REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL REDEVELOPMENT COUNSEL

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, is soliciting Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from highly qualified legal counsel to provide specialized legal services in municipal redevelopment matters. This engagement encompasses representing the City in all aspects of redevelopment, operating under the direct supervision and guidance of the City’s Office of Corporation Counsel. The comprehensive scope of work includes demonstrating profound expertise in Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, land use law, tax abatements, local public contracts, and zoning regulations. Key responsibilities further extend to reviewing Contracts of Sale, meticulously drafting crucial legal documents such as Redevelopment Agreements, Financial Agreements, and Escrow Agreements, and possessing specialized knowledge concerning various types of Bonds. Counsel will be required to attend numerous meetings and provide other specialized legal services as deemed necessary by the Corporation Counsel on an as-needed basis to support the City's ongoing redevelopment initiatives. Prospective professional service contractors must demonstrate exceptional professional, financial, and administrative capabilities to effectively and efficiently deliver the required legal services. A critical qualification is a proven track record of litigation experience across multiple judicial forums, including Federal court, Superior court, Appellate court, and Workers’ Compensation court, specifically in areas relevant to municipal redevelopment. Respondents are strictly mandated to comply with all applicable New Jersey state regulations governing public contracts, including N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 et seq. and N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. (Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunities in Public Contracts), N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq. (Contract Compliance), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). The procurement process is structured as a fair and open solicitation in strict accordance with the New Jersey Local Unit Pay-to-Play Law, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5 et seq., and relevant municipal ordinances. Responses to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) must be received by the City no later than 12:00 P.M. on Tuesday, November 17, 2020. Submissions require one original, three hard copies, and one compact disk (CD) containing the complete proposal. All submissions must be mailed or hand-delivered to the East Orange Division of Procurement, clearly marked for the attention of Lisa L. Jackson, Purchasing Agent, at East Orange City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. Proposals transmitted via facsimile or email will be strictly rejected. Each submission must be presented individually in a sealed envelope. A non-refundable administrative fee of $25.00 per RFQ packet is applicable for documents picked up on-site, payable to the City of East Orange. For any inquiries regarding this RFQ, interested parties should contact Lisa L. Jackson, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162.