Police Practices Defense Counsel Services & Insurance Coverage Defense Counsel Services

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, is soliciting Qualification Statements from interested firms for two distinct professional legal services: Police Practices Defense Counsel Services and Insurance Coverage Defense Counsel Services. The Police Practices Defense Counsel will provide litigation and defense services for police officers facing lawsuits arising from employment-related duties, encompassing a broad range of claims including the Tort Claims Act, Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA), Laws Against Discrimination (LAD), 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983 actions, contract matters, and challenges to government actions. The Insurance Coverage Defense Counsel will specialize in negotiating insurance contract terms, advising the City on its rights and obligations under various insurance contracts, acting as legal representative for claims, presenting and negotiating recoveries, and pursuing claims through declaratory judgment action litigation, mediation, arbitration, or other adversarial proceedings. Both roles require a close working relationship with the City's Law Department and involvement in all aspects of litigation, including pleadings, motions, discovery, depositions, settlement conferences, pre-trial motions, and trials, on an as-needed basis. The City aims to establish a pool of qualified attorneys for these critical services, coordinated through its Third-Party Insurance Administrator. Contractors must demonstrate comprehensive expertise in providing the specified professional legal services and possess the continuing capability to perform these duties effectively. Mandatory qualifications include a proven record of litigation experience in Federal court, Superior court, Appellate, and Workers’ Compensation cases. Respondents are required to submit a detailed description of their overall experience, including relevant client references from municipal governments over the past three years. Additionally, resumes of key employees and assigned attorneys, along with a narrative statement of the Respondent’s understanding of the City’s needs and goals, are essential. All professional service contractors must comply with stringent New Jersey state requirements, 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). Malpractice insurance coverage limits must also be provided. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings; however, detailed RFQ packets are available for download online or for physical pickup at the Division of Procurement for a non-refundable $25 fee. Qualification statements must be submitted no later than 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, November 14, 2024. Submissions must be either mailed or hand-delivered to the East Orange Office of Procurement, located at East Orange City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018, and addressed to Racquel Ferguson. Submissions sent via facsimile or email will not be accepted. Applicants must submit a separate qualification statement for each legal service they are applying for. Each complete submission package must include one unbound original, two copies, and one thumb-drive containing all required documentation. Essential submission forms encompass Business Entity Disclosure Certification, Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement Form, EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Notice, Mandatory Equal Employment Opportunity Notice Acknowledgement, Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 compliance, Certificate of Employee Information Report, Business Registration Certificate, Professional Service Entity Information Form, Qualification Affidavit, Submission Form, Acknowledgement of Corrections, Additions or Deletions Form, Disclosure of Investment Activities in Iran, Certification of Non-Involvement in Prohibited Activities in Russia or Belarus, Statement of Indebtedness Form, Agreement for Payment of Commodity/Service Form, Letter of Intent, and Letter of Qualification. The primary contact for this RFQ is Racquel C Ferguson, Office of Procurement, reachable at (973) 266-5162.