MIDNR Real Estate-Case #20250031-Lyme Great Lakes Easement

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP 26-1347) for comprehensive title work services related to a conservation easement acquisition involving approximately 151,962 acres across Alger, Marquette, Menominee, and Delta Counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The procuring agency seeks a qualified contractor to perform title research and obtain title insurance commitments for property being acquired from Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands, LLC, with deliverables including commitment for an owner's title insurance policy, copies of deeds, easements, liens, and all referenced documents spanning the last 50 years or a reasonable period to establish marketable title. The estimated transaction value is $46 million, subject to appraisal review and approval, with pricing to be itemized by county and held firm for the entire one-year contract term from March 20, 2026, through March 19, 2027. Key requirements include maintaining active SAM.gov registration, compliance with IRS Publication 1075 requirements for tax data safeguarding, and obtaining insurance coverage including $1 million commercial general liability and $5 million umbrella coverage. Contractors must demonstrate prior experience completing title research for Michigan Upper Peninsula properties and large government land transactions. Evaluation criteria include a minimum technical score of 80 points to advance to pricing evaluation, with technical evaluation weighted at 40 percent for Statement of Work Section 1, 20 percent for Sections 2-4, 15 percent for Sections 5-10, and 25 percent for the Vendor Questions Worksheet; the award will be made on a best value basis considering economic impact to Michigan, prior performance, and total cost of ownership. The bidder questions deadline was March 10, 2026, with answers posted by March 13, 2026, and proposals are due at 3:00 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

The solicitation documents do not identify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to particular categories of organizations such as disadvantaged enterprises. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are listed in the procurement documentation. Existing title work infrastructure is available from previous landowner transactions, specifically title commitments and owner policies dating from the 2019 purchase of the property by Lyme Great Lakes Timberlands from Hancock, which bidders may leverage to reduce duplication and project costs. The state reserves the right to conduct background checks and require performance bonds as part of the contracting process. No site visits or bidders' conferences are specified in the documentation. The procurement carries an estimated total insurance amount of $47 million across all title policies, with one policy to be issued per county.