Title Abstract Search and Settlement/Closing Services in Indiana

The United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking title abstract and settlement services for conservation easement acquisitions in Indiana. The solicitation requires a contractor to provide comprehensive services including title searches, title commitments, post-survey updates, final title policies, and closing services for various conservation programs such as Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP), and Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP). Potential contractors must be licensed to conduct title insurance business in Indiana, maintain current knowledge of state real estate laws, and comply with strict confidentiality requirements. The government will use a tradeoff evaluation method that places more importance on technical capability and past performance than price, with vendors required to submit quotes in two parts: a technical narrative and a price quote. Key deadlines include January 3, 2025, for submitting questions and January 23, 2025, at 12:00 Noon Eastern Time for quote submissions.

The solicitation is 100% set aside for small businesses under NAICS code 541191 (Title Abstract and Settlement Offices) with a size standard of $19.5 million. The period of performance spans five years, from February 1, 2025, through January 31, 2030, with pricing required for five 12-month ordering periods. The place of performance is Advance, Indiana, and the government intends to issue a single-award firm-fixed-price blanket purchase agreement. Contractors must provide detailed documentation including title insurance policies, recorded conservation easement deeds, settlement statements, and IRS Form 1099, with specific timing requirements such as completing initial title searches within 21 business days and closing services within 30 calendar days of receiving federal funds. Successful contractors must also maintain active SAM registration, establish FDIC-insured escrow accounts, and carry liability insurance coverage equal to the federal funds amount involved in each transaction.