Assessment of Title Complexity Associated with Informally Owned Real Property

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items, issued as a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for Informal Property Identification. The contract aims to research the distribution of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) to communities and private property owners with informal homeownership. The goal is to understand how informal ownership constrains access to CDBG-DR funding, particularly after natural disasters.

• Assess the state of informal property ownership in Asheville, NC; Tampa, FL; Greenville, SC; and Atlanta, GA.

• Categorize different levels or types of informal property ownership.

• Determine the legal services and costs required to formalize property titles for informally held properties.

• Identify properties most likely eligible for CDBG-DR funding.

• Contract Type: Firm-fixed price.

• Period of Performance: One (1) two-year base period and one (1) one-year option period, for a total duration not exceeding three (3) years.

• Estimated Value: Not explicitly stated, but the North American Industry Classification Standard (NAICS) code is 541191 with a small business size standard of $20 million.

• Submission: Quotes are requested, and a separate written solicitation will not be issued.

• Evaluation Criteria: Offers will be evaluated based on Technical Approach, Qualifications of Key Personnel, and Price. Award will be made to the offeror representing the best value to the Government.

• Key Deadlines: Questions are due by January 20, 2026. The period for acceptance of offers is 90 calendar days from the date specified for receipt of offers.

• This acquisition is an unrestricted requirement and is not set-aside for small business concerns.

• The solicitation incorporates provisions and clauses by reference, accessible at www.acquisition.gov.

• Attachment 1 – Statement of Work is included.

• Key personnel are required, including a Project Administrator. Substitutions are restricted during the first 90 days.

• Travel is an optional line item (0003) with a notional value of $3,000.00, which will be used for total evaluated price calculation.

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

This contract supports research examining the distribution of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants for Disaster Relief (CDBG-DR) to communities and private property owners, specifically focusing on those with informally owned property who may face constraints in accessing disaster relief funding.

• Examine informal property ownership in four cities and surrounding counties impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton in Fall 2024: Asheville, NC; Tampa, FL; Greenville, SC; and Atlanta, GA.

• Assess the number of informal properties and forestland owners holding property informally.

• Categorize different levels of informal property ownership.

• Determine the legal services and costs required to formalize property titles.

• Identify properties most likely eligible for CDBG-DR funding.

• Trace CDBG-DR funding from HUD to state and local levels.

• Deliverables must be submitted in a timely manner.

• Specific deliverables include:

  • Informal Property Database (within 6 months of project start)
  • Title Complexity Stratification (within 6 months of project start)
  • Heat Maps (within 8 months of project start)
  • Title Work Case Studies (12 total, within 12 months of project start)
  • Trace CDBG-DR funding (pending additional funding, within 12 months of project start)
  • Written Contribution to USDA Forest Service Final Report (as requested, by project end)

• Project start date: March 1, 2026.

• Specific locations for research include Asheville, NC; Tampa, FL; Greenville, SC; and Atlanta, GA.

• Potential travel for meetings includes Knoxville, TN; Atlanta, GA; and Cambridge, MA.

• Contractor's Key Personnel must have expertise in Geographic Information Systems, statistical analyses, and natural resource management. The Project Administrator must have a law degree, a minimum of 5 years of experience as a real property attorney, and 5 years of experience with heirs' property title clearance.

• All data collected must be kept strictly confidential.

• Data ownership resides with the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station.