Title
Dept/ Agency: Law
Action: (X) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Professional Services Contract
Purpose: Legal Services Litigation Defense Counsel
Entity Name: John Zidziunas & Associates, LLC
Entity Address: 33 Plymouth Street, Suite 202A, Montclair, New Jersey 07042
Contract Amount: An amount not to exceed $50,000.00
Funding Source: 2015 City of Newark Budget, Law Department
Contract Period: January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor (X) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( X ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale ( ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
Additional Information:
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WHEREAS, the City of Newark is involved in ongoing legal matters and therefore has a need to acquire legal services; and
WHEREAS, legal services are professional services, exempt from the requirement for public bidding, pursuant to the Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i); and
WHEREAS, the Corporation Counsel of the City of Newark caused to be published on the City of Newark's website, a Notice of Request for Qualifications ("RFQ") for Litigation Defense Counsel Services on or about October 31, 2014; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark received a total of twenty-four (24) proposals in response to its request; and
WHEREAS, John Zidziunas & Associates, LLC, located at 33 Plymouth Street, Suite 202A, Montclair, New Jersey 07042, submitted a proposal and it was found, based upon price and other factors, to be in the best interest of the City of Newark to accept the proposal for the purpose of providing legal services concerning Litigation Defense Counsel Services; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark wishes to enter into a new contract with John Zidziunas & Associates, LLC to provide legal services concerning litigation defense matters in an amount not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($50,000.00), for the period of January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 which shall cover those existing matters currently being handled by Zidziunas & Associates, LLC as well as new matters that may arise during the contract term; and
WHEREAS, the Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq.) requires that notice of the award of contracts for "Professional Services" without competitive bidding must be published in a local newspaper; and
WHEREAS, this contract is for an amount over $17,500.00 and is being awarded as a fair and open contract pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor of the City of Newark signed into law Executive Order Number MEO-07-0001 (hereinafter "Pay-to-Play Executive Order"), which requires reporting of political contributions to Newark Municipal Candidates and prohibits certain political contributions during the duration of the contract; and
. WHEREAS, the Municipal Council adopted the Contractor Pay-to-Play Reform Ordinance, R.O. 2:4-22C, which forbids the award of a contract to a Business Entity, as defined therein, which has made or solicited political contributions to Newark Municipal Candidates, office holders having ultimate responsibility for the award of a contract; candidate committees of the aforementioned candidates; and political or political party committees of the City of Newark or County of Essex; and continuing political committees or political action committees regularly engaged in the support of the City of Newark municipal or County of Essex elections; and certain other political party or candidate committees, in excess of certain thresholds.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The Mayor of the City of Newark and/or his designee, the Corporation Counsel, are hereby authorized and directed on behalf of the City of Newark to execute a contract with Zidziunas & Associates, LLC to provide legal services concerning litigation defense matters in an amount not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($50,000.00), for the period of January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015 which shall cover those existing litigation defense matters currently being handled by Zidziunas & Associates, LLC as well as new litigation defense matters that may arise during the contract term.
2. The contract is ratified from January 1, 2015 to the date of adoption of this resolution.
3. This contract is being awarded pursuant to the fair and open procedures of the State Pay-to-Play Law (N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5) and pursuant to the provisions of the Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i)) and is in compliance with Executive Order MEO-07-0001, effective March 31, 2007; and is in compliance with the Contractor Pay-to-Play Reform Ordinance, R.O. 2:4-22C.
4. Attached is a Certification of Funds from the Municipal Comptroller indicating that there are sufficient and appropriated funds for the purposes stated herein.
5. A copy of the executed agreement herein authorized shall be filed in the Office of the City Clerk by the Corporation Counsel and shall be made available for public inspection.
6. A notice of this action shall be published in the newspaper authorized by law to publish a legal advertisement and as required by law within ten (10) days of the adoption of this Resolution.
STATEMENT
This resolution ratifies and authorizes the Mayor of the City of Newark and/or his designee, the Corporation Counsel, to enter into a contract for legal services for litigation defense with Zidziunas & Associates, LLC, 33 Plymouth Street, Suite 202A, Montclair, New Jersey 07042, in an amount not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($50,000.00), for the period of January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015.