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Dept/ Agency: Offices of Municipal Council/City Clerk
Action: (X) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Exception to Public Bidding - N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i) and N.J.S.A. 40A: 11-(5)(1)(a)(i)(l)
Purpose: To provide legal services to the Office of the City Clerk in connection with Election Matters
Entity Name: Anselmi & Carvelli, LLP.
Entity Address: 56 Headquarters Plaza, West Tower 5th Fl., Morristown, New Jersey 07960
Contract Amount: Not to exceed $50,000.00
Funding Source: Office of the City Clerk NW011-020-0201-96110-B2025 and B2026
Contract Period: One (1) year commencing November 27, 2025 through November 26, 2026
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor (X) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open (X) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale ( ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
Additional Information:
Partial Certification of Funds in the amount of $1,000.00.
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WHEREAS, the Municipal Council and the City Clerk has a need for legal services, as it pertains to election matters; and
WHEREAS, Anselmi & Carvelli, LLP., located at 56 Headquarters Plaza, West Tower 5th Fl., Morristown, New Jersey 07960 ("Firm"), is a law firm with expertise in issues involving election matters and it is in the best interests of the City to enter into a contract with the law firm to provide legal services related to election matters; and
WHEREAS, the City of Newark ("City") wishes to enter into a contract with the Firm to provide legal services, as it pertains to election matters, in an amount not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($50,000.00), for a one year period commencing November 27, 2025 through November 26, 2026; 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 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, Local Public Contracts Law, N.J.S.A. 40A:11-1 et seq., requires a resolution of the Governing Body authorizing the award of contracts for Professional Services and further requires that the contract itself must be available for public inspection; and
WHEREAS, this Contract is awarded without Public bidding, because as a professional contract, N.J.S.A. 40A: 11-5(1)(a)(i), and pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A: 11-5(1)(l) as a procurement of services necessary or required to prepare and conduct an election; and
WHEREAS, the City Clerk has determined and certified in writing that the value of this contract will exceed $17,500.00; and
WHEREAS, the Firm completed and submitted a Business Entity Disclosure Certification, which certifies that it has not made any reportable contributions to a political or candidate committee in the City of Newark in the previous one (1) year period, and the Contract will prohibit the Firm from making any reportable contributions through the term of the Contract.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The City Clerk is hereby authorized to enter into and execute a contract with Anselmi & Carvelli, LLP., 56 Headquarters Plaza, West Tower 5th Fl., Morristown, New Jersey 07960 ("Firm"), to provide legal services, as it pertains to election matters, in an amount not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($50,000.00), for the period commencing November 27, 2025 through November 26, 2026.
2. The Contract is hereby ratified back from November 27, 2025 to the date of adopting this Resolution.
3. Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:30-5(a), Budget, attached hereto is the Chief Finance Officer's Partial Certification of Funds, which states funds in the amount of One Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($1,000.00) are available in the 2025 Budget, Business Unit: NW011; Dept.: 020; Div./Proj.: 0201; Activity: A; Account #: 96110; Budget Ref.: B2025. The Certification shall be filed, along with the original resolution and the executed contract in the Office of the City Clerk.
4. The contract is awarded as a Non-Fair and Open Contract pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5; and the Firm has provided a statement that it is in compliance with the City of Newark, Contractor Pay to Play Ordinance, 2:4-22C.
5. The contract will contain language prohibiting any contributions in violation of any state or local law.
6. A copy of the executed agreement herein authorized shall be filed in the Office of the City Clerk and shall be made available for public inspection.
7. There shall be no amendments or changes to this contract without approval of the Municipal Council and there shall be no advance payments on this contract in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40A:5-16.
STATEMENT
This Resolution ratifies and authorizes the City Clerk, on behalf of the City of Newark to enter into and execute a contract with Anselmi & Carvelli, LLP., 56 Headquarters Plaza, West Tower 5th Fl., Morristown, New Jersey 07960, to provide legal services, as it pertains to election matters, in an amount not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($50,000.00), for the period commencing November 27, 2025 through November 26, 2026.