Hearing Officer Services

The City of East Orange, through its Department of Finance, Division of Procurement, has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Hearing Officer services, utilizing a Fair & Open Public Solicitation process. The primary objective is to establish a pool of highly qualified and licensed attorneys within the State of New Jersey to serve as impartial Hearing Officers. This critical role involves presiding over internal employee disciplinary hearings for the City of East Orange. The comprehensive scope of work requires selected vendors to conduct these hearings diligently and to subsequently issue detailed, well-reasoned written opinions that thoroughly explain their decisions, ensuring transparency and adherence to legal standards. This initiative aims to bolster the city's internal governance and dispute resolution mechanisms by engaging external legal expertise. Prospective contractors must demonstrate specific qualifications, primarily being licensed attorneys within the State of New Jersey, and provide extensive experience in presiding over or participating in internal employee disciplinary hearings. Adherence to various mandatory New Jersey statutes is paramount, including N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq. for Contract Compliance and Equal Employment Opportunities, N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 for Disclosure of Ownership, and compliance with the N.J. Business Registration Certificate requirement (C57, PL2004). Furthermore, all respondents must carry professional liability insurance with minimum coverage limits of $1,000,000.00 per occurrence and a $3,000,000.00 aggregate, with a guarantee that such policies remain active for all staff members providing services to the City of East Orange. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits indicated in the RFQ document. Responses to this Request for Qualifications were due on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, at 11:00 A.M. Submissions required one original, four physical copies, and one electronic copy (CD or thumb drive), delivered to the Division of Procurement at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. All submittal packages needed to be clearly marked with the RFQ title, "Hearing Officer," and the name of the responding firm. Firms were instructed to detail their proposed hourly rates, cancellation fees, and any additional charges for extended hearing dates. Proposals were required to remain firm for a period of sixty (60) days after the submission date. Detailed RFQ packets were available for download from the City of East Orange’s website or for purchase at a non-refundable cost of $25.00 for physical copies. For any questions regarding this solicitation, interested parties were directed to contact Racquel C. Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162.