Professional Services Solicitation - Bond Counsel

The City of East Orange, located in Essex County, New Jersey, is soliciting Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Professional Services from qualified Bond Counsel. This engagement requires expertise in providing comprehensive legal services related to municipal finance and public debt instruments. The selected Bond Counsel will be responsible for the preparation and review of Bond Ordinances, adoption proceedings, public finance resolutions, and the issuance of various notes including Bond Anticipation, Special Emergency, and Tax Anticipation Notes, as well as General Obligation Bonds. Additionally, the scope encompasses the preparation and review of Preliminary Official Statements and Official Statements for the City, along with applications to the Local Finance Board and attendance at related meetings. The Bond Counsel will collaborate closely with the City's Finance Department and Law Department, providing essential municipal bond and finance law advice as needed. The contract term is for up to one year, spanning from January 2023 through December 2023. Prospective contractors must demonstrate specific qualifications, including being an attorney at law of New Jersey with at least five years of experience in New Jersey Municipal Bond and Finance Law. Essential experience also includes representing New Jersey local government entities in public financing and bond ordinances related to public projects. Mandatory submission requirements include the legal name and address of the individual or firm, years in business, detailed resumes of the person(s) assigned as Bond Counsel, and the names and contact information for three current bond counsel clients. Submissions must be presented as one unbound original, four additional sets, and one compact disc (CD), ensuring all specified forms, such as Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership, and Business Registration Certificate, are fully completed and included. Proposals are due by Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 12:00 PM, at which time they will be publicly opened and read aloud in the East Orange City Hall Council Chamber. Submissions must be enclosed in a sealed envelope, clearly bearing the consultant's name and the title “BOND COUNSEL” on the exterior, and addressed to the Purchasing Agent, City of East Orange, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, NJ 07018. Proposals can be submitted by mail, delivered to the City’s “Drop Box” in the rear parking lot of City Hall, or presented at the specified date and time. A non-refundable fee of $25.00 is required for RFP packets obtained physically from the Division of Procurement. All inquiries regarding the RFQ should be directed to Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162.