Questions and Answers.pdf

Nationwide Recapture Appraisal Solicitation No. 12SAD225R0001

Questions and Answers

# Reference Document Section Page Number

Offeror Question Government Response

1 I am trying to determine who is the incumbent contractor for this requirement. Are you able to provide the contractor’s name and contract number?

Verdi Consulting Inc.

12SAD120A0037 (BPA)

2 Attachment 1 Background 2

“Appraisals can be submitted but are not required to be submitted via Sagent/LoanServ." So through an ISA/MOU, appraisals can be submitted directly into LoanServ from Contractors online system?

Yes; however, all completed appraisals are currently being submitted electronically to a shared group folder at USDA.

3 Attachment 1 5.8 Documentation

10 If pushing appraisals electronically from our online system into LoanServ (see above question) through an ISA/MOU, would USDA staff still require training and access to the contractor's online system?

Yes, training is still required.

The COR will need to know how to navigate the contractor’s website access to completed orders and other data related to orders during the duration of the contract.

4 Attachment 1 5.10.4 Timeframe

11 "Once accepted with all documents, any appraisal type, will be delivered to USDA within 14 days". This varies from 5.2.3 on page 3 that states "appraisal assignment requests will be completed and delivered within 20 days of the appraisal order being received." Please clarify the delivery timeframe.

ARP Appraisals, Section 5.10 Section 5.10 only applies to ARP appraisals and the specific requirements of these types of reports. One requirement is all types of ARP appraisals are to be delivered to USDA within 14 days after the receipt of all required documents.

Recapture Appraisals Only Recapture appraisals are to be delivered to USDA within 20 days. This applies whether capital improvements are received or declined.

5 Attachment 1 Appendix

Definitions 17 There appears to be a typographic error in the Afternoon timeframe description. Please confirm that Afternoon is considered 11:00 am to 3 pm, and Evening is correct at 3:01 pm to 7:59 pm.

Afternoon is considered from 11:00 a.m.to 3:00 p.m., and Evening is considered from 3:01 p.m. to 7:59 p.m.

6 Solicitation Section L, L.3., Proposal Format page 75 of 87 Volume III Past Performance

In the chart, it details a Maximum of 3 past performance records - no page limitation / Past Performance Narrative - no more than 3 pages. Is this allowing 3 page narratives for each past performance or 1 page for each past performance?

No more than a 1-page narrative for each per past performance record.

7 General Appraisals N/A Is Chapter 5 of the HB-1-3550 applicable to the appraisals required for this RFP?

Yes, see PWS (page 2, paragraph 4. Scope.)

8 RFP

"12SAD225R0001.pdf"

F.1 7 Wil the Government please elaborate on how FAR

52.211-11 "LIQUIDATED

DAMAGES – SUPPLIES,

SERVICES, OR RESEARCH AND

DEVELOPMENT (SEPT 2000)"

will be applied to this solicitation and any resulting contract?

See Amendment 0001

9 RFP

"12SAD225R0001.pdf"

F.1 7 Will the Government please clarify the justification for inclusion of FAR clause

52.211-11 "LIQUIDATED

DAMAGES – SUPPLIES,

SERVICES, OR RESEARCH AND

DEVELOPMENT (SEPT 2000)"?

See Amendment 0001

10 RFP

"12SAD225R0001.pdf"

F.1 7 Will the Government please provide the amount of daily liquidated damanges anticipated under FAR

52.211-11 "LIQUIDATED

DAMAGES – SUPPLIES,

SERVICES, OR RESEARCH AND

See Amendment 0001

DEVELOPMENT (SEPT 2000)"

11 RFP

"12SAD225R0001.pdf"

M, EVALUATION

OF VOLUME III,

FACTOR 2:

PAST

PERFORMANCE

85 Will the Government consider altering paragraph 5 to say "Past performance records are considered relevant if the work performed is of the same or similar scope, complexity, and magnitude of this requirement. The Government considers same or similar magnitude as $3,000,000 or greater for services provided during a 12-month period or less." ?

Remains unchanged.

12 PWS 2. Background 1 Under Section 2. Background, paragraph 2 mentions Single- Family Housing Direct loans are provided in all 50 United States, in addition to the US territories of PR, VI, GU, and Samoa. What areas should we expect to cover in Samoa region?

Only required to cover American Samoa

13 PWS 5.1.2 Delays 2 Under Section 5.1.2. Delays, the document states: If a situation arises that will prevent timely completion, the contractor will notify the COR or designee within 5 days of becoming aware of the delay. Could you clarify whether this notification should be submitted via email or through the system? What is the acceptable proof to show when the contractor become aware of the delay.

Additionally, if the contactor become aware of the delay on the due date and notified USDA within 5 business days, Any request for delays must be documented in the contractor’s portal or sent via email to the COR and the CO.

The COR or CO will confirm the documented occurrence and act as applicable.

The contractor will be in compliance with this section if a valid delay occurs on the due date of the report, and USDA is notified within 5 calendar days.

Acceptable proof will be the statement requesting the delay. There will not be a list will the contractor still be compliant with this section?

of acceptable causes. Each request for delay will stand on its own merit and be approved or rejected by the COR or CO.

14 PWS 5.3 Appraisals 5.3.12.3.

Rejection of Trip Fee Request

6 Under Section 5.3.12.3.

Rejection of Trip Fees Request, the fifth bullet states that trip fees will not be paid in the event the appraiser failed to properly research the property prior to visit to determine whether the property is viewable [down a long driveway, obscured by vegetation, et cetera] from public access roadways. Could you provide examples of how the appraiser would research this? Mapping applications such as Google may not be sufficient to provide this information.

The COR researches each claim associated with a trip fee using publicly available data. If the data shows the property is obscured, blocked, and/or situated a distance from the public access road, then the claim will be denied.

If public access data is insufficient and does not allow the appraiser to determine whether the property is viewable, the appraiser still must show proof of physically being at the property. In this situation, the trip fee claim will be approved.

PWS

5.3.12.4. How

Trip Fees are Calculated 6

Under section 5.3.12.4. How Trip Fees are Calculated, the second bullet states that the fees are calculated based on the shortest distance from the starting point (appraiser's home or office) to property destination as calculated by Google Maps. Will this include the costs of the return trip?

Distance to and from the property are covered under the trip fee calculation.

PWS

5.3.14.

Cancellation Fees. 7

Under Section 5.3.14.

Cancellation Fees, how will the contractor be compensated if USDA cancels the order close to the delivery date, after inspection and the report is prepared but not yet delivered?

The current status of the report is validated through the notes on the contractor’s web site. If the report is awaiting submission, it cannot be cancelled and must be submitted to USDA for full credit.

The decision to cancel the report or submit the report to

USDA is made by the COR with the CO approval.

PWS

5.4.4. Opinion

of the Subject’s Site Value 7

Under Section 5.4.4. Opinion of the Subject’s Site Value, is the Cost Approach section a required field in all circumstances? If so, this may cause delays in the delivery of the report.

The Cost Approach is not required for every appraisal.

For the appraisals that require a Cost Approach, the timeframe stated in the PWS provides enough time to complete this section of the report.

For additional guidance on this topic see Handbook-1- 3550, Chapter 5.

PWS

5.10.4.

Timeframe. 11

Under Section 5.10.4.

Timeframe, the document states that once accepted with all documents, any appraisal type, will be delivered to USDA within 14 days. This statement conflicts with Section 5.2.3. Standard Expected Timeframes, stating that the timeframe for all orders is 20 business days from the time the order is received or after the expiration of the submission of the capital improvements for recapture orders. Is the limit of 14 business days specific to ARP Refinance Appraisals only?

Please see the answer to Question No.4.

Exhibit C TEP Workbook Price Schedule

The pricing sheet includes the Western Pacific and Guam as separate line items. Which U.S. territories, aside from American Samoa, are part of the Western Pacific line item?

All United States territories in the Western Pacific include but are not limited to, the Northern Marianas Islands, Marshal Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and American Samoa.

QASP

4.3 Performance Requirement Summary (PRS) 6

Under Section 4, 4.3, Performance Requirement Summary, the document states: Delivery of all non-urgent appraisals within 20 business days of order. AQL 98%, MER 2%. Could please define what are urgent appraisals and their expected time frame for orders that don't require capital improvement? Does this include ARP orders?

Urgent appraisals are those report specifically identified by CO (COR at CO discretion) that need to be completed and submitted to USDA before the established time limits of 14 days for ARP appraisals and 20 days for routine Recapture appraisals.

QASP

4.3 Performance Requirement Summary (PRS) 6

Under Section 4, 4.3, Performance Requirement Summary, the document states: Delivery of all non-urgent Subsidy Recapture appraisals within 20 business days of order after the 30-business day hold time to receive Capital Improvements by the borrower. AQL 98%, Could you provide the timeline for urgent appraisals that require capital improvement as well as the time frame? Could you please clarify the timeline for ARP orders?

Urgent appraisals are those report specifically identified by CO (COR at CO discretion) that need to be completed and submitted to USDA before the established time limits of 14 days for ARP appraisals and 20 days for routine Recapture appraisals.

Solicitation

F1.

52.211-11 Liquidated Damages – Supplies, Services, Or Research And Development 7

Under Section F, F1, 52.211- 11, the document states that if the Contractor fails to deliver the supplies or perform the services within the specified time, the Contractor shall pay to the Government liquidated damages in the amount stated in the Task Order, in place of actual damages. Can USDA provide the amount or % for the damages for delayed orders? This information is needed for contractors to prepare the proposal responses See Amendment 0001

Solicitation Volume II Technical 75

Volume II Technical: While the Volume I -Contract documentation is accepted in Either .docx or PDF the Technical documents are only accepted as .docx. Can all other documents also be accepted as .pdf since the .pdf documents are more secure and less susceptible to unwanted edits and changes?

All volumes shall be submitted in accordance with the naming convention and format detailed in the RFP.

Solicitation Exhibit C TEP Workbook NA

We were not able to find a definition for the product, "Alternative Valuation Report

- Certified Real Estate Appraisal - Not Broker Price Opinion".

Broker’s Price Opinion – used primarily in short sales and foreclosures. It is an opinion which does not constitute an official appraisal nor represent the corresponding market value of the property.

Certified Real Estate Appraisal

- appraisal report signed and certified by a state certified real estate appraiser or state licensed real estate appraiser.

Alternative Valuation Report – (a report provided by the vendor and approved for use by USDA) is a type of appraisal relying on data obtained from alternative methods or sources to identify property characteristics and condition.

For USDA, exterior photos of the property and comparable sales data is required in the report.