FINAL_RFI_Sources_Sought.pdf

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE (AG‐CSC1‐SS‐FS15)

Foreclosure Services

UDSA, RD, CSC

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1.0 DESCRIPTION

1.1 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development (RD) Centralized Servicing

Center,(CSC), St. Louis MO, is soliciting information on potential sources to provide

FORECLOSURE SERVICES and technical support for its foreclosure activities in the states of

North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. The Centralized Servicing Center is issuing this sources sought as a means of conducting market research to identify SMALL BUSINESS concerns having an interest in and the experience, ability, capacity and resources to provide the supervision, labor, materials, equipment, and supplies necessary to provide foreclosure services to the states of North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia. The result of this market research will contribute to determining whether there are adequate SMALL BUSINESS resources from which to receive competitive proposals. Status as a small business concern is determined in accordance with 13 CFR part 121.108. Please refer to the Federal Acquisition

Regulation at www.acquisition.gov, Part 19 for additional detailed information. The applicable

North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code to be assigned to this procurement is 541110. The size standard is $11.0M.

1.2 THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY and a SOLICITATION IS NOT

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or an obligation on the part of the Government to issue a request or proposals (RFP) in the future. This request for capability information does not constitute a request for proposals and does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service, whatsoever. Further, the USDA, Rural Development is not at this time seeking proposals and will not accept unsolicited proposals. Submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary. The government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred associated to this request for capability information. Not responding to this sources sought does not preclude participation in any future RFP, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities

(FedBizOpps) website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. Responses do not guarantee award nor exclude/include you in the acquisition process. No feedback on evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

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2.0 BACKGROUND

Rural Development (RD) is a nationwide lender and provides loans to low and moderate income applicants located in rural geographic areas to assist them in obtaining single family housing through multiple programs. RD maintains a portfolio of approximately 280,000 Direct

Single Family Housing loans for 250,000 borrowers. Section 502 Direct loans are generally secured by first mortgages on modest dwellings located on non-farm tracts of one acre or less.

A limited number homes are located on larger than one acre of land. The Single Family

Housing Direct loans are located in each of the 50 states and U.S. territories that include Puerto

Rico, Guam (and its Islands) and the Virgin Islands. In some instances, USDA also holds subsequent mortgages on the security, usually without intervening liens.

The objective of the USDA, Rural Development, Centralized Servicing Center (CSC), Default

Management Division in publicizing this RFI, is to obtain capability information from private service providers (Legal Entity) in providing processing, marketing and required legal services in connection with foreclosures and/or actions to recover possession related to Section 502

(Single Family Housing) debts to the United States of America, acting through the United States

Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development (RD). The goal of the centralized default management division is to minimize risk to the Federal Government, the taxpayer as well as reduce the cost associated with servicing defaulted customers. The USDA, Rural Development, Centralized Servicing Center (CSC) is seeking information from companies who possess the capability to handle foreclosure services for the states of North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia.

Section 1045 of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless assistance Act of 1988 amended Section

510(d) of the Housing Act of 1949 {42 U.S.C. 1480(d)} to provide the Secretary of Agriculture, in the prosecution of defense of any litigation under Section 502, the discretion to use the services of U.S. Attorneys, the USDA Office of the General Counsel, or any other Legal Entity with whom the Secretary enters into a contract, to provide competent and cost-effective representation for

USDA.

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3.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES

Provide all legal and related foreclosure services for the states of North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia to include:

A. Advertising requirements (legal notices) for the foreclosure sale;

B. Liquidation value appraisal services;

C. Court Ordered mediation;

D. Title search services;

E. Bankruptcy Services;

F. Eviction Services;

G. Conducting foreclosure sales and collecting associated sales proceeds and;

H. Acting for the USDA in bankruptcy proceedings.

It is expected that firms replying to this RFI, are knowledgeable in this area, possess the expertise and understanding that all litigation, enforcement, and collection actions be in compliance and consistent with all Federal, State, and local statues, regulations and ethical standards, which apply to the liquidation of, loan security and collections of debts. These include but are not limited to:

The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a)

The Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (15 U.S.C. 1692 et seq)

The Debt Collection Act of 1982, as amended (PL 97-365)

HUD Schedule of Standard Attorney/Trustee’s Fees (RD AN 4560)

USPAP Standard for Appraisals

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4.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION

Interested parties, who consider themselves qualified SMALL BUSINESS concerns that can provide these services are invited to provide a written response to the questions in Exhibit A, attached to this announcement, and electronically submit your responses to: Connie Williams at connie.williams@stl.usda.gov, no later than 4:00 PM CENTRAL TIME (CT) February 9, 2016.

4.0 RESPONSES

4.1 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Interested parties are requested to respond to this

Sources Sought with a white paper. All communication shall be in writing and submitted electronically via email, referencing AG-CSC1-SS-FS15. No information will be taken by telephone.

4.2 White papers in Portable Document Format (PDF) are due no later than 4:00 PM

CENTRAL TIME (CT) FEBRUARY 9, 2016. Your entire submission shall be limited to

8 pages (8x11), single spaced, 12-point font minimum and should be separated by

Sections. Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY

MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

Do not submit a cost proposal.

4.3 SECTION I of your submission shall provide administrative information: and shall include the following at a minimum:

4.3.1. Name, mailing address, DUNS number, GSA Contract number (if applicable) phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact.

4.3.2. Scope of services your company currently provides.

4.3.3. Provide a short paragraph of your recommended “start-up/transition strategy” to mitigate, reduce, or eliminate startup risk.

4.4 SECTION II of your submission shall provide responses to the questions listed in

Exhibit A of this document and any additional information to substantiate your

5 | P a g e demonstrated capability to deliver foreclosure services in the states of Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and North Carolina.

5.0 INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS

CSC representatives may or may not choose to contact sources to gather additional information. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements.

6.0 QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing, via e-mail, to the Contract

Specialist, Connie Williams @ connie.williams@stl.usda.gov. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after February 7, 2016, 2:00 pm (CT) will be answered.

7.0 Summary

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ONLY to identify SMALL BUSINESS concerns that can provide the FORECLOSURE SERVICES for the aforementioned states. The information provided in the sources sought is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The USDA, Rural

Development, has not made a commitment to procure any of the services discussed, and release of this sources sought should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought.