A21_MISC_(SSN_Land_Class_Market_Study___Blackfeet_Reservation)_1.pdf

United States Department of the Interior

INTERIOR BUSINESS CENTER

Washington, DC 20240

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE

Title: Land Class Market Study – Blackfeet Reservation

Issue Date: May 29, 2026

Response Due Date: June 04, 2026 @ 12:00PM Eastern Daylight Time

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR QUOTE

(RFQ) OR A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP). THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A

SOLICITATION AND SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED AS A

COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT.

Issued by: This Sources Sought Notice is being issued by the Department of the Interior (DOI), Acquisition Services Directorate (AQD), Interior Business Center (IBC), on behalf of the Appraisal and Valuations Services Office (AVSO).

Introduction: The Government is seeking Indian-owned Small Business Economic Enterprises (ISBEE) and Indian-owned Economic Enterprises (IEE) that are interested in supporting this project.

Requirement: The objective of this requirement is to procure appraisal and valuation services.

The AVSO has determined there is a need to form an independent opinion of the market value of the fee simple estate of the defined property.

See attachment 1, Draft Statement of Work (SOW), for details.

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): 531320 “Offices of Real Estate Appraisers”

Product Service Code (PSC): R411 “Support-Professional: Real Property Appraisals”

Response Requirements: Responses should be limited to four (4) pages. Respondents shall include the following information in their submissions:

a) Name of Company

b) Company Address

c) Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

d) Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code

e) Point of Contact (include telephone number and email address)

f) Identification of business size and category, i.e. ISBEE, IEE

g) Capability statement of the company. The Statement should address the following:

i. Vendor’s capability as it relates to the requirement referenced herein;

ii. Description of recent and RELEVANT experience to the NAICS code identified within this notice;

iii. Additional, applicable information as it pertains to this announcement that could assist the Government in determining the contractor’s capabilities as it relates to the requirement referenced herein.

Response Due Date: RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN June 04, 2026 @ 12:00PM Eastern Daylight Time. Responses to this source sought shall be sent directly to the Contracting Officer (CO), Ms. Jacqueline Hernandez, at jacqueline_hernandez@ibc.doi.gov. Responses submitted by any other method will not be accepted or answered. Please ensure that your e-mail response has “Sources Sought Notice –Land Class Market Study – Blackfeet Reservation” in the subject line.

Disclaimer: The purpose of this market research is to survey prospective vendors in order to collect data, comments, and other information pertaining to this industry. The information submitted in response to this announcement will assist IBC in determining the appropriate procurement strategy in the future.

The Government is under no obligation to award a contract as a result of this announcement. No funds are available to pay for any information received from potential sources. All information submitted in response to this announcement is strictly voluntary.

Only electronic mail will be acceptable for vendors’ submissions. The Government does not intend to provide feedback or evaluate submissions.

[End of Sources Sought Notice]

AVSO Statement of Work Page 1 of 6

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

Appraisal and Valuation Services Office

STATEMENT OF WORK

The purpose of this Statement of Work (SOW) is to provide instruction and minimum standards to the contractor for the assignment detailed below. This SOW outlines certain requirements that must be addressed as part of the market study and establishes the minimum expectations for the scope, content, support, and presentation of the analysis.

The contractor must read and fully understand the contents of this SOW prior to commencing the assignment, as many aspects of the requested market study have been detailed throughout. This SOW must be included as an attachment to the completed market study report.

Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of this SOW may result in the omission of required elements and may lead to the return or rejection of the market study for non-compliance.

SECTION 1: ASSIGNMENT ELEMENTS

Case Name: Land Class Market Study – Blackfeet Reservation

Requested Service: Market Study

Location: Blackfeet Reservation in north central Montana, located primarily within Glacier County with a small portion extending into Pondera County. The reservation is situated along the eastern front of the Rocky Mountains and borders Glacier National Park to the west and Canada to the north.

Client: U.S. Department of the Interior, Appraisal and Valuation Services Office (AVSO)

Intended Users: AVSO, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Superintendent Blackfeet Agency

Intended Use: The market study is intended to support BIA decision-making related to real property transactions involving trust and restricted lands, consistent with 25 CFR Part 152.

Effective Date: An effective date of the market study is required solely for context and transparency.

Property Rights to be Considered:

Surface estate only. No fractional interests are to be considered in the market study.

AVSO Statement of Work Page 2 of 6

SECTION 2: ASSIGNMENT CONDITIONS

Assignment Description:

This assignment is intended to result in a market study addressing general market conditions and pricing indicators for predominant land types in the market area(s) applicable to lands within the Blackfeet Reservation and the surrounding counties.

This assignment is not an appraisal. The assignment will not develop or report an opinion of value for a specific property or property interest.

Applicable Regulations and Standards:

The analysis shall be developed in a manner that supports the BIA’s responsibilities under 25 CFR §152 which establishes policies and procedures for the acquisition, management, and conveyance of trust and restricted lands.

A market analysis is allowed under 25 CFR §152 and it must comply with the applicable sections of the Uniform Appraisal Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). However, a market study is not an appraisal since it will not develop or communicate an opinion of value. For this reason, Standards 1 and 2 of USPAP do not apply. See USPAP AO-21 for clarification.

The USPAP sections relating to the Preamble, Definitions, Ethics Rule, Competency Rule, and Jurisdictional Exception Rule generally apply to all appraisal practice. As a result, assignments to which the Standards do not apply must be provided without bias or accommodation of personal interest by competent appraisers.

The market study should be developed and reported in a manner consistent with generally accepted professional standards, including the development of credible results supported by appropriate market data and analysis. The assignment must be performed competently, impartially, and without bias, with sufficient scope and documentation to produce credible findings for the intended use.

Market Area Definition:

The market study shall focus on the Blackfeet Reservation as the primary area of interest. The contractor shall also analyze relevant market data from surrounding areas (“in and around” the reservation) to develop pricing trends for the identified land classifications.

The contractor is responsible for defining and justifying the geographic extent of the broader study area, including consideration of factors such as market influences, similarity of land characteristics, buyer and seller behavior, and availability of reliable data.

The study area should not be arbitrarily limited to reservation boundaries if doing so would exclude relevant market evidence.

AVSO Statement of Work Page 3 of 6

Market Data Requirements:

This assignment places significant emphasis on reliable market data collection, analysis, and presentation. The market study shall contain sufficient market support for each applicable land classification.

Limited market data may require expansion of the geographic scope and/or timeframe to obtain sufficient information. Research shall include, as appropriate, deed and public records research, sale verification, active and expired listings, and interviews with knowledgeable market participants, including buyers, sellers, brokers, appraisers, tribal representatives, agency personnel, and other professionals familiar with the market area.

Property Types / Land Classifications

The market study shall provide unit pricing for applicable land classifications, including, but not limited to, those listed below. The contractor shall identify and price any additional classifications supported by the market. Any listed classifications deemed not applicable shall be clearly identified, with an explanation supporting their exclusion.

Dry Cropland

Irrigated Cropland

Improved Pasture

Open Pasture

Wooded Pasture

Forest

Residential

Water frontage

Residential Capitalization Rates:

In addition to providing unit pricing for predominant land classifications, the market study shall include an analysis of residential capitalization rates for homesites within the reservation and surrounding market area.

The analysis shall consider residential ground rents in relation to corresponding sale prices and/or listing prices of residential homesites/lots in order to develop market-supported capitalization rate indicators and summarize the findings.

The market study shall identify the data sources used, explain the methodology applied, and disclose any limitations in the available market data including reliance on listings or interviews where applicable.

Data Verification: The contractor shall verify market data to the extent necessary to ensure its reliability and relevance. Verification should include confirmation of key transaction details (e.g., price, terms, property characteristics) through multiple sources when available, such as public records and knowledgeable market participants. Any limitations in verification shall be clearly disclosed in the report.

Timeframe of Data Considered:

The analysis shall rely primarily on recent market data reflecting current conditions for the identified land classifications, with priority given to the most recent market data available. Use of older data is permitted only where recent data is limited and must be supported by an explanation of its relevance and any changes in market conditions. The report shall clearly identify the timeframe of data considered and distinguish between recent and older data used in the analysis.

AVSO Statement of Work Page 4 of 6

Report Format and Content

The market study report shall be presented in a clear, organized narrative format, supported by appropriate tables and data summaries. The report shall be structured to allow the intended users to readily understand the data, including segmentation by land classification where applicable.

The report shall present data in a manner that is clearly supported, internally consistent, and readily applicable for the intended use. The market study report shall include, at a minimum, the following components:

Definitions: The market study shall provide definitions for the key terms and land classifications used in the analysis, including the sources of the definitions.

Scope of Market Research and Analysis: The market study shall include a comprehensive scope of services, including the extent of data collection and analytical methods applied in the pricing of the land classifications.

Geographic Scope: The market study shall identify and describe in sufficient detail the primary study area and any broader market areas considered.

Types of Data Sources: The market study shall clearly identify all data sources utilized and describe the verification performed for each, including confirmation of key transaction details. The report must summarize the extent of verification and disclose any limitations.

Market Analysis: The market study is to include a discussion of market conditions, supply and demand factors, and relevant economic influences affecting pricing of the various land classifications.

Unit(s) of Comparison: Pricing for each land classification shall be reported using dollars per acre ($/acre). If the market supports the use of an alternative unit of comparison, the contractor must clearly justify its use and provide adequate supporting analysis.

Summary of Data Analyzed: The market study shall summarize all relevant market data in a clear and usable format, including available transactional data, listing data, and other market evidence.

Observed Trends: The market study shall analyze and report trends in pricing, land use, and market behavior over time, including changes in unit pricing, supply and demand, and participant activity. All trends must be supported by data.

Pricing Summary: The market study shall summarize pricing indicators for each land classification, presenting a supported range and central tendencies (mean, median), as well as the number of data samples used for each class. The summaries shall clearly reflect the underlying data and analysis and be presented in a manner that is practical and suitable for application for the intended use.

Residential Capitalization Rates: Residential capitalization rate findings shall be summarized in a clear and organized format, including the supporting market data, methodology applied, indicated capitalization rate ranges, and any relevant trends or limitations affecting the analysis.

Supporting Data: The market study shall provide all underlying data in an addendum or appendix.

Transaction and listing data must be presented in detailed data sheets consistent with industry practice. Interviews with market participants shall be documented to the extent practical, including the individual’s name, company, professional role, and contact information (phone number and/or email address), unless confidentiality is requested and disclosed.

AVSO Statement of Work Page 5 of 6

SECTION 3: ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. Only the assigned contracting officer can modify appraisal instructions (in writing) as recommended by the AVSO review appraiser. Any changes to the SOW may only be conveyed by the contracting officer through consultation with the AVSO review appraiser.

2. If the contractor discovers material facts which differ from those provided by AVSO or encounters circumstances which prevent the contractor from developing an unbiased work product, the contractor must contact the AVSO review appraiser for instructions.

3. The AVSO Statement of Work and other assignment instructions must be included in the addenda to the report. Reference to these documents should be provided in the body of the report.

4. The assignment will be an engagement between the contractor and AVSO, the contractor’s client. Even though communication is encouraged with the BIA, only the assigned contracting officer can modify appraisal instructions as recommended by the AVSO review appraiser.

5. The contractor must address any questions regarding assignment instructions and/or technical requirements for the market study to the AVSO review appraiser. Any communication with the BIA shall include the AVSO review appraiser.

6. AVSO is the contractor’s sole client. The contractor may not communicate assignment results to any party except AVSO, unless authorized to do so in writing by the AVSO review appraiser.

7. The market study and supporting data must be treated as confidential and used only for the identified intended use. The contractor shall not disclose the report, underlying data, or any assignment results to parties other than the client (AVSO) without prior written consent.

Market data obtained for this assignment shall be handled in a manner that respects confidentiality and professional standards. Any requests for anonymity or confidentiality by data sources shall be honored and clearly noted in the report.

8. While the public is not an intended user of the report, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and BIA policy may result in the release of all or part of the report to others.

9. AVSO will not normally accept custody of confidential information. If the contractor finds it necessary to rely on confidential information, then he/she will contact the AVSO review appraiser for instructions. AVSO will view the information and provide further instruction to the contractor regarding handling and storage of the confidential information.

10. If including any proprietary information in the market study, the contractor must gain concurrence from the AVSO review appraiser and deliver the proprietary information in a separate binder.

AVSO Statement of Work Page 6 of 6

SECTION 4: PERFORMANCE / DELIVERABLE REQUIREMENTS

Pre-Work Meeting: A meeting with the contractor will be conducted at the outset of the assignment to discuss the requirements of this Statement of Work. The AVSO review appraiser will coordinate the date and time of the meeting with the contractor. BIA realty staff may be invited to attend, as appropriate.

Report: A draft report is not acceptable. The contractor is required to provide a digital copy of the market study report that will allow the AVSO review appraiser to search and highlight text and include review comments.

The target date for the submission of the market study report is 90 days from contract award. If the contractor determines that the requested performance period is not feasible, then an alternative delivery date may be provided in the proposal.

Review Period: The target review period will be approximately 20 days from the receipt of the market study. Additional time may be required depending on the circumstances. The market study report will be reviewed for compliance with the terms of this Statement of Work.

Any findings of inadequacy will require clarification and/or correction.

Report Revisions: Review comments and/or suggestions, if any, will be provided to the contractor, and to the extent that revisions are required, the contractor shall complete the revisions within 10 days after receiving the review appraiser’s comments.

Revised Report: The revised market study report is to be delivered to the AVSO review appraiser in electronic form within the noted timeframe.

Once the market study report is formally reviewed by AVSO, the review appraiser will notify the BIA and appraiser in writing that the review process has been completed. The AVSO review appraiser will then provide the BIA with the market study.

Invoice Submission and Payment:

60 days after report acceptance by the Government.

Closeout: 60 days after final payment

Note:

Any adjustments to the above Performance / Deliverable Requirements shall be communicated to the Contracting Officer by the AVSO review appraiser. The Contracting Officer will approve or reject the request by email. Approved adjustments will be communicated to the contractor and BIA, as appropriate.