Special Legal Counsel Services for East Orange Board of Water Commissioners

The City of East Orange, on behalf of the East Orange Board of Water Commissioners (EOBWC), is actively soliciting sealed proposals through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Special Legal Counsel Services. The primary objective is to engage highly qualified individuals or firms possessing extensive knowledge, experience, and the sustained capability to provide specialized legal representation. The comprehensive scope of work includes general litigation experience with a particular focus on the functions of water utilities within municipal government. Crucially, the selected counsel must be deeply versed in environmental law, encompassing municipal and regional water providers, environmental enforcement, permitting decisions (both issuance and denial), penalty enforcement actions, administrative determinations, and complex environmental regulations. Counsel will also be responsible for assisting with and coordinating information requests from various governmental agencies, navigating inquiries, and engaging with state and federal agencies involved in environmental law enforcement, particularly concerning municipal water supply and its regulation. Prospective contractors must demonstrate a profound understanding of the Open Public Records Act (OPRA) and the Open Public Meetings Act, along with a clear grasp of "new discovery rules," including e-discovery. Essential qualifications also mandate the ability to competently represent the EOBWC and its designated personnel before diverse tribunals, boards, and panels for all related matters. Counsel will be expected to maintain a close working relationship with the City’s Office of Corporation Counsel, working under their direction and supervision as required, and may be called upon to attend public meetings and provide other specialized legal services on an "as needed" basis. Respondents are required to submit resumes of key employees and the specific attorneys assigned to the project, demonstrating proven litigation experience in Federal, Superior, Appellate, and Workers’ Compensation courts. Firms must also provide limits of malpractice insurance coverage, with a minimum of $1,000,000 per claim and $2,000,000 aggregate per policy period, and confirm appropriate federal and state licenses. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits specified in the RFQ. Proposals must be received by the City no later than 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, November 14, 2024. Submissions must be either mailed or hand-delivered to the City of East Orange Division of Procurement, addressed to Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. Facsimile or email submissions will not be accepted. Each submission requires one (1) original (unbound), two (2) copies, and one (1) thumb-drive set, sealed in an envelope clearly bearing the consultant's name and the title "SPECIAL LEGAL COUNSEL SERVICES (EOWC)". A non-refundable fee of $25.00 is applicable for RFQ packets picked up on-site, payable to the City of East Orange. Required documentation includes various certifications, affidavits (e.g., Non-Collusion, Ownership Disclosure, Qualification), EEO/Affirmative Action compliance, a New Jersey Business Registration Certificate, and a Letter of Intent and Letter of Qualification. The designated contact for all communications regarding this RFQ process is Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, Division of Procurement, reachable at (973) 266-5162.