NK-h&RW abandonment title searches

The Bureau of Reclamation's Nebraska-Kansas Area Office is seeking title search services for 140 abandoned easements within Hitchcock and Red Willow Counties, Nebraska, specifically related to the Culbertson Canal and Lateral System. The contractor will be responsible for conducting comprehensive title searches examining public land records to identify property owners, interests, encumbrances, and existing United States easements to be abandoned, with services to be completed within 20 business days of each request. Key requirements include that contractors must be licensed to do title insurance business in Nebraska, maintain active SAM registration, and submit invoices electronically through the Invoice Processing Platform. The contract follows a firm fixed-price structure covering a base year and four option years, with deliverables consisting of preliminary title reports including legal descriptions, grantee information, and encumbrances rather than title guarantees. The original solicitation deadline was extended from July 14, 2025 to July 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM MDT, with several amendments issued to clarify contractor questions and provide additional details about the scope of work.

This procurement is designated as a total small business set-aside under NAICS code 541191 (Title Abstract and Settlement Offices) with a size standard of $19.5 million. The contract structure anticipates approximately 30 easements to be searched per year over the five-year period, with an estimated 5 easements assigned every 60 days, though the total number may slightly exceed 140 depending on county parcel subdivisions. The majority of the easements were originally acquired between 1957-1962, and contractors have flexibility in determining the appropriate depth of historical search needed to confirm land ownership. The pricing schedule includes separate line items for "Other Services" defined as updating original title searches, with contractors able to invoice by individual parcels if an easement spans multiple parcels. Performance will take place in Hitchcock and Red Willow Counties, Nebraska, with electronic delivery of reports acceptable and contractors required to specify their search capacity for 7-day, 14-day, and 30-day periods.