5082- Invitation for Bid- Title Services - R-3

The Letcher County Fiscal Court has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for title services and closing services related to the NRCS Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Home Buyout Program, seeking a qualified legal firm or title company to provide comprehensive services for approximately 100 properties. The services to be procured include title opinions, title insurance, and closing services for properties approved by the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) for inclusion in the buyout program, with contractors also responsible for advising property owners on resolution of any identified title issues. Required qualifications include valid attorney certifications and appropriate licensing for the jurisdiction. Deliverables must be submitted through the DFS Procurement Portal (dfs.bonfirehub.com/portal) with bids due by February 11, 2026, at 9:00 AM ET, followed by bid opening at 10:00 AM ET on the same date and award determination scheduled for the Fiscal Court meeting on February 16, 2026, at 10:00 AM ET. Evaluation criteria include pricing competitiveness and the contractor's ability to meet the county's scheduling requirements. The procurement anticipates a pause of unknown duration between title work completion and closing while NRCS completes additional compliance steps such as State Historic Preservation Office clearance, with title search invoicing permitted separately from remaining services.

There are no disclosed set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises; however, the procurement documents require contractors to take affirmative steps to ensure participation opportunities for minority businesses, women's business enterprises, and labor surplus area firms when engaging subcontractors, as mandated by 2 CFR 200.321. All bidders must demonstrate compliance with drug-free workplace requirements, maintain specified insurance coverage including commercial general liability ($2,000,000 aggregate limit), commercial auto coverage ($1,000,000 combined single limit), and worker's compensation insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence), and submit federal lobbying certifications and non-collusion declarations. No incumbent vendors or existing contractor relationships are identified in the procurement documents. The Letcher County Fiscal Court reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids, negotiate with respondents, waive minor irregularities, and award to multiple firms if necessary to meet scheduling requirements, with no guarantee of work quantity as structures may fall out of the program or be awarded to other contractors. Pricing for title insurance is fixed at $4.75 per $1,000 for coverage up to $100,000 (minimum $238.00), plus $3.75 per $1,000 for coverage between $100,001 and $500,000, with title insurance premiums, recording fees, and transfer taxes treated as pass-through costs only. The total contract value is not specified due to the per-property basis of awards and uncertain final property count participating in the program.