Inactive Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)

AMENDMENT 0003, CORRECT PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONNAIRE DUE DATE CHANGED TO FEBRUARY 11, 2022 This Amendment 0003 is issued to correct the due date of Attachment 4 - Past Performance Questionnaire. The... AMENDMENT 0003, CORRECT PAST PERFORMANCE QUESTIONNAIRE DUE DATE CHANGED TO FEBRUARY 11, 2022 This Amendment 0003 is issued to correct the due date of Attachment 4 - Past Performance Questionnaire. The due date for the questionnaires is hereby changed to 14:00 PM ET, February 11, 2022. A corrected document is attached. *********------------END OF AMENDMENT 0003---------------******* AMENDMENT 0002 QUESTIONS & RESPONSES This Amendment is issued to post the Questions and Responses. Q1. Your response to Q1 in Amendment 001 states that between 10-20 title commitments could be ordered annually per BPA. Just to clarify does that mean that each BPA holder could be assigned between 10-20 title commitments and theoretically the total volume across all three BPAs could be between 30-60 title commitments? A1. That is correct. It is expected that the total volume across all BPAs will be 30-60 title commitments. However, there is no minimum quantity guaranteed. Q2a. Is/Are there an(y) incumbent(s)? If yes, what is/are the name(s) of the incumbent(s)? A2a. The Government does not disclose this information. Q2b. If yes, what are the fees being paid per line item to (each of) the incumbent(s)? A2b. USDA does not publish firm prices or rates. Q3. Must a separate typed up narrative chain of title be prepared to support each title commitment? A3. Please see Section V.A. Title Commitments in Statement of Work concerning Title commitments. A narrative chain of title does not have to be prepared (Please note that in complex ownership interests may require explanation). Q4. Please confirm that the contractor is only required to determine if the subsurface rights have been severed during the normal course of their title search. A4. Subsurface rights should be provided if available. Please see Section IV. Standards and Responsibilities in Statement of Work. Q5. Please confirm that if subsurface rights are severed the contractor is not required to perform a search to determine the owner of the subsurface rights. A5. Subsurface rights should be provided if available. Please see Section IV. Standards and Responsibilities in Statement of Work. Q6. Is a mail-away of the closing documents to the seller acceptable in lieu of a face-to-face closing given the continued presence of the COVID-19 virus? A6. Remote closings are allowed – closing must still follow Section V. B. Closing Services in Statement of Work. ************ END OF AMENTMENT 0002******************** AMENDMENT 0001 This modification is issued to post the Q&A and to add a “Quantity” column to the price schedule. QUESTIONS & RESPONSES Q1: Can the Agency provide any insight as to the expected volume of title orders that the Agency has? A1: Volume varies based on available funding. Estimated volume is approximately between 10-20 Title commitments annually per BPA and 8-15 Closing service awards based on those commitments. Q2: Can the Agency provide any insight as to the backlog of title orders that the Agency currently has? A2: There is currently no backlog of title orders. Q3: It appears from the solicitation that the Agency anticipates awarding 3 BPAs to firms. If so, how will the Agency manage orders? Specifically, is this a competitive BPA where each BPA Holder will be extending resources to respond to each request for quote? A3: Title commitment awards are typically distributed equally amongst the available BPAs. Q4: Does the Agency have a guaranteed minimum for this contract? A4: There is no minimum guaranteed amount on BPAs. Q5: For Attachment 2, the pricing schedule, does the Agency have any insight on the amount of parcels for each preliminary title commitment will be on each order? Just an estimate, i.e. are these for 2500 acres like in GA or 50 acres in Iowa? A5: This award will be for efforts in the state of Mississippi only. The expected would be 1-3 parcels per commitment, and the average size is between 150-300 acres, but can be as small as 20 acres or as large as 1,000 acres. Q6: Same question but for line item 2, would love to receive more insight as to what is the estimate for “additional parcels searched”, i.e. what is the typical unit of measure…again 2500 acres or 50 acres or 1 parcel vs. 10 parcels? A6: The Government expects to have a complete search delivered including all parcels or acres related to the property. However, in some instances it may become necessary to search additional parcels or deeds to deliver a complete package for the services required. When this occurs, the firm is required to notify the technical point of contact and the contracting office in writing before initiating any additional effort if there are any associated expense not included in the quoted unit amount for this line item. The government reserves the right to reject the proposed additional effort, and any additional expense shall be negotiated and documented via modification to the respective order. Q7: For Attachment 2, the “total services” for the year, how are we to determine the prospective year’s “total services” if we don’t know how many of the prelim title commitments will be ordered that year OR should be assume 1 item or unit will be purchased for each line item for each year for pricing purposes? A7: Yes – the total is simply the addition of 1 unit for each line item. We do recognize that additional parcels ‘if utilized’ and the value of the Final Title Policy will vary dependent upon acreage. The Price Schedule, Attachment 2, is updated to reflect the addition of the “Quantity” column as noted and is replaced in its entirety. There are no additional changes by reason of this modification. All other terms and conditions remain unchanged. END OF AMENDMENT The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Wetland Reserve Easement component (ACEP-WRE), the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), Emergency Watershed Protection Program - Floodplain Easements (EWPP-FPE), and the Healthy Forest Reserve Program (HFRP) authorize the acquisition of conservation easements from willing landowners for the purpose of restoring and protecting wetlands, floodplains, grasslands, or forest lands. NRCS is the lead USDA agency that is charged with administering these programs. The objective of this blanket purchase arrangement (BPA) is to obtain title search, preliminary title commitment, final title policy, and closing services for acquisitions of program easements for the State of Mississippi on behalf of the United States of America, acting by and through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Government intends to award up to three Blank Purchase Agreements (BPAs) from this solicitation to the responsible offeror(s) whose quote conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. Please see the attached documents for full details on this action.