Sources Sought
Build America Bureau - Appraisals
Department of Transportation · Federal Highway Administration · Sol. RFI_Appraiser_2026
Due in 27 days
AI summary Beta
The Federal Highway Administration, for the U.S. DOT Build America Bureau, is asking appraisal firms whether they could do real estate valuation work. The Bureau lends money for transit-oriented development (building around transit stations) and wants appraisers it hires directly. This is a Sources Sought / RFI (market research), not a request for offers, and responses are due November 5, 2026.
Watch out for
- Two different due dates in the files. The original document says October 15, 2026 and Amendment 1 says November 5, 2026; the notice also says November 5, so use the later date but watch for further changes.
DUE DATE FOR RESPONSES: November 5, 2026, 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
- Not a contract opportunity yet. This is market research only, so responding does not win work, and the Government will not pay for the cost of responding.
Respondents are advised that the United States Government will not pay for any information
- Seven page response limit. Everything except the cover page, table of contents and acronym list must fit in 7 pages, so the answers have to be tight.
Not more than seven pages in length, including all items submitted (not including
- Broad skill and coverage demands. The Bureau wants appraisers who can cover many property types (multifamily, retail, office, hospitality, parking, ground leases) in any U.S. market, which may need a nationwide network or teaming partners.
Would you provide nationwide coverage (staff appraisers, affiliated offices, a managed
- Question deadline already passed. Questions about the RFI were due 9/22/26, which is before the date this brief was written, so questions may not be answered.
QUESTIONS: Submit any questions on this RFI no later than 9/22/26.
Read from the notice and 2 attachments.
- RFI Appraiser Amendment 1.pdf
- RFI Appraiser 9.4.26.pdf
Full brief
What they want
- Comprehensive appraisal reports with three values (as-is, as-if complete, as-if complete and stabilized) plus a net liquidation value
- Desktop reviews of appraisals that loan applicants submit, checked against USPAP, Title 49 CFR Part 24 and federal credit policies
- Market, feasibility and absorption studies (supply and demand, rents, lease-up forecasts, effect of transit proximity)
- Re-appraisals of loans after closing (ad hoc, as the Bureau asks)
- Programmatic guidance to the Bureau (ad hoc)
- Coverage in any U.S. market, including secondary and rural markets, with capacity for several jobs at once
- Contract type
- Not decided. The draft scope says work would be ordered by task order; the notice asks which vehicle (for example multiple-award IDIQ or GSA BPA) works best. Sources Sought only.
- Period of performance
- Not stated. Once assigned, appraisals are anticipated to be completed in several months.
- Place of performance
- Washington, DC, USA (per notice); the draft scope says appraisals are needed in any U.S. market
- Contract vehicle
- Not decided. Respondents are asked to list any GSA schedule, GSA OASIS+ or other governmentwide contract numbers they hold.
- How they'll choose
- Not applicable yet. This is market research, not a solicitation, so no award evaluation is described. The Government will use responses to decide the contract type and whether to set it aside for small business.
- Offers due
- November 5, 2026, 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time (changed by Amendment 1)
- How to submit
- Email to Carolyn.Lethert@dot.gov and Myla.Wyatt@dot.gov. Electronic responses only.
- Page limits
- Not more than 7 pages total (not counting cover page, table of contents and acronym list). Within that: capability answers a to f up to 2 pages, and optional feedback on questions 1 to 14 up to 5 pages. Letter size, 1 inch margins, 12 point font or larger, Word or PDF.
What to include when you submit
- Include a cover page with company name, point of contact (phone and email), SAM.gov UEI and your best-fit NAICS code plus other NAICS codes that could apply
- List any GSA contract number and schedule, GSA OASIS+ number and other governmentwide contracts available to DOT
- State your business size and any status: small, woman-owned, 8(a), small disadvantaged, HUBZone, SDVOSB, non-profit
- Say whether you could do all of the work alone or would use subcontractors, and for which work
- Answer questions a to f on lending appraisal experience, product types, nationwide coverage, rural markets, capacity, and review and feasibility studies
- Do not submit proprietary information
- Questions about the RFI were due by 9/22/26; any questions on the draft scope can go in a separately labeled document that does not count toward the page limit
You must have
- No set-aside is used for this notice, but the Government is gathering information on small business and socioeconomic status (8(a), HUBZone, SDVOSB, woman-owned) to decide on a future set-aside
- Key personnel need active appraiser certifications and strong knowledge of USPAP and the federal Yellow Book standards (UASFLA)
Key personnel must maintain active certifications and high-level proficiency in
- Experience with lending appraisals for institutional lenders, HUD-insured lending, GSEs or government credit programs is called the most relevant background
Prior experience with institutional lenders, HUD-insured multifamily lending, GSE lending,
- Active SAM.gov registration (a UEI is required on the cover page)
- SAM.GOV Unique Entity ID (UEI)
Current contractor
No named incumbent. The Bureau says it has so far bought appraisals through its financial advisors as needed and now wants to buy them directly.
Not in the notice text
- Estimated contract value or number of appraisals per year
- Final contract type, vehicle and length (base and option years)
- Whether the future contract will be set aside for small business or a socioeconomic group
- How offers will be evaluated and when a solicitation might be issued
- Exact location of work for each assignment (any U.S. market is possible)
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Key facts
- Response due
- Nov 5, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Solicitation
- RFI_Appraiser_2026
- Agency
- Department of Transportation · Federal Highway Administration
- Office
- 693JJ3 Acquisition and Grants MGT
- Set-aside
- No Set aside used
- NAICS
- 531320
- Product/service code
- R411
- Business type
- Real estate & leasing
- Place of performance
- Washington, DC
- Contracting contact
- Carolyn Lethertcarolyn.lethert@dot.gov
- Versions
- 2 (amended since first posted)
Full notice text from SAM.gov
This is a sources sought notice/request for information for Appraisers for the Build America Bureau. FHWA is conducting market research to identify potential sources for an anticipated contract for the Build America Bureau. Please submit questions no later than 9/22/2026. Due date updated to November 5, 2026.
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