SPECIAL REDEVELOPMENT COUNSEL SERVICES (MUNICIPAL REDEVELOPMENT MATTERS)

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, is soliciting Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) for Special Redevelopment Counsel Services to represent the municipality in various redevelopment matters. The scope of work for the qualified legal counsel involves providing expertise under the direct supervision of the City’s Office of Corporation Counsel on an 'as needed' basis. Key responsibilities include general litigation experience, specialized knowledge of the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law, land use law, tax abatements, local public contracts, and zoning regulations. Counsel will also be responsible for reviewing Contracts of Sale, drafting Redevelopment Agreements, Financial Agreements, and Escrow Agreements, and demonstrating specialized knowledge of Bonds. This engagement aims to secure legal services vital for the City's ongoing and future redevelopment initiatives, ensuring compliance with state and local regulations while advancing urban planning goals. Prospective contractors must demonstrate robust professional, financial, and administrative capabilities, along with a proven record of successful experience in similar legal services. Required qualifications include extensive litigation experience in Federal, Superior, Appellate, and Workers’ Compensation courts. Firms or individuals must provide comprehensive resumes of key attorneys who will be assigned to the City, detailing their education and experience, particularly with municipal government clients over the past three years. Adherence to New Jersey's stringent regulatory framework is mandatory, including N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. (Affirmative Action), 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). The selection process will be conducted as a fair and open process in accordance with the New Jersey Local Unit Pay-to-Play Law (N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5 et seq.). Submissions for this Request for Qualifications must be received by the City no later than 12:00 P.M. on November 17, 2022. Proposals must be mailed or hand-delivered to the East Orange Division of Procurement, located at East Orange City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018, and must be submitted individually in a sealed envelope; facsimile or email transmissions will not be accepted. Essential submission documents include a Business Entity Disclosure Certification, Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement Form (with professional liability insurance limits of $1,000,000 per claim and $3,000,000 aggregate), EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Notice, Business Registration Certificate, Qualification Affidavit, and a Letter of Intent. Inquiries and requests for the RFQ document can be directed to Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162, or via fax at (862) 444-0101.