The Vendor is required to provide for as-needed easement and right-of-way acquisition services, which may include, but not be limited to, title work, appraisals, negotiations and condemnation packages.
- Provide for a county staff member, typically an engineering project manager, to undertake services related to acquisition of permanent and temporary easements and rights-of-way needed to permit construction and/or long-term maintenance of the county’s infrastructure system.
- Services needed will vary from one assignment to another but will typically include:
• Coordinating acquisition process with county and the county’s attorney’s office to ensure compliance with county requirements and all other funding requirements.
• Working with the county to determine needed easements and rights-of-way including desired widths and lengths of same, and whether temporary or permanent acquisition is required.
• Preparing a cost estimate for the services needed for that particular project as well as a projected timeline for acquisition.
• Ordering title work (to be paid for by the county) upon request, researching and obtaining records of property ownership, mortgage interests, or encumbrances through public databases, requests to property owners, or other means, and performing preliminary review of same to determine required signatories.
• Providing appraisals as required to determine value of easements or rights-of-way; this work may be subcontracted if firm does not have qualified in-house staff.
• Contacting the property owner(s) by mail or phone to make an appointment to meet.
• Conducting in-person or virtual meetings with property owner(s) to present project impacts, clarify the need for the easement or right-of-way, address concerns, and negotiate terms.
• Discussing with county any negotiations and/or property owner concerns.
• Preparing draft documents needed for the acquisition utilizing standard county language for the type of acquisition.
• Surveying of proposed easements and/or rights-of-way areas and preparing needed legal descriptions and survey exhibit drawings may be requested when county surveying scheduling does not permit timely in-house performance of these services.
• Such services, when requested, must be performed under the supervision of a professional surveyor licensed in the state.
• Surveys and legal description prepared by firm shall also be submitted to the county for review prior to submitting draft documents to the county attorney’s office as set forth below.
• Consult with the county attorney’s office early in the process to ensure alignment on legal requirements.
• Negotiating, securing, and notarizing property owner signature(s).
• Submitting invoices to county for payments required to property owner (including obtaining w-9 from owner).
• Meeting, at a minimum, on a monthly basis, with the county to review the progress of the project and expedite any necessary county actions.
• Furnishing a written monthly progress report outlining status of acquisition of each needed easements or rights-of-way, a summary of any design changes requested by the owner, and discussion of any other challenges encountered.
• Progress reports shall include, at a minimum:
1. A status update on all pending acquisitions
2. Summaries of owner negotiations and responses
3. Outstanding legal or financial issues
4. Any necessary county action items
• Obtaining necessary consents from, e.g., mortgage interest holders.
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: April 11, 2025