REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) from the Florida Dept. of Transportation The Department of Transportation, Office of District Four Procurement Office is requesting the following information from prospective vendors about the commodities and/or contractual services described below. Description of commodities/contractual services: Automated/Electronic Title Search and Document Copy Service Via-Email. The Department seeks a vendor that can provide an electronic/automated title system which allows the Department with access to geographically indexed real property records and name searches throughout the State of Florida. These counties include but are not limited to, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Miami-Dade, Collier, Hendry, Osceola, Okeechobee, and Brevard. The vendors system must also provide electronic copies of documents related to the search results provided by the vendor. Specific Information Requested: See Attached Exhibit A - Scope of Services. Contact for Questions or clarification: Tanisha Boynton, Tanisha.Boynton@dot.state.fl.us The requested information must be received by 3:00 pm (EST) on August 22, 2013. Send to: The Department of Transportation District Four Procurement Office 3400 West Commercial Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33309 3421 E-mail to: Tanisha Boynton, Tanisha.Boynton@dot.state.fl.us NOTE: Responses to this Request for Information (RFI) will be reviewed by the agency for informational purposes, and will not be considered as offers to be accepted by the agency to form a binding contract. Advertisement of any subsequent competitive solicitation that may result from this RFI will be posted on the Florida Vendor Bid System.
EXHIBIT A SCOPE OF SERVICES A. PURPOSE: To provide an electronic/automated title information system for accessing real property records throughout the State of Florida for District Four. The electronic/automated title information system will be used as a resource for searching real property records for the preparation of title search reports, or any other activities involving the Department. The Department requires such a system for the purpose of determining status or condition of title. B. COUNTIES: The Vendor must be able to provide geographically indexed property searches in various counties throughout the State of Florida. These counties must include but are not limited to, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, Miami-Dade, Collier, Hendry, Osceola, Okeechobee & Brevard counties. C. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY THE VENDOR: The vendor shall provide the Department with access to a computerized electronic/automated title system, which will provide access to real property records within the counties as indicated herein. The electronic/automated title system must have simple drop-down menus with point-and-click functionality for efficient and easy use. The system must be web interfaced through an internet connection and supported web browser such as Internet Explorer. This will provide the Department with the ability and efficiency to perform research from any location. D. PRICING: The term file wherever used herein will be defined as search of the Vendors system. A search will consist of a geographically indexed property search and a name index search. A Property tax search of the Vendor s system will be billed at a separate rate. The per file pricing is for accessing all available records related to the search query. The pricing per file will be shown on Exhibit C Price Proposal. E. SEARCH RESULTS - FORMAT: The Vendor must provide the search results in a format in which each record is identified by codes e.g, WD, MG, QCD, LN, JG, MTG, ASN, etc Said search results must also display the parties that are subject to each instrument shown on the search results. The minimum information in which must be displayed on the search results are; Party 1, Party 2, Recording Date, Official Records Book and Page, a brief legal description (provided that said document contains a legal description), references to any related A-1
recordings, case numbers or any other notes or comments that will assist the user in analyzing the property under search. F. ELECTRONIC COPIES OF DOCUMENTS AND SEARCH RESULTS: It is required that the Vendor provide the Department with electronic copies of documents related to the search results. The cost for said copies (search related copies) will be included in the search price, as search related documents. Copies of non-search related documents will be charged separately. Said documents must be 1 st generation images (copy of an original, not a copy of a copy). The Vendors system must have the ability to electronically transmit copies of the documents directly to the user s computer. The Vendors system must be able to deliver said documents quickly within a turnaround time of minutes. The Vendors system must also have the ability to allow for the Department to e-mail, export and store said documents. The Vendors system must also have the capability to store the search results electronically. The Vendors system must also have the capability for the search results to be e-mailed, exported or stored to a variety of writable media such as CD, DVD, network file systems, etc. G. ACCESS TO REAL PROPERTY TAX COLLECTION DATA: The vendors system shall provide access to real property tax collection data. The Department requires the ability to access ownership information as well as payment and delinquency data. Tax data should be accessible through folio or tax identification number, property address and taxpayer name. The pricing for said tax search will be shown on Exhibit C Price Proposal. H. TRAINING AND SUPPORT - VENDORS SYSTEM The vendor will provide training and support (at no additional cost) to the Department s personnel in order to effectively use the Vendors system. Training shall be conducted via webinar or at the Vendors training facilities, if available. If the Vendors training facilities are not available, the location will be commonly agreed upon by both parties. The Vendor must supply user guides or manuals to the Department. The Vendors manuals or user guides will also be provided to the Department at no charge. Said user guides or manuals can be supplied either electronically or hard copy. The Vendor will notify the Department of all manual/user guide revisions and supply the Department with copies accordingly. The Vendor s system will not be used or activated on the Departments computers until the Vendor has provided initial training to the Department. However, the department reserves the right to waive the need for initial training. The Vendor will offer support and training to the Department for the term of the agreement, as it relates the Vendor s system. A-2
I. GEOGRAPHIC INDEX SEARCH: Searches will be submitted on the underlying legal description(s) and/or equivalents of the legal description being searched. The real property title information that will be provided by the Vendor, in connection with any particular search of the Vendors system shall exhibit or refer to conveyances, leases, mortgages, liens, notice of lis pendens security instruments, financing statements (filed pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted by the State of Florida), and recorded in said office during the period of the search which involves the legal description of the land covered by the search. The Vendors system must also exhibit or refer to any other instruments as shown of record in the office of the Clerk of the County Court and/or Comptroller. The Vendor is not required to provide instruments that describe any property by a mailing or street address only. However, if the document is recorded the Vendor must post the recorded document to either the name(s) of the parties involved, and/or legal description, provided that the Vendor is able to cross reference the address on said document to a legal description. The Department does not require that the Vendor provide ad valorem taxes, improvement liens, special assessments, sanitary sewer liens, sidewalks or street paving liens, unless recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and/or County Comptroller. J. NAME SEARCH INDEX The Department requires that the Vendor provide the ability to perform name searches. The Vendors system must show the name search results by the same name(s), derivatives, nicknames and initials for a period of at least twenty years prior to date thereof. Name search information must exhibit or refer, but not be limited to; orders appointing receivers or liquidators, judgments, income tax liens, affidavits, decrees for money, decrees of divorce judgments of dissolution of marriage, marital settlement agreements, trust agreements, decrees of free dealership, probate, incompetency and guardianship proceedings, certificates of incorporation and charters of incorporation appearing of record in the recording office for the county under search in the Office of the Clerk of the United States District Court Office (provided a transcript is of record) recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and/or County Judge s office of said counties if such matter affects the title of said land covered by the search. Any other documents recorded of record in which are not posted to the legal description shown on said documents, must be posted to the name of the parties under search. The name information search need not show fictitious name affidavits, dissolution of corporations for nonpayment of capital stock tax or annual report filing fee, or building and zoning regulations, unless recorded in the office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court and/or County Comptroller. A-3
K. DEPARTMENTS RESPONSIBILITY VENDORS INFORMATION AND MATERIALS The Department shall use the Vendor s system, information and materials in a careful and lawful manner in order to conduct Department business. The Department shall only permit its employees to access the Vendor s system. Department agrees that the information extracted from the Vendors system is to be used in conducting Department business. L. METHOD OF ACCESS The Department will administer and maintain the user Identifications and passwords issued by the Vendor. The Department will install any programs necessary in order to access and print from the Vendors system. The installation of any programs must be approved by the Department s Office of Information Systems (OIS). M. LICENSE REQUIREMENTS If there is a charge for a user license, said license will be charged at a rate indicated on Exhibit C Price Proposal. If there is a charge for each user license, than such charge will be a one-time fee per user. N. SYSTEM UPGRAGES If at any time during the agreement the Vendor upgrades its system, said upgrade will be implemented at no additional charge to the Department. O. SOFTWARE INSTALLATION If there is any software that is required to be installed in order for the Department to effectively access the Vendors system, then the Vendor will be available to install said software at no charge to the Department. P. NON FILE RELATED ELECTRONIC COPIES OF DOCUMENTS There will be no charge for any electronic copies of documents related to the search. Any electronic copies requested via the Vendors system that are not file related will be charged at a rate indicated on Exhibit C Q. HARDWARE/SOFTWARE COMPATIBILITY: 1. Hardware a. DVD/CD Burner b. Laser printer 2. Internet Access a. High-speed connection (DSL, Cable modem, etc.) 3. Software Requirements a. Operating System : Windows 7 b. Office 2007 c. Internet Explorer 9 A-4
The Vendor system must be compatible with the requirements above during the term of this Agreement. The Department may upgrade its systems. The Vendor will remain compatible with the Departments software/hardware at no additional cost to the Department. A-5