Bids required for contracted reappraisals

(a)(1) Each county that contracts reappraisal services shall advertise for bids for the planned reappraisal by:

(A) Posting a notice of such reappraisal and invitation to bid in a conspicuous place in the county courthouse; and

(B) One (1) insertion in a newspaper with a general circulation in the county.

(2) The county shall also mail, fax, or send by electronic transmission a copy of the notice/bid invitation to all companies listed on the Assessment Coordination Division’s Annual Register of Appraisal Companies at the time of advertising.

(3) The notice/invitations to bid shall include:

(A) The number of parcels;

(B) The time and date deadline for submitting bids, not less than ten (10) nor more than thirty (30) working days from the date of:

(i) Advertisement in the newspaper; and

(ii) The notice/invitations to bid are mailed out; and

(C) A statement that any bids submitted by a contractor that do not meet the division-approved specifications shall be rejected by the county.

(4) The notice/invitation to bid shall also include a statement that the contractor may obtain a copy of the bid specifications by:

(A) Contacting the county assessor; and

(B) Requesting that the specifications be mailed, emailed, or faxed to him or her.
(5)(A) Along with the notice/invitation the county shall include a contractor response form.

(B) The response form shall contain at least the following options for the contractor to check:

(i) This contractor wishes to bid on this reappraisal and a bid is enclosed; and

(ii) This contractor does not wish to bid on this reappraisal but wishes to receive all bid notices/invitations in the future.

(C) Space should be provided for any comments the contractor wishes to make.

(D) The response form must be signed by an authorized representative of the contractor.
(b)(1) All contractors receiving the notice/invitation must complete and return the response form to the county.

(2) All bid documents, even if they are only the completed response form, must be mailed or hand delivered to the county in a sealed envelope or container clearly labeled “Bid Documents”.

(3) This requirement shall be a prerequisite for a contractor to remain on the division’s list of registered contractors.
(c)(1) The deadline for submitting bids and forms shall be at least thirty (30) minutes before the scheduled time for opening.

(2) All such bids shall remain unopened and under lock in a safe location until the date and time for the bids to be opened.
(d)(1) The county shall submit to the division a copy of all bids received.
(2)(A) In the event the county chooses to employ an appraisal firm other than the firm that submits a low bid, the county assessor must submit a written narrative explaining the county’s choice of firms.

(B) The narrative must:

(i) Be attached to the proposed appraisal contract; and

(ii) Explain in detail what criteria were utilized to make the decision to hire a firm other than the low bidder.

(C) Failure to comply with this section will result in rejection of the proposed appraisal contract.

(e) To assist counties in making judgments as to contractor’s qualifications and past performance, the division shall provide the following information about each contractor to the assessor, county judge, equalization board, and school superintendents in each county requesting bid for reappraisal contracts:

(1) Contractor register information provided to the division in compliance with 26 CAR § 213-401, upon request;

(2) The total cost of each contract that each contractor currently has in force;

(3) Ratio study results in the counties where each contractor has completed reappraisal in the preceding two (2) years;

(4) The number of findings by the division that each contractor was out of compliance during division procedural audits in the preceding twenty-four (24) months; and

(5) The number of instances during the preceding twenty-four (24) months that each contractor has had a contract terminated or funding for the county terminated by the division.