Professional Legal Services - Panel Counsel for General Matters and Litigation

The City of Bayonne, New Jersey, is soliciting qualifications and proposals for professional legal services to appoint Panel Counsel for General Matters and Litigation. This Request for Qualifications/Proposals (RFQ/RFP) seeks experienced legal service providers to represent the City and its employees in various legal matters that fall outside the coverage of the New Jersey Intergovernmental Insurance Fund (NJIIF), pre-date NJIIF membership, or where NJIIF denies coverage. The comprehensive scope of work includes litigation arising from lawsuits in State Superior, Municipal, Administrative Law, Worker’s Compensation, and Federal Courts (e.g., tort, contract, law, equity), representation in civil actions including civil rights cases for the Bayonne Police Department and individual officers, declaratory judgment and coverage matters, bankruptcy representation, and rendering advice on general municipal matters such as employment, real property disputes, rights of way, infrastructure, energy, communications, intellectual property, class action litigation, and utility-related issues. The appointed term for these services will not exceed one year from the date of appointment. Prospective contractors must maintain a bona fide office in New Jersey and hold an active license to practice law for a minimum of three years, being eligible to appear before all state and federal courts in New Jersey, as well as New Jersey administrative agencies and the Office of Administrative Law. Crucially, respondents must demonstrate familiarity with New Jersey and applicable federal law across several practice areas, including criminal defense, tort (personal injury), contract, workers' compensation, administrative law, labor and employment law, administrative disciplinary matters, bankruptcy, civil rights litigation, and general municipal law. Mandatory insurance requirements include Worker’s Compensation, General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate), Automotive Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate if applicable), and Professional Liability ($2,000,000 per occurrence, claims-based). All required insurance certificates must name the City of Bayonne as an additional insured. Sealed proposals/responses are due on December 10, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. prevailing time. Submissions must include the Standardized Professional/Consulting/Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service RFQ/RFP SUBMISSION FORMS, specifically the “Proposal, Qualifications and Costs Submission Form,” a signed and notarized “Non-Collusion Affidavit,” a signed Disclosure of Ownership form, a Professional/Consulting/Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service Entity Information Form, a copy of the vendor's current NJ Business Registration Certificate, a Certificate of Good Standing from the NJ Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services, and the Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran Form. All documents must be delivered to the City Law Department, 630 Avenue C, 1st Floor, Room 15, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002. A public reading of all proposals will occur at the same location on December 10, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. For any inquiries or to obtain solicitation packages, interested parties may contact John F. Coffey II, Esq., Law Director, at the specified City Law Department address during regular business hours.