Request for Proposals: Real Estate Counsel

September 17, 2026

Deadline: Friday, October 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM CDT to [email protected].

The Omaha Municipal Land Bank (OMLB) is requesting proposals for a Contracted Real Estate Attorney (“Attorney”) to provide legal services related to real estate acquisitions, dispositions, foreclosures, compliance, risk management, and related real estate matters.

For more information, click on the link below to DOWNLOAD RFP.

Proposal Contents

Please include the following information in your proposal submission:

Description of your approach
Description of your team’s capacity to deliver a high-quality product on time
Summary of deliverables
Estimated costs
2-3 professional references and any samples of relevant prior work as appropriate. References should be provided with a current name, email, phone number, and year associated with the client.

Proposal Submission Deadline

Proposals should be submitted (PDF preferred) to [email protected] by October 2, 2026.

Bid Schedule

Issue Bid: Thursday, September 17, 2026
Question Submission Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
FAQ Answers Posted Online: Monday, September 28, 2026
Proposal Deadline: Friday, October 2, 2026
Award Selection: Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Estimated Project Delivery Schedule

October 2026: Sign Contract & Onboarding
October 2026: Project Kickoff & Information Compiling
December 2026: Project Draft Development
TBD 2027 – 2028: Final Product Delivered

Vendor Registration Required

Companies wishing to work with OMLB must be registered as a vendor. This page can be found at the following link on our webpage: https://omahalandbank.org/get-involved/vendor-registration/

Download RFP

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions must be submitted by Friday, September 25 at 5:00 PM CDT to [email protected]. Answers will be posted on the website at omahalandbank.org/bidding on Monday, September 28 at 5:00 PM CDT.

Submitted Q&A

Question: Current portfolio and legal workload

Will OMLB provide a current case-level reconciliation of its tax-sale-certificate foreclosure portfolio, including case number, property address or parcel number, certificate date, current case stage, decree date, order-of-sale date, sheriff-sale result, confirmation status, deed-recording status, redemption or dismissal outcome, and current inventory or disposition status? Please also identify the anticipated volume of acquisition, disposition, title, contract, compliance, and property-dispute matters requiring legal support during the initial contract period.

Answer:

The Attorney will need to undertake a substantial review, assessment and remediation of our existing tax lien certificate (TLC) portfolios, both the strategically acquired certificates and default certificates for which OMLB provides foreclosure services on behalf of Douglas County.

At this time, OMLB does not maintain a comprehensive case-level reconciliation that accurately identifies the status or stage of each certificate and related foreclosure matter. As a result, OMLB is unable to provide a complete inventory reflecting the information you’ve requested.

The selected Attorney will have access to OMLB staff, Douglas County attorneys, court records and related documentation to develop a current portfolio reconciliation, establish a reliable tracking framework, identify deficiencies and recommend and implement corrective action as appropriate.

Question: Foreclosure work allocation

For tax-sale-certificate foreclosure matters, what work does OMLB expect the selected Attorney to perform directly, including pleadings, service, default-judgment hearings, decree preparation, order-of-sale requests, confirmation motions, and sheriff’s-deed follow-up? What work, if any, will remain with existing or specialized outside counsel?

Answer:

OMLB expects the selected Attorney to perform all attorney-required work related to acquisitions, dispositions, and TLC portfolios. A Legal Assistant will be provided to assist with administrative filing and record-keeping. Douglas County attorneys will assist in the review, assessment and remediation portion of the work.

It will be the responsibility of the selected Attorney to work with OMLB Executive staff to clearly define roles and responsibilities related to these matters. It will be necessary to identify areas where an attorney is not required to perform the work.

Question: Prior counsel, records, and systems

What prior-counsel files, court and title records, certificate and redemption records, sale and deed records, policies, contracts, Board records, and tracking materials will be available at onboarding? Which attorneys or firms currently have active matters or files requiring transition? What case management, document management, and reporting systems does OMLB currently use?

Answer:

OMLB keeps all records in an internal SharePoint filing system which will become available at the time of onboarding. If selected, you will work with Douglas County in getting access to a software to manage TLC cases; they will also be able to support you as you onboard and become acclimated to the work. Only Douglas County attorneys have active matters or files requiring transition, and those will be provided at the time of onboarding.

OMLB will use this reconciliation period to identify operational needs and explore potential software configurations and system enhancements that could improve case management, document management, and reporting.

Question: Historical risk-review scope

Is the requested review of potential conflicts, fiduciary-duty concerns, misuse of public funds, fraud indicators, and procurement practices intended to be a preliminary legal and operational risk assessment, or a forensic investigation? If further investigation is warranted, may it be separately authorized and scoped, including use of independent specialized counsel or other professionals?

Answer:

It is intended to be a preliminary legal and operational risk assessment, not a forensic investigation. As part of the process of reconciling the workload, records, and outstanding matters, the Attorney may identify issues or circumstances that warrant further review or investigation. If additional investigation is determined to be appropriate, OMLB may separately authorize and scope that work, including the engagement of independent specialized counsel, forensic professionals, or other subject matter experts, as appropriate.

Question: Internal support

What legal, paralegal, and administrative support will be available to the selected Attorney, and what responsibilities will OMLB expect that team to handle in connection with foreclosure, title, records management, property inventory, acquisitions, and dispositions?

Answer:

A Legal Assistant will be available to provide administrative support, including filing, records organization, document management, and related administrative functions.

The Director of Planning and Director of Real Estate will continue to manage acquisition, disposition, property inventory, and related operational activities that do not require legal counsel. The selected Attorney will be responsible for legal matters associated with foreclosure, title, acquisitions, dispositions, and other matters requiring legal review or representation, with OMLB staff providing the records, property information, and administrative coordination necessary to support that work.

Question: Budget

What budget range has OMLB identified for the initial assessment and remediation work, as well as ongoing contracted legal services? If separate budgets are anticipated for specialized outside counsel, title work, court costs, or other third-party services, please identify those as well.

Answer:

OMLB has not established a specific budget range for either the initial assessment and remediation work or ongoing contracted legal services at this time. The organization intends to evaluate the proposals received through the RFP process to better understand the anticipated scope, complexity, staffing needs, and resources required for the remediation effort and ongoing legal services. Based on that evaluation, OMLB will establish an appropriate budget and contractual structure for the work.

Similarly, separate budgets have not yet been established for specialized outside counsel, title services, court costs, forensic professionals, or other third-party services that may be required. Any such services will be evaluated and separately authorized, as appropriate, based on needs identified through the assessment and remediation process.

Question:
The estimated schedule identifies “Project Draft Development” in December 2026 and “Final Product Delivered” in 2027–2028. What specific deliverables does OMLB expect at each milestone? In particular, does “Final Product” mean a completed portfolio reconciliation, risk assessment, remediation plan, and operating framework, or does OMLB expect all identified foreclosure, title, and other inherited matters to be resolved by that date? How does OMLB envision ongoing legal services fitting within that timeline?

Answer:

The schedule included in the RFP is intended to provide a general planning framework rather than a rigid timeline.

OMLB recognizes that the scope and duration of the work may vary based on the selected Attorney’s assessment of the inherited legal matters, the complexity of identified issues, and the resources dedicated to the engagement.

Additionally, there may need to be an immediate need for real estate legal services to respond on real estate transactions that have been placed on pause during transition.

Ultimately, Respondents are encouraged to propose a timeline, plan and approach that they believe to the most effective, responsive and realistic plan for executing according to the specified needs outlined in the Scope of Work.

Please ensure your response includes anticipated availability, staffing capacity, key milestones, and any assumptions regarding the scope of services required.

OMLB envisions a phased engagement and project schedule may include the following sequence of deliverables:

Phase 1: Review and Assessment (October-December 2026)

During this phase, the selected Attorney would conduct a comprehensive review of OMLB’s inherited legal matters. Consistent with the RFP, anticipated deliverables would include:

Inventory and categorization of active and inherited legal matters
Identification of title defects, foreclosure deficiencies, compliance concerns, governance issues, and other legal risks
Written findings and risk assessment reports
Initial recommendations regarding corrective actions and priorities
Status reporting and preliminary workflow/process observations

Phase 2: Remediation Planning and Prioritization ( October 2026 – 2027)

Based on the assessment findings, OMLB anticipates development of a strategic remediation framework that may include:

Prioritized action plan for resolving identified legal matters
Recommended timelines and resource requirements
Portfolio reconciliation strategy
Compliance and risk mitigation recommendations
Governance, policy, and procedural improvement recommendations
Establishment of performance metrics and tracking tools to monitor progress

Phase 3: Implementation, System Development, and Resolution of Matters (2027 and Ongoing)

This phase would focus on implementing the approved remediation strategy, addressing inherited legal matters, and establishing sustainable legal management systems. Deliverables may include:

Resolution or substantial advancement of priority foreclosure, title, compliance, and property-related matters
Development and implementation of legal workflow procedures and internal controls
Policy and governance updates
Ongoing legal support for acquisitions, dispositions, foreclosures, and operational matters
Status reporting demonstrating progress toward risk reduction and resolution of identified issues
Institutional framework for ongoing legal compliance and case management

With respect to the “Final Product Delivered” milestone, OMLB generally views the final product as the completion of the assessment, remediation planning, and implementation framework described in the initial RFP.

While OMLB expects meaningful progress during the engagement period, we recognize that certain matters may remain ongoing due to litigation timelines, court proceedings, third-party actions, title complexities, or other factors outside the attorney’s control.

OMLB anticipates that ongoing legal services may continue beyond the delivery of the final project framework and would encompass transaction support, foreclosure activities, dispute resolution, compliance guidance, and continued management of matters requiring longer-term legal attention.

Request for Proposals: Real Estate Counsel

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