S01 Attachment 12 QandR.pdf

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) California State Office

Preliminary Title Search, Title Commitment, & Closing Services

SOLICITATION # 12FPC325Q0024

AMENDMENT 0001

Amendment 0001 provides amended solicitation and implements Government responses to questions.

1. Question 1: I see this contract spans over three years. Will there be no more than seven property title closings during this period?

Response 1: There may be other contracts that are issued over the next three (3) years. This contract only covers the seven (7) identified properties.

2. Question 2: We would like to know if this is a brand-new contract OR if there is (was) an incumbent performing these services.

Response 2: This is a brand-new contract. An incumbent performed some services on the Los Rios Inc. and the Rancho Esquon Inc. properties (12FPC323P0044) and may reduce the need for some title services to be provided. A full estimate of costs should be provided for these properties and a determination can be made later if all title services are needed.

3. Question 3: Are the properties in Trinity County?

Response 3: No properties are located in Trinity County

4. Question 4: Have the amount of liability needed for the title policy?

Response 4: The amount of liability for the title policy is based on the estimated easement purchase price. This amount may increase or decrease based on the surveyed acres for the property at which point an adjustment will need to be made to the title insurance premium and the contract. Your initial estimate for title insurance should be based on the estimated easement purchase price.

Please see Solicitation Attachments 5 through 11 that are posted in the amendment.

5. Question 5: Are we permitted to Team with another Company for this Project?

Response 5: Yes.

6. Question 6: Can you please identify the county where each acquisition is located?

Response 6: See Solicitation Attachments 5 through 11 that are posted in this amendment.

7. Question 7: Can you please identify the estimated easement acquisition value for each acquisition?

Response 7: See Solicitation Attachments 5 through 11 that are posted in this amendment.

8. Question 8: Can you please provide copies of the vesting deeds for each acquisition?

Response 8: See Solicitation Attachments 5 through 11 that are posted in this amendment.

9. Question 9: Please confirm that the requirement as it pertains to mineral rights/subsurface rights is to determine if mineral rights/subsurface rights have been severed. A mineral search to determine the current owner of the mineral rights/subsurface rights is not required.

Response 9: See the Statement of Work. The ownership of the mineral/subsurface rights should be determined, if possible, based on available information in the public records.

10. Question 10: Please confirm that the search period is 60 years as is typical with government acquisitions.

Response 10: Yes, the Department of Justice title standards only require a 60-year search period.

11. Question 11: Do you have an estimate or expectation for the number of properties/conservation easements the NRCS will propose under this contract?

Response 11: We estimate that seven (7) easements will close under this agreement. However, easements sometimes fail to close because of clouds on title, access issues, and voluntary withdrawal by landowners. If easements fail to close, the contractor will only be paid for services and products provided up to the point when the easement is cancelled or withdrawn.

12. Question 12: Can the Agency please provide the Vesting documents, i.e. the Deed including the legal descriptions for each of the 7 proposed orders?

Response 12: See Solicitation Attachments 5 through 11 that are posted in this amendment.

13. Question 13: Does the Agency have an estimated purchase price for each of the 7 orders? If so, please provide the estimated purchase price.

Response 13: See Solicitation Attachments 5 through 11 that are posted in this amendment.

14. Question 14: For the first 2 orders, i.e. Los Rios Farms and Rancho Esquon, there is a reference that the first

CLIN is not required. As such, can the Agency please explain why a preliminary title commitment is not required?

If the Agency has already procured title services for any of the 7 orders, can the Agency please provide copies of said documents as these will directly impact pricing.

Response 14: See question and response #2.

15. Question 15: How many pages does the Agency estimate that will need to be recorded for each of the 7 proposed orders?

Response 15: The Government estimates no more than 50 pages per property.

(End of Questions and Responses)