RFQ-10-003 Forwarding letter.doc

United States Department of Agriculture

Rural Development

Kentucky State Office

December 10, 2009

REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS (RFQ)

The US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Kentucky State Office is seeking quotations for Single Family Housing Appraisals for the various counties of Kentucky.

We highly value our relationship with the appraisers filling our needs. We hope that each appraiser who has been working with us submits a quotation. Of course new vendors are also very welcome to compete. If you submitted a quotation last year, but did not receive any orders, this is your chance to submit a new quotation. The due date for Quotations is shown in block 11(b) of the Standard Form 18 provided in this packet. Earlier submissions are encouraged. Late submissions might not be considered.

REQUIRED ORIENTATION SESSION:

If you did not attend one of the appraiser orientation sessions described in the RFQ you will need to attend the session we are holding on Thursday, January 07, 2010 before we can do business. The session will begin at 10:00AM Local (Lexington KY) time, and should last approximately 1 hour. In order to assure that we have sufficient accommodations, please be sure to make a reservation by returning the attached form. If you already attended a session you do not need to attend this session. See Paragraphs A.8 and A.9 of the RFQ.

We plan to issue Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs) which will allow for the issuance of BPA Call Orders by our Area Office staff. It is anticipated that the BPA will begin in March 2010 through 12 months thereafter. We may issue case by case individual purchase orders from your same price quotation.

If you are new to Government acquisitions, I realize the Request For Quotation may be a bit confusing, but I’m sure everything will become clear when we explain it at the orientation session. If you have any questions, it is helpful to submit them as far in advance of the orientation session as possible so we can give written answers.

NEW VENDORS:

If you are not registered in the Government’s Central Contractor Registration (CCR) and/or On Line Representations and Certifications (ORCA) systems, please begin the process immediately. The first step is to call Dunn & Bradstreet at 1-866-705-5711 to obtain your DUNS number. Both the information and the call are free, although there is a charge for expedited processing. Normal processing can take weeks, so you are advised to make the call immediately. There is also a waiting period of a minimum of 2 days between CCR and ORCA registrations. You may quote before completing registrations, but cannot receive a BPA without full registrations. Please see the enclosed “New Vendor Packet” of information regarding registrations.

Thank you for your interest in providing appraisals to USDA Rural Development. If you have not yet attended an orientation session, I hope to see you there. Please feel free to call me, or send me written questions if anything is not clear to you. I can be reached by phone at 859-224-7332, by FAX at 859-224-7339, or by Email at david.beveridge@ky.usda.gov Sincerely, David R. Beveridge

Contracting Officer

General Information Regarding Requests for Quotations for Single Family Housing Appraisals

We issued Requests for Quotation for Single Family Housing appraisals under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA). Under this method of ordering, a document called a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) is issued. Orders (which are called BPA Calls) are issued directly by our Area Offices throughout Kentucky. You may compete for any or all counties in Kentucky.

Unique features under the BPA method are that you will submit only one consolidated monthly invoice. The invoicing dates are specified by the Government in the BPA.

Generally the annual dollar volume of a BPA is over the dollar threshold that requires certain clauses be included in the document. Therefore, BPAs will include the several required clauses. These are generally not negotiable since they are required by either law or regulation. These clauses are included in the Request for Quotations. Law or regulation may require us to modify the BPA at any time to modify/add/include certain clauses.

GENERAL INFORMATION

If you would like to submit a price quotation for any or all of the counties, enter your price quotation on the Price Quotation Page in the RFQ. We anticipate awarding new BPAs in March. Unless you otherwise specify, we will also retain your price quotation for emergency individual orders that may be required in exceptional circumstances, as for example when the appraiser awarded a BPA has a conflict of interest or is otherwise not able to provide the appraisal. The number of appraisals in any given county vary widely from year to year.

It is possible that during the year, the field office that services any individual county will change. If you are issued a BPA we will advise you of relevant changes as they occur.

You may submit price quotations for any or all of the counties. We do require that the price you quote be valid for any and all appraisals in the county for which you quote a price. Prices under the BPA Method are firm for the entire 12 month period.

MANDATORY REGISTRATION IN ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

To receive a BPA you must be registered in the Government’s CCR and ORCA systems, and have a valid VID Number. Information regarding registering in those systems is included in the “New Vendor Packet”, a copy of which is enclosed. Registering in CCR and ORCA requires you to have your DUNS number, which can take a while to obtain. Please see the enclosed “New Vendor Packet” for information about obtaining your DUNS number from Dunn and Bradstreet Corporation.

MANDATORY ORIENTATION SESSION

Vendors are also notified that no BPA will be issued to any vendor who did not attend one of the Mandatory appraiser Orientation Sessions. See paragraphs A.8 and A.9 of the RFQ for more information regarding the mandatory orientation session.

Vendors are requested to notify the Contracting Officer by 9:00 AM Tuesday, January 05, 2010 if you plan to attend, and the number of attendees. Your reservation should by made by either FAX to 859-224-7339, or by EMAIL to david.beveridge@ky.usda.gov with a copy to linda.wolfe@ky.usda.gov You may use the attached “Appraiser Orientation Meeting Reservation Form”.

You may attend without making a reservation. However registration will allow us to contact you if there is a “last minute” change to the meeting site due to changes in the number of attendees. Also we can better accommodate you and ensure the comfort of all if you make our reservation as requested above. For your comfort, business casual dress is appropriate.

At least one appraiser from your firm who is certified by the Kentucky Appraisal Board as a Certified General Real Property Appraiser, or as a Certified Residential Real Property Appraiser must attend the orientation session for your firm to receive purchase orders or BPAs.

PRICE EVALUATION INFORMATION

The USDA Rural Development, Kentucky State Office has noticed that some appraisers are broadening the geographical area in which they wish to provide appraisals. While the area that a vendor wishes to work is at their own discretion, we do find that appraisals conducted without an intimate knowledge of the local community may not yield an as accurate as possible appraisal. Therefore, as we did in the last competition, we will allow an evaluation credit for certain factors that we believe are of value to the Government. Insert the appropriate information on the price quotation page to claim any price evaluation credit to which you may be entitled. See the RFQ section entitled “Price Evaluation Credit Factors”. The evaluation methodology and the “Price Evaluation Credit Factors” will be further explained during the scheduled orientation session.

QUOTATION SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Submit your quotation to arrive no later than the due date and time specified in block 11(b) of the “Request for Quotation Standard Form 18” at the address specified in the RFQ paragraph PLACE FOR SUBMISSION OF QUOTATIONS. Quotations received late might not be considered.

You may also submit a scanned image of your quotation by Email to: david.beveridge@ky.usda.gov If you respond by Email, be sure to include a scanned image of all of the pages noted in the QUOTATION PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS in the RFQ, and also send a hard copy by Mail or other delivery service to the address specified in the paragraph PLACE FOR SUBMISSION OF QUOTATIONS.

USDA, Rural Development

Kentucky State Office

Appraiser Orientation Meeting Reservation Form

If attending, please make your reservation by 9:00AM, January 05, 2010

Company Name:_________________________________________________________

Address:____________________________________

City/State/Zip:_______________________________

Phone #:_____________________________________

Alternate Phone #:_____________________________________

Email address:________________________________________

Enter number of attendees ________ You may attend without making a reservation. However we can better accommodate you and ensure the comfort of all if you make a reservation by the date and time specified in the letter above. You may, however, attend without pre-registering

Your reservation should by made by either FAX to 859-224-7339, or you may use Email if you send a message to both: david.beveridge@ky.usda.gov and linda.wolfe@ky.usda.gov Orientation Session will be held at:

USDA Rural Development

Kentucky State Office

771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200

Lexington, KY 40503

(Exact Site is subject to change) For your comfort, business casual dress is appropriate.

Please return your reservation form to:

USDA Rural Development

ATTN: Contracting - Appraiser Orientation 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200

Lexington, KY 40503 Or register by sending to FAX # 859-224-7339 or by Email (providing the above information) to both: david.beveridge@ky.usda.gov and to linda.wolfe@ky.usda.gov

771 Corporate Drive • Suite 200 • Lexington, KY 40503

Phone: (859) 224-7300 • Fax: (859) 224-7425 • TDD: (859) 224-7422 • Web: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ky

Committed to the future of rural communities.

“USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.”

To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 Or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).