DESCRIPTION 1.1 The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development (RD) National Financial and Accounting Finance Center (NFAOC) St. Louis MO, is soliciting information on potential sources to provide FORECLOSURE LEGAL SERVICES and TECHNICAL SUPPORT for its foreclosure activities in the STATE OF ILLINOIS. The National Financial and Accounting Finance Center is issuing this sources sought as a means of conducting market research to identify SOURCES having an interest in and the experience, ability, capacity and resources to provide the demonstrated expertise, supervision, labor, materials, equipment, and supplies necessary to provide legal foreclosure services throughout the state of Illinois. The result of this market research will contribute to determining whether there are adequate SOURCES from which to receive competitive quotations/proposals. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code to be assigned to this procurement is 541110, Office of Lawyers . 1.2 THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY and a SOLICITATION IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. This notice is for information and planning purposes only and shall not be construed as a solicitation or an obligation on the part of the Government to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Request for Quote (RFQ) in the future. This request for capability information does not constitute a request for proposals or request for quotes and does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service, whatsoever. Further, the USDA, Rural Development is not at this time seeking proposals or quotes and will not accept unsolicited proposals or quotations. Submission of any information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary. The government assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred associated to this request for capability information. Not responding to this source sought does not preclude participation in any future RFP or RFQ, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on beta.SAM.gov. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor these sites for additional information pertaining to this requirement. Responses do not guarantee award nor exclude/include you in the acquisition process. No feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. 2.0 BACKGROUND Rural Development (RD) is a nationwide lender and provides loans to low and moderate income applicants located in rural geographic areas to assist them in obtaining single family housing through multiple programs. RD maintains a portfolio of approximately 232,525 Direct Single-Family Housing loans for low and moderate income borrowers. Section 502 Direct loans are generally secured by first mortgages on modest dwellings located on non-farm tracts of one acre or less. A limited number of homes are located on larger than one acre of land. The Single-Family Housing Direct loans are in each of the 50 states and U.S. territories that include Puerto Rico, Guam (and its Islands) and the Virgin Islands. In some instances, USDA also holds subsequent mortgages on the security, usually without intervening liens. The objective of the USDA, Rural Development, National Financial and Accounting Finance Center (NFAOC), Default Management Division, in publicizing this request for information, is to obtain capability information from private service providers (Legal Entity) in providing all required foreclosure legal services, in connection with foreclosures and/or actions to recover possession related to Section 502 (Single Family Housing) debts to the United States of America, acting through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development (RD). The goal of the centralized Default Management Division is to minimize risk to the Federal Government, the taxpayer as well as reduce the cost associated with servicing defaulted customers. The USDA, Rural Development, National Financial and Accounting Finance Center (NFAOC) is seeking information from companies who possess the capability to handle foreclosure services for the state of Illinois. 3.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES Provide all legal and related foreclosure services for the state of Illinois to include: A. Advertising requirements (legal notices) for the foreclosure sale; C. Court Ordered mediation; D. Title search services; E. Bankruptcy Services; F. Eviction Services; G. Conducting foreclosure sales and collecting associated sales proceeds and; H. Acting for the USDA in bankruptcy proceedings. It is expected that firms replying to this RFI, are knowledgeable in this area, possess the expertise and understanding that all litigation, enforcement, and collection actions be in compliance and consistent with all Federal, State, and local statues, regulations and ethical standards, which apply to the liquidation of, loan security and collections of debts. These include but are not limited to: The Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a) The Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (15 U.S.C. 1692 et seq) The Debt Collection Act of 1982, as amended (PL 97-365) HUD Schedule of Standard Attorney/Trustee’s Fees (RD AN 4560) 4.0 REQUESTED INFORMATION Interested parties, who consider themselves qualified SOURCES that can provide these services are invited to provide a written response to the questions in Exhibit A, attached to this announcement, and electronically submit your responses to: Shelia Stoddard at
[email protected], no later than 3:00 PM CENTRAL TIME (CT) January 3, 2020. 4.0 RESPONSES 4.1 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS : Interested parties are encouraged to respond to this Sources Sought. All communication shall be in writing and submitted electronically via email, referencing AG-CSC1-SS-FS-IL. No information will be taken by telephone. 4.2 Written responses are to be in Portable Document Format (PDF) and are due no later than 3:00 PM CENTRAL TIME (CT) January 3, 2020. Your entire submission shall be limited to 8 pages (8x11), single spaced, 12-point font minimum and should be separated by Sections . Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned. Do not submit a cost proposal. 4.3 SECTION I - of your submission shall provide administrative information: and shall include the following at a minimum: 4.3.1. Name, mailing address, DUNS number, GSA Contract number (if applicable) phone number, fax number, and e-mail of designated point of contact. 4.3.2. Scope of services your company currently provides. 4.3.3. Provide a short paragraph of your recommended “start-up/transition strategy” to mitigate, reduce, or eliminate startup risk. 4.4 SECTION II - of your submission shall provide responses to the questions listed in Exhibit A of this document and any additional information to substantiate your demonstrated capability to deliver foreclosure services in the state of Illinois. 5.0 INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS NFAOC representatives may or may not choose to contact sources to gather additional information. Such industry discussions would only be intended to get further clarification of potential capability to meet the requirements. 6.0 QUESTIONS Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing, via e-mail, to the Contracting Officer, Shelia Stoddard at
[email protected]. Verbal questions will NOT be accepted. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after December 27, 2019, 3:00 pm (CT) will be answered. 7.0 Summary THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT ONLY to identify SOURCES that can provide the LEGAL FORECLOSURE SERVICES for the aforementioned state. The information provided in the sources sought is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. The USDA, Rural Development, has not made a commitment to procure any of the services discussed, and release of this sources sought should not be construed as such a commitment or as authorization to incur cost for which reimbursement would be required or sought.