ADS Heirsearch RFP

The Contractor will provide exhaustive domestic and international kinship research upon assignment by the San Mateo County Public Administrator. The core objective is to identify, locate, and legally verify all entitlement-holding heirs-at-law for decedents under the jurisdiction of the San Mateo County Superior Court Probate Division.

The County of San Mateo is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide professional heir search services. The selected vendor will assist the County in identifying and locating heirs for estates managed by the Public Administrator's Office. The goal is to ensure that the estates are distributed to the rightful heirs in accordance with California state laws and regulations.

The vendor shall provide comprehensive heir search services that include, but are not limited to, the following tasks:

Initial Assessment

• Review case files provided by the County to understand the scope and requirements of each search.
• Conduct preliminary research to determine the feasibility of locating heirs.
• Inform ADS of the number of hours necessary to complete the search process and estimated costs within two business days.

Research and Investigation

• Utilize various databases, public records, and other resources to identify potential heirs.
• Conduct interviews with known relatives, friends, and associates of the deceased.
• Verify the identity and relationship of potential heirs through documentation such as birth certificates, marriage licenses, and other legal documents.

Reporting

• Provide detailed reports on the findings, including the names, contact information, and relationship to the deceased of all identified heirs.
• Include copies of all supporting documentation used to verify the identity and relationship of the heirs.

For each assigned estate, the Contractor must deliver an audit-ready, court-permissible proof package consisting of:

• Court-Ready Documentation: The vendor must provide notarized Affidavits of Heirship accompanied by certified vital statistics that satisfy California's evidentiary standards.
• Comprehensive Family Tree: A fully mapped, multi-generational genealogical chart tracing maternal and paternal lines to the degree required by California intestacy laws.
• Negative Findings Reports: Documentation detailing all sources searched with negative results.
• Evidentiary Documentation Binder: Certified or notarized vital records (birth, marriage, divorce, and death certificates) backing every single node on the family tree.
• Notarized Affidavit of Heirship: A formal, sworn statement detailing the final kinship findings, formatted cleanly for immediate filing in California probate matters.
• Apostille & Translation Protocol: For all international findings, the vendor is responsible for obtaining certified English translations and official Apostille certifications conforming to international treaty standards for foreign public documents.

**Proposals must be electronically received by 5:00 pm, on Monday, November 23, 2026 via eProcurement system.** [...] https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/smcgov

Allow sufficient time for the upload to complete by the Due Date and Time. Partial uploads will automatically terminate, and proposals will be rejected.

PDF format is preferred.

**Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory)**: November 3, 2026, 11:00am. Anticipated Contract Award Date: December 23, 2026.

The proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee with relevant expertise. [...] Project Approach and Methodology: 45 points. Firm and Team Qualifications: 20 points. Performance Measure: 10 points. Price: 25 points.

Vendors should hold private investigator licensing (if applicable to their search methods) and carry professional errors and omissions (E&O) liability insurance in addition to other insurance requirements from the County to insulate the County or estate from financial risk.