From what I understand, ValueAmerica is just a vehicle to hook up customers with vendors (funded by the vendors).  So they are not actually paying you, your customer is, right? And the abstractor pays a fee to be recognized as the lowest cost vendor?  And your contract with ValueAmerica does not contain any guarantees that you wil be paid by the user (your customer)?

All I see here is a further eroding of the value of the service provided by the local abstractor.  I can only see it as a bad precedent.  I would prefer to earn business because we provide superior service. 

Glenda, I won't knock your position.  Maybe the competition is not so intense in your market that being the cheapest is not such an issue.  But, to tell the whole truth and nothing but, I am not cheering for ValueAmerica to set the stage for successful business models.