Special Legal Counsel Services for East Orange Board of Water Commissioners (EOWC)

The City of East Orange, on behalf of its East Orange Board of Water Commissioners (EOBWC), is soliciting proposals for Special Legal Counsel Services. This Request for Proposal (RFP) seeks highly qualified individuals or firms to provide comprehensive professional legal services, primarily focusing on general litigation, municipal water utility functions, and specialized environmental law. The scope encompasses environmental enforcement, permitting decisions, penalty actions, administrative determinations, and regulations concerning municipal water supply. Counsel will be required to assist with governmental agency inquiries, represent the EOBWC and its personnel before various tribunals, and demonstrate familiarity with state and federal environmental agencies. A deep understanding of the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), Open Public Meetings Act, and modern discovery rules, including e-discovery, is essential. Selected counsel must maintain a close working relationship with the City’s Office of Corporation Counsel, attend meetings as required, and provide other specialized legal services on an "as needed" basis to support the EOBWC's operational and regulatory needs. Prospective contractors must demonstrate extensive knowledge, experience, and the current and ongoing capacity to deliver the specified legal services. Key qualifications include a proven record of litigation experience in Federal, Superior, Appellate, and Workers’ Compensation courts. Respondents are required to submit resumes of all key employees and attorneys proposed for the engagement, a narrative detailing their understanding of the EOBWC’s needs, and evidence of malpractice insurance coverage limits. Comprehensive administrative information, such as business organization details, ownership structures (including principals with 10% or more ownership), years in business and under current management, any professional malpractice judgments within the last three years, and bankruptcy proceedings within the last ten years, must be disclosed. Furthermore, compliance with all applicable affirmative action requirements and possession of appropriate federal and state licenses are mandatory for consideration. No mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits were indicated in the provided documentation. Proposals for these Special Legal Counsel Services must be meticulously prepared and submitted by the strict deadline of Friday, November 13, 2020, at 1:00 P.M. Submissions must include one unbound original, four copies, and one compact disk (CD) set, delivered either by mail or hand-delivery to the City of East Orange Division of Procurement, attention: Lisa L. Jackson, Purchasing Agent, at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. Proposals sent via facsimile or email will not be accepted. Respondents picking up RFP packets on-site will incur a non-refundable fee of $25.00, payable to the City of East Orange. The submission package must prominently bear the consultant’s name and the title "SPECIAL LEGAL COUNSEL SERVICES (EOWC)" on the sealed envelope. Required documents include, but are not limited to, a Business Entity Disclosure Certification, Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement Form, EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Notice, Business Registration Certificate, Professional Service Entity Information Form, Qualification Affidavit, a detailed Submission Form, an Acknowledgement of Corrections, a Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran, a Statement of Indebtedness, an Agreement for Payment of Commodity/Service Form, a Letter of Intent, and a Letter of Qualification. No specific bid security or performance bonds are mentioned as required for this solicitation.