Title
Dept/ Agency: Economic and Housing Development
Action: () Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Professional Services Contract
Purpose: To provide legal services for Redevelopment/Land Use Matters.
Entity Name: DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole and Giblin, LLP
Entity Address: 61 South Paramus Road, Suite 250, Paramus, New Jersey 07652
Contract Amount: Not to exceed $800,000.00
Funding Source: 2024 Budget/Department of Economic and Housing Development/NW026, Account #32100, B2024
Contract Period: March 12, 2024 through March 11, 2025
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor (X) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
(X) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP (X) RFQ
( ) Private Sale ( ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
Additional Information:
body
WHEREAS, the City of Newark (the “City”) 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 Department of Economic and Housing Development of the City caused to be published, on the City of Newark’s website, a Notice of Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) for Special Counsel concerning Redevelopment and Land Use Matters on or about October 27, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City received a total of two (2) proposals in response to its request by the RFQ due date on November 14, 2023; and
WHEREAS, DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP, 61 South Paramus Road, Suite 250, Paramus, New Jersey 07652, submitted a proposal which was found, based upon price and other factors, to be in the best interest of the City to accept for the purpose of providing legal services concerning Redevelopment/Land Use Matters; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to enter into a contract with DeCcotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP, to provide Legal Services for Redevelopment/Land Use Matters in an amount not to exceed Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($800,000.00), for the period of March 12, 2024 through March 11, 2025; and
WHEREAS, 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 is in compliance with the State Pay-to-Play Law and the City’s Pay-to-Play Ordinance.
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 Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development, are hereby authorized on behalf of the City of Newark to enter into and execute a contract with DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP, 61 South Paramus Road, Suite 250, Paramus, New Jersey 07652, to provide legal services concerning Redevelopment/Land Use Matters in an amount not to exceed Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($800,000.00), for the period of March 12, 2024 through March 11, 2025.
2. 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 Contacts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i)); and is in compliance with the City’s Pay-to-Play Reform Ordinance, R.O. 2:4-22C.1.
3. Attached hereto is a Certification of Funds from the Director of the Department of Finance, which states that: 1) there are sufficient funds in the amount of $800,000.00 for the purpose set forth herein above; and 2) that the line appropriation of the Official Budget which shall be charged is:
Bus.Unit Account# BudgetRef.
NW026 32100 B2024
4. The Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development shall file a copy of the executed contract in the Office of the City Clerk and the same shall be made available for public inspection.
5. 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 authorizes the Mayor of the City of Newark and/or his designee, the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development, on behalf of the City of Newark, to enter into and execute a contract for legal services for Redevelopment/Land Use Matters with DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP, 61 South Paramus Road, Suite 250, Paramus, New Jersey 07652, in an amount not to exceed $800,000.00, for the period of March 12, 2024 through March 11, 2025.