GENERAL AND SPECIAL LEGAL COUNSEL SERVICES

The City of East Orange, on behalf of the East Orange Board of Water Commissioners (EOBWC), is soliciting proposals for Special Legal Counsel Services. The comprehensive scope of work requires external counsel with profound expertise in general litigation and a specialized understanding of water utility functions within municipal governance. Key responsibilities include extensive knowledge of environmental law, encompassing municipal and regional water providers, environmental enforcement, permitting decisions, penalty actions, administrative determinations, and regulations. Counsel will facilitate cooperation with various governmental agencies, represent the EOBWC and its personnel before diverse tribunals, boards, and panels, and demonstrate familiarity with state and federal environmental agencies concerning municipal water supply regulation. Additionally, an understanding of the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), Open Public Meetings Act, and advanced discovery rules, including e-discovery, is essential. Counsel is expected to maintain a close working relationship with the City’s Office of Corporation Counsel and attend public meetings as required, providing other specialized legal services as needed. Prospective contractors must demonstrate a proven record of litigation experience across Federal, Superior, Appellate, and Workers’ Compensation courts, along with specific experience serving municipal government clients over the past three years. Required professional qualifications include submitting resumes for all key employees and attorneys assigned to the project, a narrative statement reflecting an understanding of the City’s and Board’s needs, and disclosure of any professional malpractice judgments or bankruptcy proceedings within the last three to ten years, respectively. Firms must hold appropriate federal and state licenses, provide malpractice insurance coverage with minimum limits of $1,000,000.00 per claim and $1,000,000.00 aggregate, and list all other relevant engagements from the past five years. Mandatory administrative disclosures encompass the business organization's structure, ownership details (including 10% or more stockholders), management history, and a list of immediate relatives employed by the City, EOBWC, or East Orange Water Department. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits specified for this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Sealed proposals must be received by the City of East Orange Division of Procurement no later than **11:00 A.M. on Thursday, January 4, 2024**. Submissions are to be hand-delivered or mailed to Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. Facsimile or email transmissions are strictly prohibited. Each proposal package must include one (1) unbound original, four (4) copies, and one (1) compact disk (CD) set, enclosed in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the consultant’s name and the title “SPECIAL LEGAL COUNSEL SERVICES (EOWC)”. Obtaining physical RFQ packets from the Division of Procurement incurs a non-refundable $25.00 fee, payable to the City of East Orange. Required submission documents include a Business Entity Disclosure Certification, Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement, EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance documents, Americans With Disabilities Act compliance, a copy of the New Jersey Business Registration Certificate, a Professional Service Entity Information Form, Qualification Affidavit, a detailed Submission Form outlining services and proposed hourly rates, Acknowledgement of Corrections, Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran, Statement of Indebtedness, Agreement for Payment of Commodity/Service Form, Letter of Intent, and Letter of Qualification. No bid security or performance bonds are mentioned. For all communications, interested parties should contact Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, Division of Procurement, at (973) 266-5162.