3737 Government Street Alexandria, LA 71302

R -- CLOSING AGENT SERVICES SOL NRCS-1-LA-97 DUE 120496 POC PATTI D. DAYE, Contracting Officer, (318)473-7645 Marilyn Rabalais, Contracting Officer, (318)473-7754. The purpose of this advertisement is to solicit Closing Services for acquisitions of wetland easements on behalf of the United States of America, acting by and through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA. The Wetland Reserve Program requires the utilization of Department of Justice approved attorneys, abstractors, and title insurance companies. If you are acting as an agent for a title underwriter in the issuance of title evidence in Louisiana, you need not be approved. The contractor shall perform all closing services, including obtaining a Class D- Rural Survey of the easement property from a licensced registered land surveyor, and title insurance from an approved title company. The contractor will perform the same closing services as in a commercial transaction, including obtaining deeds and any necessary curative instruments to insure a merchantable insurable title. All documents will be reviewed by the Office of General Counsel prior to the recording of any easement. The closing services will be performed in the parish in which the wetland easement is located, unless the contractor and landowner mutually agree to a different location. The Louisiana parishes in which wetland easements may be filed are: Avoyelles, Caldwell, Concordia, Catahoula, Tensas, Madison, Franklin, Ouachita, St Landry, Pointe Coupee, and other surrounding parishes. This is a Small Business Set-Aside. The contract will be a cost-plus-fixed fee type with a base year quantity and three year option. Multiple awards may be made. Requests for Proposals (RFP) will be ready for issue 11/4/96. Interested parties should mail or fax their request for an RFP package. The NRCS fax number is (318)473-7831. ALL RESPONSIBLE SOURCES MAY SUBMIT A BID/PROPOSAL WHICH WILL BE CONSIDERED BY THE AGENCY. (0295)

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