BOND COUNSEL PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SOLICITATION

The City of East Orange, located in Essex County, New Jersey, is soliciting Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional legal services to serve as Bond Counsel. This comprehensive solicitation aims to secure an experienced attorney or firm specializing in municipal finance law. The scope of work encompasses providing expert legal advice on public finance matters, including the meticulous preparation and review of Bond Ordinances, various public finance resolutions, and the issuance of crucial financial instruments such as Bond Anticipation Notes, Special Emergency Notes, and Tax Anticipation Notes, as well as General Obligation Bonds. Furthermore, the selected Bond Counsel will be responsible for drafting and reviewing Preliminary Official Statements and Official Statements for the City, managing applications to the Local Finance Board, and attending necessary meetings related to these financial undertakings. The successful contractor will be expected to work collaboratively with the City’s Finance Department and Law Department, offering continuous municipal bond and finance law advice as requested. The contract resulting from this solicitation will cover a period of up to one year, specifically commencing January 2019 and concluding in December 2019. Prospective contractors must demonstrate substantial qualifications and experience to be considered for this critical role. Mandatory requirements include being an attorney at law licensed in New Jersey and possessing a minimum of five years of dedicated experience in New Jersey Municipal Bond and Finance Law. Respondents are also required to provide documented evidence of their expertise in representing New Jersey local government entities in connection with general public financing and the issuance of bond ordinances for public projects. The submission package must detail the legal name and address of the individual or firm, years in business, a comprehensive resume of the person(s) designated as Bond Counsel, and contact information for three current bond counsel clients. All professional service contractors are also required to comply with state regulations, including N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 et seq. (Affirmative Action), N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq. (Contract Compliance and Equal Employment Opportunities), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). No mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits are specified for this RFP. Detailed proposals must be submitted to the Purchasing Committee in the East Orange City Hall, Council Chamber, no later than Tuesday, November 27, 2018, at 1:00 PM. Submissions must be securely enclosed in a sealed envelope, clearly marked with the consultant's name and "Title – BOND COUNSEL," and addressed to the Purchasing Agent, City of East Orange, City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. While proposals can be downloaded from www.eastorange-nj.gov, physical RFP packets incur a non-refundable $25.00 fee. Required submission documents include, but are not limited to, a Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement, EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Notices, Americans With Disabilities Act form, a Certificate of Employee Information Report, a New Jersey Business Registration Certificate, a Qualification Affidavit, a detailed Submission Form, and Letters of Intent and Qualification. Bidders are explicitly required to submit one unbound original, four additional hard copies, and one compact disc (CD) of their complete sealed submission. Proposals cannot be modified or withdrawn for sixty days after the submission deadline. For any questions, prospective proposers should contact Lisa Jackson, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162. No specific bid security or performance bonds are mandated for submission.