Combine Solicitation – Arkansas NRCS- Real Estate Ownership Searches for Easements Enrolled Under the Wetland Reserve Program

Notice Type: Combine Solicitation

Posted Date: 30-JAN-15

Office Address: Department of Agriculture; Natural Resources Conservation Service; West Virginia State Office; 1550 Earl Core RoadSuite 200 Morgantown WV 26505

Subject: Arkansas NRCS- Real Estate Ownership Searches for Easements Enrolled Under the Wetland Reserve Program

Classification Code: R - Professional, administrative, and management support services

Solicitation Number: AG-7103-S-15-0001

Contact: Amy D Stonebraker, Phone 304-284-7557, Email [email protected]

Setaside: Total Small BusinessTotal Small Business

Place of Performance Country: US

Description: Department of Agriculture

Natural Resources Conservation Service

West Virginia State Office

This is a COMBINED SYNOPSIS/SOLICITATION for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Subpart 12.6 as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; QUOTATIONS ARE BEING REQUESTED AND A WRITTEN SOLICITATION WILL NOT BE ISSUED. Solicitation number AG-7103-S-15-0001 is being issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ).

Quotes are due by no later than 4:30p.m. Local Time, Friday February 13, 2015. Quotes may be submitted via email at [email protected] or mailed to USDA-NRCS (Attn: Amy Stonebraker), 1550 Earl Core Road, Suite 200, Morgantown, WV 26505.

QUOTES SUBMITTED VIA FACSIMILE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Late Quotes WILL NOT be accepted.

contact Amy Stonebraker, Contracting Officer, via email at [email protected] for information regarding this solicitation.

This acquisition is set-aside for Small Business. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code is 541191. The small business size standard is $11.0 million.

This Request for Quotation (RFQ) is for the performance of real estate ownership searches in the State of Arkansas. The Contractor shall furnish the title service of obtaining ownership information for Wetland Reserve Program (WRP) easements throughout the State of Arkansas. The Contractor shall perform an owner search from the time a WRP easement was recorded on the property to the present in order to determine whom is the current owner of record for the land on which the United States has an easement. See the attached Statement of Work for detailed description of services.

Evaluation for Award:The Government intends to make an award based on the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable process. In order to be considered Technically Acceptable, a contractor must provide the following information:

1. Proof of licensure to do title insurance business in the State of Arkansas 2. Proof of being an approved title insurance company by the State Insurance Commissioner.

Failure to provide proof of licensure and State Insurance Commissioner approved status will result in a non-responsive quote.

Quotes who provide the required information will be deemed technically acceptable. Award will be made to the firm who has been found technically acceptable and has provided the lowest price.

INFORMATION TO INCLUDE WITH YOUR QUOTE: 1. Quote including the Pricing Schedule (attached) 2. Completed Vendor Information Sheet (attached) 3. Proof of licensure to do title insurance business in the State of Arkansas 4. Proof of being an approved title insurance company by the State Insurance Commissioner.

This solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-78, effective December 26, 2014. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Agriculture Acquisition Regulation (AGAR) clauses and provisions referenced in this solicitation can be found respectively in full text format at https://acquisition.gov/far/index.html and http://www.dm.usda.gov/procurement/policy/agar.htm. The provision at FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items and FAR 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications-Commercial Items apply to this solicitation.

The clause at 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition.

The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition, and the following FAR clauses cited in that clause are applicable to this acquisition: 52.204-10, 52.209-6, 52.219-6, 52.219-14; 52.219-28; 52.222-3; 52.222-19; 52.222-21; 52.222-26; 52.222-36; 52.223-18, 52.225-13; 52.225-13; 52.232-29; 52.232-33; 52.222-41; 52.222-42, and 52.222-17

52.222-42 STATEMENT OF EQUIVALENT RATES FOR FEDERAL HIRES (MAY 1989)

In compliance with the Service Contract Act of 1965, as amended, and the regulations of the Secretary of Labor (29 CFR Part 4), this clause identifies the classes of service employees expected to be employed under the contract and states the wages and fringe benefits payable to each if they were employed by the contracting agency subject to the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 5341 or 5332.

This Statement is for Information Only: It is not a Wage Determination

Employee Class Monetary Wage Fringe Benefits

Legal Instrument Examiner, GS-0963-07 $18.96/hour 8.79/hour

The following Agriculture Acquisition Regulations (AGAR) apply to this solicitation: 452.224-70 CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION (FEB 1988) (a) Confidential information, as used in this clause, means -

(1) information or data of a personal nature, proprietary about an individual, or (2) information or data submitted by or pertaining to an organization. (b) In addition to the types of confidential information described in (a)(1) and (2) above, information which might require special consideration with regard to the timing of its disclosure may derive from studies or research, during which public disclosure of primarily invalidated findings could create an erroneous conclusion which might threaten public health or safety if acted upon. (c) The Contracting Officer and the Contractor may, by mutual consent, identify elsewhere in this contract specific information and/or categories of information which the Government will furnish to the Contractor or that the Contractor is expected to generate which is confidential. Similarly, the contracting Officer and the Contractor may, by mutual consent, identify such confidential information from time to time during the performance of the contract. Failure to agree will be settled pursuant to the "Disputes" clause. (d) If it is established that information to be utilized under this contract is subject to the Privacy Act, the Contractor will follow the rules and procedures of disclosure set forth in the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a, and implementing regulations and policies, with respect to systems of records determined to be subject to the Privacy Act. (e) Confidential information, as defined in (a)(1) and (2) above, shall not be disclosed without the prior written consent of the individual, institution or organization. (f) Written advance notice of at least 45 days will be provided to the Contracting Officer of the Contractor's intent to release findings of studies or research, which have the possibility of adverse effects on the public or the Federal agency, as described in (b) above. If the Contracting Officer does not pose any objections in writing within the 45 day period, the contractor may proceed with disclosure. Disagreements not resolved by the Contractor and Contracting Officer will be settled pursuant to the "Disputes" clause. (g) Whenever the Contractor is uncertain with regard to the proper handling of material under the contract, or if the material in question is subject to the Privacy Act or is confidential information subject to the provisions of this clause, the Contractor shall obtain a written determination from the Contracting Officer prior to any release, disclosure, dissemination, or publication. (h) The provisions of paragraph (e) of this clause shall not apply when the information is subject to conflicting or overlapping provisions in other Federal, State or local laws.

452.237-75 RESTRICTIONS AGAINST DISCLOSURE (FEB 1988)

(a) The Contractor agrees, in the performance of this contract, to keep all information contained in source documents or other media furnished by the Government in the strictest confidence. The Contractor also agrees not to publish or otherwise divulge such information in whole or in part in any manner or form, or to authorize or permit others to do so, taking such reasonable measures as are necessary to restrict access to such information while in the Contractor's possession, to those employees needing such information to perform the work provided herein, i.e., on a "need to know" basis. The Contractor agrees to immediately notify in writing, the Contracting Officer, named herein, in the event that the Contractor determines or has reason to suspect a breach of this requirement. (b) The Contractor agrees not to disclose any information concerning the work under this contract to any persons or individual unless prior written approval is obtained from the Contracting Officer. The Contractor agrees to insert the substance of this clause in any consultant agreement or subcontract hereunder.

452.246-70 INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE (FEB 1988)

The Contracting Officer or the Contracting Officer's duly authorized representative will inspect and accept the supplies and/or services to be provided under this contract. Work that, in the opinion of the CO, does not meet data quality standards will be returned to the Contractor for correction. Inconsistencies/edits may be reviewed, resolved and approved via communications.

Link/URL: https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USDA/NRCS/WVSO/AG-7103-S-15-0001/listing.html