IFB-Multi-provider On-Call, and As-Needed Title and Escrow Services in Modoc County

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for multi-provider on-call and as-needed title and escrow services in Modoc County to support the acquisition of properties needed for future State highway facilities. Bidders must be title and escrow companies regulated by the California Department of Insurance and must provide preliminary title reports, litigation guarantees, policies of title insurance, and escrow services for multiple parcels, including those requiring partial acquisitions and partial reconveyance. Pricing must be submitted on a unit rate basis covering 112 line items, including preliminary title reports, title record searches, document preparation and recording fees, and residential and commercial title insurance policies and escrow rates across multiple transaction value brackets ranging from $0 to $5,000,000, with a 3rd Party Reconveyance and Subordination Fee calculated at 10 percent of the subtotal capped at $1,000 per deed of trust without prior written approval. Key deliverables include preliminary title reports and litigation guarantees to be delivered within 30 days of service request initiation, and title insurance policies to be delivered within 30 days of escrow close or upon written request. The written question submission deadline is April 3, 2026, with final bids due on April 14, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time, followed by bid opening at 2:30 p.m., and the estimated award date is April 21, 2026. The Agreement will commence on June 27, 2026 and expire on June 26, 2031, with a five-year term, though new orders for title and escrow services will be limited to the period from June 27, 2026 through June 26, 2029, with potential extension through amendment for up to one additional year for open escrow orders.

The procurement will be awarded to up to two responsible bidders submitting the lowest bids and meeting all specifications. A five percent Small Business or Micro Business preference applies, with certified SB or MB firms receiving preference not to exceed $50,000 per bid, and a five percent Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise incentive applies for verified 100 percent DVBE participation with a combined dollar cap of $100,000 for all incentives and preferences, though DVBE participation is encouraged but not required. Caltrans requires proof of current Title and Escrow licensure from the California Department of Insurance, commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, automobile liability insurance of $1,000,000 combined single limit per accident, and statutory workers' compensation with employer's liability limits of $1,000,000. The solicitation mandates compliance with California Senate Bill 1383 regarding organic waste recycling, Executive Order N-6-22 regarding Russia sanctions, Executive Order N-12-23 regarding Generative Artificial Intelligence disclosure, and various California civil rights and contracting laws. No specific budget range or award value is listed in the solicitation, as compensation will be determined by actual service requests and unit rates submitted by bidders across the specified transaction value brackets and service categories.