Detroit Land Bank Authority. Request for Qualifications: As Needed Legal Services

Transcription

1 Detroit Land Bank Authority Request for Qualifications: As Needed Legal Services RFQ NUMBER: DATE ISSUED:

2 Request for Qualifications As Needed Legal Services Page 2 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS AS NEEDED LEGAL SERVICES INTRODUCTION A. Overview The Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) is requesting responses to the Request for Qualifications ( RFQ ) from qualified Law Firms and/or Legal Practitioners with expertise and experience in providing a range of legal services for the purpose of establishing a list of qualified vendors to provide as needed Legal Services to the DLBA. The DLBA is seeking Respondents with demonstrated experience in providing legal services that include, but are not limited to, land banking, real estate / real property, environmental, contracts, labor and employment, municipal law. Those with an interest in making their services available to the DLBA are invited to respond to this RFQ. Respondents means the companies or individuals that submit proposals in response to this RFQ. The work contemplated is professional in nature. The Respondent shall be financially solvent and each of its members, employees, or shall be competent to perform the services required under this RFQ document. Nothing in this RFQ shall be construed to create any legal obligation on the part of the DLBA or any respondents. The DLBA reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend, suspend, terminate, or reissue this RFQ in whole or in part, at any stage. In no event shall the DLBA be liable to respondents for any cost or damages incurred in connection with the RFQ process, including but not limited to, any and all costs of preparing a response to this RFQ or any other costs incurred in reliance on this RFQ. No respondent shall be entitled to repayment from the DLBA for any costs, expenses or fees related to this RFQ. All supporting documentation submitted in response to this RFQ will become the property of the DLBA. Respondents may also withdraw their interest in the RFQ, in writing, at any point in time as more information becomes known. The DLBA follows the Detroit Land Bank Authority Policies and Procedures for Procurement process. For further information on this requirement please contact the DLBA Office at: 65 Cadillac Square, Suite 3200 Detroit, MI (main phone) B. Time of Completion A Respondent awarded a contract pursuant to this RFQ solicitation shall provide services within a mutually agreed upon expedited timeframe, and according to all deadlines imposed as a result of court action or by a third party.

3 Request for Qualifications As Needed Legal Services Page 3 C. Term of Qualification The DLBA shall maintain the Qualified List for a period of two years, commencing March 1, 2015 until February 27, PROFESSIONAL SERVICE REQUIREMENTS A. Scope of Work The DLBA seeks sealed proposals from Law Firms and/or Legal Practitioners interested in providing legal services for the Detroit Land Bank Authority. The types of services to be provided may include, but is not limited to, the following areas of practice: Administrative Law Banking and Finance Bankruptcy Contracts Development Environmental Foreclosure and Forfeiture Labor and Employment Litigation Mortgages and Lending Municipal Law Probate Quiet Title Real Estate / Real Property Tax Law Workers Compensation B. Qualifications Respondents key personnel must have at least five years experience in their area(s) of expertise. Key personnel must be graduates of law schools approved by the American Bar Association and be currently licensed by the State Bar of Michigan. Preference will be given to Respondents whose key personnel are members of various professional legal associations relevant to the area of practice in which such attorney has expertise. Key personnel should have these qualifications: Strong research and writing skills; Effective communication and interpersonal skills; Strong organizational and analytical skills;

4 Request for Qualifications As Needed Legal Services Page 4 Experience with project management and client relationships; C. Work Assignments Firms on the Qualified List will be considered for assignments based upon the following criteria: Performance and Experience; Hourly Rates / Fee Schedule or Structure; Education and Licensure; Standard Legal Contract; Backup Coverage; EVALUATION CRITERIA AND SCORING In evaluating responses to this Request for Qualifications, the DLBA will take into consideration the experience, capacity, and costs that are being proposed by the Respondent. The following Evaluation Criteria will be considered in reviewing submittals: A. Experience and Capacity The point system is to evaluate the experience and capacity of the Respondent. 40 PTS for the depth of expertise and amount of experiences of the Respondent and its key personnel in providing legal services. The top 1/3 will be awarded a full 40 PTS. The middle 1/3 of respondents will be awarded 20 points. The bottom 1/3 of respondents will not be awarded points under this category. 30 PTS for depth of experience with land bank specific legal issues, including but not limited to: statutory interpretation for implementation of policies and procedures, specific tax complexities for assessment departments and development projects, municipal law, tax foreclosure law, etc. The top 1/3 will be awarded a full 30 PTS. The middle 1/3 of respondents will be awarded 15 points. The bottom 1/3 of respondents will not be awarded points under this category. 20 PTS for a Detroit-based and Head-quartered business. Up to 10 of the 20 possible points for location preference will be provided to Respondents with a Detroit office. 10 PTS Quality/Completeness of Proposal Submission.

5 Request for Qualifications As Needed Legal Services Page 5 SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS RFQ responses must be submitted both via hard copy and scanned copy sent to [email protected] and copied to [email protected]. Each respondent shall submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of the following documents in a clear, legible, 12-point font, and 8.5 by 11 inch format. Responses not submitted both via hard copy and will not be considered. Respondents are advised to adhere to the Submittal Requirements. Failure to comply with the instructions of this RFQ will be cause for rejection of submittals. The DLBA reserves the right to seek additional information to clarify responses to this RFQ. Each response must include the following: A. Letter of Interest Please submit a Cover Letter of Interest signed by a duly authorized officer or representative of the Respondent, not to exceed two pages in length. The Letter of Interest must also include the following information: 1. The principal place of business and the contact person, title, telephone/fax numbers and address. 2. A brief summary of the qualifications of the Respondent and team. 3. Description of organization (i.e. Corporation, Limited Liability Company, etc.). 4. The names and business addresses of all Principals of the Respondent. For purposes of this RFQ Principals shall mean persons possessing an ownership interest in the Respondent. If the Respondent is a partially owned or fully-owned subsidiary of another organization, identify the parent organization and describe the nature and extent of the parent organization s approval rights, if any, over the activities of the Respondent. If the Respondent is a partially owned or fully-owned subsidiary of another organization, identify the parent organization and describe the nature and extent of the parent organization s approval rights, if any, over the activities of the Respondent. 5. The Certification attached hereto at the end of this RFQ and incorporated herein by reference must be signed by Respondent and attached to the Letter of Interest. B. Threshold Requirements These documents must be submitted and acceptable before the DLBA and its RFQ Review Committee will review the Experience and Capacity proposal: 1. Certificate of Good Standing (Corporation) or Certificate of Existence (Limited Liability Company) issued by the Michigan Secretary of State (If Respondent is a joint venture, a Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Existence, as applicable, must be submitted for each entity comprising the joint venture.) 2. Evidence of License and Insurance: Evidence that insurance is in place or can be obtained if selected. Appropriate licenses to be provided. 3. Evidence of Financial Stability: All Respondents shall include their most recent financial statements with the proposal response. This information will assist the DLBA in

6 Request for Qualifications As Needed Legal Services Page 6 determining the Respondent s financial condition. The DLBA is seeking this information to ensure that the respondents have the financial stability and wherewithal to assure good faith performance. 4. Three (3) references of related projects, including date of project, contact person and phone number, and a brief description of the project. 5. Conflict of Interest Statement & Supporting Documentation: Respondent shall disclose any professional or personal financial interests that may be a conflict of interest in representing the DLBA. In addition, all Respondents shall further disclose arrangement to derive additional compensation from various investment and reinvestment products, including financial contracts. C. Main Proposal Please provide the following information: 1. Describe relevant experience providing legal services to clients similar to the DLBA. 2. Statement of Qualifications 3. If applicable, Evidence of local Detroit-based Business License, Paid City of Detroit Income Taxes for Respondent to documents Detroit business location and Headquartered business concern as the prime contractor for the RFQ, Section 3 business concern, Disadvantaged Business Concern etc. 4. A competitive fee schedule or structure. SELECTION PROCESS The Selection Committee comprised of DLBA staff and others deemed appropriate by the DLBA Executive Director will review qualifications in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth herein and in accordance with DLBA policies. Proposals that are submitted timely and comply with the mandatory requirements of the RFQ will be evaluated in accordance with the terms of the RFQ. Any contract resulting from this RFQ will not necessarily be awarded to the vendor with the lowest price. Instead, contract(s) shall be awarded to vendor(s) whose proposal received the highest score and is the most responsible bid, in accordance with criteria set forth in the RFQ. This RFQ will result in a pool of qualified vendors selected based on pricing and other criteria as defined within this RFQ, and notification of the candidate pool will be made the week of March 16, There will be no guarantee of assignments to anyone in the qualified candidate pool. The particulars of the assignment and cost proposals will determine the best candidate for any assignment. The Detroit Land Bank Authority is an equal opportunity employer. No applicant shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, color, age, gender, national origin, disability, or other criteria prohibited by the City, State or Federal law. To qualify for a job, an applicant must meet the education, training, experience and any applicable license or certificate requirement for the job position. It is the applicant s responsibility to provide acceptable proof of their work record and history.

7 Request for Qualifications As Needed Legal Services Page 7 QUESTIONS Questions regarding this RFQ should be submitted in writing via to [email protected]. The last date to submit questions regarding the RFQ is Tuesday, February 24, 2015, at 4:00 pm. SUBMITTAL DUE DATE Responses to this RFQ are due by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, February 25, Responses to this RFQ must also be ed to: Kim Homan, [email protected] and copied to Michael J. Brady, Jr., [email protected]. Each Respondent is responsible for labeling the exterior of the sealed envelope containing the proposal response with the proposal number, proposal name, proposal due date and time, and your firm s name. Hard copies must be delivered to: Kim Homan, Deputy Counsel Detroit Land Bank Authority 65 Cadillac Square, Suite 3200 Detroit, MI CERTIFICATION FORM NOTE THIS PAGE MUST BE COMPLETED AND INCLUDED WITH THE SUBMITTAL CERTIFICATION The undersigned hereby certifies, on behalf of the Respondent named in this Certification (the Respondent ), that the information provided in this RFQ submittal to the DLBA is accurate and complete, and I am duly authorized to submit same. I hereby certify that the Respondent has reviewed this RFQ in its entirety and accepts its terms and conditions. (Name of Respondent) (Signature of Authorized Representative (Typed Name of Authorized Representative) (Title) (Date)

8 Request for Qualifications As Needed Legal Services Page 8 RFQ SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST Please provide Checklist with response to RFQ Letter of Interest Certification Certificate of Good Standing (Corporation) or Certificate of Existence (Limited Liability Company) issued by the Michigan Secretary of State (If Respondent is a joint venture, a Certificate of Good Standing or Certificate of Existence, as applicable, must be submitted for each entity comprising the joint venture.) Evidence of Insurance State License and or Certification Evidence of Financial Stability References Conflict of Interest Statement & Supporting Documentation: Description of Company Capacity of Company Pricing Proposal MBE/WBE, Local Hiring, HUD Section 3, if applicable RFQ Submittal Requirements Checklist