SOURCES SOUGHT FOR NORTHERN FLORIDA CLOSING AGENTS

SOURCES SOUGHT ANNOUNCEMENT Document Type: Preliminary Market Research Announcement Number: DU204SB-12-R-0004S Posted: April 17, 2012 Response Date: April 25, 2012 THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION. THERE IS NO SOLICITATION AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. REQUESTS FOR A SOLICITATION WILL NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL/QUOTATION. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION/CAPABILITIES. The Government will not reimburse any concern for information submitted in response to this SOURCES SOUGHT request. Any information submitted is voluntary. Classification Code: R--Professional, Administrative, and Management Support Services NAICS Code: 541191 - Title Abstract and Settlement Offices This U.S. industry comprises establishments (except offices of lawyers and attorneys) primarily engaged in one or more of the following activities: (1) researching public land records to gather information relating to real estate titles; (2) preparing documents necessary for the transfer of the title, financing, and settlement; (3) conducting final real estate settlements and closings; and (4) filing legal and other documents relating to the sale of real estate. Real estate settlement offices, title abstract companies, and title search companies are included in this industry. The small business standard is $7 million. Agency: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Southern Field Contracting Operations, 40 Marietta Street, 14th Floor, Atlanta, GA 30303-2806. Description: This represents a market survey (preliminary market research) for the Southern Field Contracting Operations Division which is seeking to identify qualified and responsible 8(a) business concerns with the technical competency to perform closing agent services for the sale of HUD-owned single family (1-4 units) properties in Northern Florida which comprised of Gainesville, Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Tallahassee in which consist of the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Nassau, Okaloosa, Putnam, Santa Rosa, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor and Union, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington under the jurisdiction of the HUD Atlanta Homeownership Center, Real Estate Owned Branch located in Atlanta, Georgia. The scope of this requirement includes all aspects of real estate property sales closing services. The contractor shall provide property closing services, recordation services, title search services and third party closing services. The contractor shall provide professional staff and resources to accomplish specific task. The contractor must be able to provide a local office in the Northern Florida area. Background: The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), an agency of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), administers the Single Family Mortgage Insurance Program. Upon default and foreclosure of an FHA insured loan, the lender files a claim for insurance benefits. In exchange for payment of a claim, a lender conveys a foreclosed property to HUD. HUD, through a Management and Marketing (M&M) contractor, then manages and sells a sizable inventory of single family homes in a manner that promotes home ownership, preserves communities and maximizes return to the FHA insurance fund. To complete the sales of the properties, HUD requires the services of closing agent contractors (referred to as "contractor" hereafter) to perform all necessary closing activities on its behalf. Performance under this contract will involve interaction with homebuyers and their representatives in the real estate community, mortgage lenders, non-profit housing and advocacy organizations, staff from HUD's Homeownership Center (HOC), and other service providers under contract to HUD such as the M&M contractors. Additionally, this contract may be impacted by changes in regulation or legislation, and housing policy initiatives identified by the White House or the HUD Secretary.