contracting Office 20 (NCO 20) is conducting a market survey and is seeking potential sources for Sources sought Sources Sought Notice is issued for information and planning purposes only. This is not a solicitation or a request for proposal and shall not be construed as an obligation or commitment by the Government. An award will not be made on any offers submitted in response to this notice, and it shall not be implied the Government is committed to providing any solicitation or award following this notice. The Government will not pay for any information received in response to this request, nor will the Government compensate a respondent for any costs incurred in developing the information provided. - Responses shall be submitted to Nick Price at contact@example.gov by COB 04/22/2024 at 17:30 PST SUBJECT: RFI 36C26024Q0454 Title and Closing Services for VHA-OHSU - This notice is intended strictly for market research. The purpose of this Sources Sought Notice is to determine interest and capability of potential qualified sources of supply and determine the socioeconomic size classification of the supplier and manufacturer of the end item. - Interested companies shall provide, at a minimum, the following information with their response; - Company Name and Address: Point of Contact (POC) Name: Email Address: Phone Number: DUNS Number/UNIQUE SAM ID: Brochures of their offered equipment. - The anticipated North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) 333924 Mark if your firm is eligible for participation in one of the following small business programs. If so, please indicate the program: - [ ] yes [ ] no - Small Business (SB) - [ ] yes [ ] no - HUBZone - [ ] yes [ ] no - Small Business 8(a) - [ ] yes [ ] no - Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) - [ ] yes [ ] no - Women-Owned (WO) Small Business - [ ] yes [ ] no - Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) - [ ] yes [ ] no - Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) [ ] yes [ ] no - Large Business - [ ] yes [ ] no - Other (please specify) - - Please answer the following questions: - [ ] yes [ ] no - Does not exceed 500 employees; (for NAICS 333413) must be verifiable thru the System for Award Management) - [ ] yes [ ] no Is primarily engaged in the retail or wholesale trade and normally sells the type of item being supplied; - [ ] yes [ ] no Takes ownership or possession of the item(s) with its personnel, equipment or facilities in a manner consistent with industry practice (identify how this occurs); and - [ ] yes [ ] no Will supply the end item of a small business manufacturer, processor or producer made in the United States, or obtains a waiver of such requirement pursuant to paragraph (b)(5) CFR 121.406. - Note: Do not include Proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information in responses. - In addition to providing the information requested above, responding companies are encouraged to include any relevant information (specifications, cut sheets, brochures, capability statement, past experience etc.) to confirm the company s ability to meet the requirements outlined in this request. - Responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the U.S. Government to form a binding contract or agreement. This notice shall not be construed as a commitment by the Government to issue a solicitation, or ultimately award a contract, nor does it restrict the Government to a particular acquisition approach. The Government will in no way be bound to this information if any solicitation is issued. SOW SCOPE OF WORK TITLE SERVICES (Including Closing) Land Acquisition Due Diligence Background and Proposed Action The U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs ( VA ) intends to acquire two easements consisting of .051 acre and .048 acre along with improvements located in Portland, OR. This request is in support of a proposed construction project on the Oregon Health & Science University campus which is adjacent to the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, Multnomah County. A description of the easements is depicted on Appendix A to this SOW ( Site ). VA has entered into a property access agreement with the owner of the Site, and the Vendor will be required to comply with the terms of that agreement. VA will provide a copy of that agreement after a Notice to Proceed is issued. I. OBJECTIVE The objective of this Scope of Work (SOW) is for the Vendor to obtain title and search, and closing services related to the acquisition of a real property interest by the United States of America (acquiring agency is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs). II. TITLE A. Scope The Vendor shall coordinate and facilitate the following services in accordance with local requirements and standard practice for all activities in the scope: conducting a diligent search of land and property records, considering the character and value of the property to be acquired; obtaining and updating chain of title including copies of all instruments which created rights, interests or encumbrances on the property, legal descriptions, easement boundary and ingress/egress descriptions; furnishing and delivering Owner's Guarantee (Insurance) Policies or Certificates of Title and Continuations in the form of preliminary, interim or final policies, certificates of title, interim binders, or endorsements, as appropriate, as set forth on the Schedule to which these specifications are attached. The Vendor will perform the same services as in a commercial transaction including obtaining and recording deeds, and any necessary curative instruments to assure marketable and merchantable insurable title, at regular rates, to the property in the name of the United States of America, by and through the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in the form dictated by the Regulations of the Attorney General Governing the Review and Approval of Title for Federal Land Acquisitions (2016). A copy of the DOJ Title Standards can be reviewed through the following link: http://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/enrd/legacy/2011/03/28/2001-title-standards.pdf. The Vendor shall act as escrow agent for the closing of the transaction(s) contemplated in this SOW and shall provide closing services typically provided by title companies in commercial land sale transactions. VA may require the Vendor to enter into a separate agreement governing its role as escrow agent. Page 2 of 8 SCOPE OF WORK TITLE SERVICES (Including Closing) Land Acquisition Due Diligence The Vendor will not close any transaction or record deeds or other instruments prior to receiving notice approving such action and date from VA. Unless otherwise instructed, closing shall take place remotely, via e-mail transmission and overnight delivery. To the extent property taxes are not yet payable at the date of closing, the Vendor shall hold the seller s funds in escrow in the amount of estimated taxes due, pro-rated as of the date of closing. The Vendor shall pay the actual taxes due when they become payable and either refund the difference to the seller, or obtain additional funds from seller to cover the actual amount due. The Vendor shall also assist VA in obtaining and completing the paperwork required to register as a tax-exempt entity in the local jurisdiction. B. Standards & Responsibilities The Contractor is responsible for having current knowledge of the requirements of the local jurisdiction connection with title searches, closing real estate transactions, title clearance and all other services described herein. The title insurance company and their issuing agents must comply with the laws of the jurisdiction, including title insurance reserves requirements. The Contractor must be licensed to do title insurance business in that state and must be approved by the Insurance Commissioner. The Vendor will provide evidence of liability insurance coverage for errors and omissions in the amount of at least $1,000,000 or provide an indemnification agreement from the title insurance for which the Vendor will close the transaction(s), that is satisfactory to VA providing for reimbursement to VA for any loss caused by fraud or dishonesty, or failure by the attorneys, agents, or employees of the Vendor to comply with VA s written closing instructions. C. Deliverables The work described shall be completed and provided to VA in electronic format no later than thirty (30) calendar days following the date a notice to proceed is issued. All deliverables shall be provided by electronic transmission. The Government will not accept paper or hard-copy files. The following shall be obtained and provided to Government: 1. Vendorization and SAM Registration Within thirty (30) days of the issuance of a Notice to Proceed (NTP), the Vendor shall submit SF-3881 and register in the System for Awards Management (SAM.gov) by submitting Form VA10091 and provide proof that both items have been previously completed. 2. Title Run-Down - Immediately prior to closing, and periodically at VA s request, the Vendor shall update the title commitment and make VA aware of any new interests or other encumbrances that affect the condition of title. Page 3 of 8 SCOPE OF WORK TITLE SERVICES (Including Closing) Land Acquisition Due Diligence 3. Copies of all instruments associated with the title commitment, which created rights, interests or encumbrances on the proposed easement property, and disclose the names of each person with the interest in the property. 4. A chain of title including all deeds referenced in the chain of title going back 60 years. 5. Preliminary Title Commitment The title commitment shall commit to issuing the final title policy to the United States of America on the ALTA U.S. Policy 9-28-91 (Revised 12-3-12) forms dictated by the DOJ Title Standards, as the same may be amended or updated. The Commitment shall be delivered within fifteen (15) business days of the issuance of an NTP. 6. Where there has been a severance of the surface and subsurface of the land, the report shall include the nature of the interest severed, the name of the owner, and an address. If a severance has occurred there may be multiple acquisitions pertaining to the same tract of land. In the event the contractor has furnished a Final Policy covering acquisition of the surface owner's interest in the land, VA reserves the right to order Intermediate Policies and Final Policies covering the acquisition of the outstanding minerals underlying the same tract. The Contractor shall be paid for such Intermediate and Final Policies at the appropriate unit prices set forth in the schedule. 7. The title search contained within the Preliminary Title Commitment shall determine all owners of record, outstanding mortgages, liens, judgments or pending suits, outstanding tax claims, easements or rights of ways of any type, whether oil, gas, and mineral interests have been severed, and any other exceptions that may cloud the title of the easement to be purchased. 8. Within ten (10) business days following closing, copies of the following must be provided: a. All documents that were recorded (or a commitment from the Vendor that it will obtain copies as quickly as possible after they have been recorded) in connection with the acquisition b. An original ALTA U.S. Policy 9-28-91 (Revised 12-3-12), as the same may be updated c. An invoice covering the agreed upon costs incurred for services provided (documentation must be included), to the extent they were not paid as disbursements at closing. III. Confidentiality & Conflict of Interest - The Vendor shall sign a confidentiality agreement and will not engage a transaction in which the company, and principles, or persons working directly with the transaction, have a financial interest in the real estate contemplated herein. The Vendor shall immediately notify VA of any potential conflicts that may arise. IV. Adherence to Applicable Laws and Regulations - The Vendor agrees to comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. V. Points of Contact - The following Points of Contact are provided for completion of work respecting this SOW: Contract Administration: [Vendor to insert their contact information] Page 4 of 8 SCOPE OF WORK TITLE SERVICES (Including Closing) Land Acquisition Due Diligence VA Project Manager:VI. Project Schedule VA anticipates closing on this acquisition on on on or before best efforts , and the Vendor will assist VA in its efforts to meet that deadline.