Sentinel Utility Corridor Real Estate Licenses Problem Statement v6.docx

Sentinel Utility Corridor Real Estate Licenses Problem Statement/PWS

Background

1. This effort supports the modernization of underground communication infrastructure connecting Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) sites across the F.E. Warren Air Force Base (FEW AFB) operational area in Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. The Government requires comprehensive contractor support to execute real estate licensing activities essential to meeting the Sentinel program’s aggressive schedule for the upgrade of existing lines. The program’s central challenge is securing timely, compliant, and effective engagement with landowners across numerous tracts to ensure the Government gains temporary construction access to land in time to install new fiber optic cables. The Air Force currently has 1,575 miles of 16.5 feet (one rod) wide perpetual easements that are supporting Minuteman III ICBM communication cable, but additional temporary workspace is needed to support Sentinel construction activities.

Requirement

2. The Government is seeking a commercial service in the form of license agreements for temporary access and use of land during construction of the new fiber optic cable system. These will be pre-drafted, fixed-term licenses, currently offered at a non-negotiable $75.00/rod which will allow the Air Force to temporarily access an area up to 100 feet wide (50 feet on each side of the centerline of the existing permanent easement) to install new conduit and fiber-optic cable within the existing 16.5 foot perpetual easement. The licenses will generally be non-negotiable forms subject to minor Government approved wording changes in limited circumstances.

3. The Government has identified the tracts of land requiring licenses, currently estimated at 1,700 tracts, though this total is subject to change as design matures with a need date of no later than 30 March 2028. Early delivery is encouraged. The Government requests the contractor contact and resolve (i.e. obtain landowner signature on license agreement or exhaust efforts to obtain signature) a minimum of 100 landowners a month beginning 30 days after contract award – first results due within ~60 days after contract award. If the Contractor fails to maintain these timelines, the Government reserves the right to terminate for default or hire additional contractors to augment the effort.

4. For each license, the Contractor is responsible for providing a completed license package which will include: the license with all required attachments and text fields completed; the name of the current owner; copy of vesting deed (deed to current owner); certificate of authority for corporations and LLCs; trustee's certificate for trusts; legal description; total rods; total cost; descriptions and tracking of other issues, concerns, or other unique matters related to the license or title in question; completion of an environmental questionnaire; landowner signature(s); and a complete, Government provided, license package processing checklist (attached). The US Government retains sole responsibility for processing and disbursing all license payments to landowners via mailed check or Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) / direct deposit.

5. An action is considered finalized upon physical and electronic delivery of a completed license package. However, the Government recognizes that some landowners may be difficult to contact and that some may refuse to discuss and/or sign the license despite the best efforts of the Contractor. The Contractor may not take any action coercive in nature in order to compel an agreement on the License. Owners who are unwilling to sign the license, despite the best efforts of the Contractor, will be returned to the Government for further action. It is preferred that the Contractor use its best efforts to obtain landowner signature on the licenses to avoid the continued administrative burden that seeking alternate access or other arrangements will require. The Contractor shall document all contact with landowners and include a summary of the discussions it has had with landowners. For landowners who are unwilling to sign, such summary shall also document their unsuccessful contact attempts, along with a detailed record of the landowner's refusal to sign, reasons the landowner may have given for refusing the agreement, any statements pertaining to retaining counsel, and steps taken to obtain the landowner’s signature.

6. Land is also being acquired by the United States Army Corp of Engineers (USACE) through temporary and perpetual easements in the same area. If access to tract(s) provided to the contractor is obtained outside of efforts by the contractor, the contractor will still receive any payments associated for their work in acquiring this/these tract(s), including any proposed incentive fee for the applicable tract. The Government will forward these executed agreements to the Contractor to verify and submit any required paperwork as part of the agreed upon process. There will likely be gatherings of affected landowners, referred to as signing events, from time to time so that numerous licenses can be executed at one time and place. If any third-party or Government signing events are scheduled, the Contractor will attend these events to expedite the overall acquisition process.

7. To meet these schedule-driven demands, the Contractor shall have specialized real estate acquisition expertise, specifically adequate personnel on their team who hold an active Registered Professional Landman (RPL) or Certified Professional Landman (CPL) designation (or, in limited circumstances, other recognized land or right-of-way professional equivalent). Core responsibilities include: verifying current legal ownership through a minimum of checking the applicable Government tax assessors’ records and obtaining a copy of the vesting deed to the current owner(s) and preparing and obtaining landowners’ signatures on licenses and authority documents and attachments. An authorized Government representative will then countersign the licenses.

8. Core administrative responsibilities also include: maintaining precise landowner records including a copy of the applicable vesting deed; providing accurate reporting on the monthly disposition metrics; successfully managing landowner conflicts or refusals; and periodically meeting or communicating with Government representatives on matters related to contract execution and administration.

9. To facilitate seamless coordination and data management, Contractor personnel shall complete all necessary paperwork and administrative requirements to obtain necessary Government identification (e.g., Common Access Card / CAC). This credentialing is required to grant the Contractor physical access to FEW AFB as needed, and to potentially provide secure access to directly input and manage data within the Government's Real Estate documentation software program.

10. The Contractor is responsible for the management and development of its personnel. The Government believes awarding to or partnering/subcontracting with a local contractor or firm would be advantageous, as close proximity to landowners allows for better, more responsive engagement and more effective completion of the required tasks. In addition, the Government believes that local experience, familiarity with local rules and practices, and established local relationships may facilitate more efficient and expeditious accomplishment of the required tasks. Accordingly, demonstrated local experience and prior local project performance will be strongly considered.

11. The core objective of this contract is to ensure all land acquisition activities are performed with the speed, accuracy, and rigor required to maintain alignment with the ICBM Sentinel program schedule. This includes clear communication, thorough documentation and proactive risk identification. There may be other activities relating to licenses and easements in the area that the contractor may be asked to perform. If this happens, the price for this additional work will be negotiated before it is performed.

12. Proposals must be Firm-Fixed Price (FFP) and proposing an incentive fee for executed licenses, accelerated schedules, or achievement of other relevant metrics, is encouraged.

In conjunction with the requirements listed above, the Government is open to evaluating proposals from Contractors that could provide the same or better outcomes but accomplished in a different or more innovative manner than indicated above. Ultimately, the Government wants to harness best commercial practices and ingenuity to rapidly fulfill the above requirements for the effective and efficient deployment of Sentinel. Please note that there are two other similar efforts that the Government will eventually contract out. These will be located in areas near Malmstrom Air Force Base (AFB), Montana, and Minot AFB, North Dakota.

Cybersecurity Requirements

13. Offerors will have to show the ability to safeguard their information technology systems and data according to the security requirements in Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2.

To help businesses to meet this standard, DoW developed Project Spectrum, a free platform that:

· Assists in CMMC certification

· Provides tools and training for cybersecurity awareness

· Educates users on risk management

· Helps businesses install or boost cybersecurity hygiene

11. Visit Project Spectrum to sign up and learn about what you need to get certified

Unique Entity Identifier

14. Before a company can bid on Government proposals, it will need to a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). A UEI is a unique 12-character, alpha-numeric value. You will receive a UEI when you register with SAM at SAM.gov. Businesses no longer have to go to a third-party website to obtain their identifier (DUNS number). This transition allows the Government to streamline the entity identification and validation process, making it easier and less burdensome to do business with the federal Government.

15. If your entity is already registered with SAM, your UEI should already be assigned. Learn how to view your UEI within SAM at the Federal Service Desk. Refer to the Guide to Getting a UEI if you want to get a UEI for your organization. For more information see, https://business.defense.gov/Work-with-us/Guide-to-working-with-DoD/