Title
Dept/ Agency: Law
Action: ( ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Professional Services Contract
Purpose: To provide legal services concerning Environmental Matters
Entity Name: Two (2) Vendors - See list below
Entity Address: Two (2) Vendors Addresses - See list below
Contract Amount: Not to exceed $100,000.00, cumulative for two (2) vendors
Funding Source: 2025 Budget/Law Department
Contract Period: January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025
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:
1. Rainone Coughlin Minchello, LLC, 555 U.S. Highway One South, Suite 440, Iselin, New Jersey 08830-3100; and
2. Schenck, Price, Smith and King, LLP, 220 Park Avenue, Florham Park,
New Jersey 07932
Partial Certification of Funds in the amount of $25,000.00 attached
body
WHEREAS, the City of Newark (“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, on or about October 23, 2024, the Corporation Counsel of the City of Newark caused to be published in the Star Ledger and on the City of Newark’s website, a Notice of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Environmental Counsel Services; and
WHEREAS, the City received a total of two (2) proposals in response to the RFQ for Environmental Counsel Services; and
WHEREAS, two (2) Vendors: (1) Rainone Coughlin Minchello LLC, and (2) Schenck, Price, Smith & King, LLP submitted proposals, and it was found based upon price and other factors, to be in the best interest of the City of Newark to accept those proposals for the purpose of providing Legal Services concerning Environmental Counsel Services; and
WHEREAS, the City wishes to enter into a contract with Rainone Coughlin Minchello LLC & Schenck, Price, Smith & King, LLP, to provide Legal Services concerning Environmental Matters, in an amount not to exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($100,000.00), for a period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, which shall cover those existing matters currently being handled by Rainone Coughlin Minchello LLC & Schenck, Price, Smith & King, LLP, 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 $44,000.00 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 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 Corporation Counsel, are authorized on behalf of the City of Newark to execute a contract with Rainone Coughlin Minchello LLC, 555 U.S. Highway One South Suite 440 Iselin, New Jersey 08830-3100 and Schenck, Price, Smith & King, LLP, 220 Park Avenue, Florham Park, New Jersey 07932, to provide Legal Services concerning Environmental Matters, in an amount not to exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($100,000.00)for the period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025, which shall cover those existing matters currently being handled by Rainone Coughlin Minchello LLC & Schenck, Price, Smith & King, LLP, as well as new matters that may arise during the contract term.
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 Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i)) and is in compliance with the City’s Ordinance on Pay-to-Play.
3. Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:30-5.5(a), a Temporary Budget, attached hereto is a partial Certification of Funds issued by the Chief Financial Officer for this Contract, which states that funds in the amount of Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($25,000.00) are available, and the appropriate line to be charges is: line NW011, Department 040, Division 0401, Account 71260, Budget 2025 are available in the aforementioned Law Department Budget, for the purpose set forth hereinabove. The Certification of Funds shall be filed along with this Resolution in the Office of the City Clerk.
4. A copy of the executed Agreements herein authorized shall be filed in the Office of the City Clerk by the Corporation Counsel and 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 Corporation Counsel, to enter into and execute contracts for legal services for Environmental Matters with Rainone Coughlin Minchello LLC 555 U.S. Highway One South Suite 440 Iselin, New Jersey 08830-3100 and Schenck, Price, Smith & King, LLP, 220 Park Avenue, Florham Park, New Jersey 07932, in an amount not to exceed One Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($100,000.00) cumulative for all two (2) vendors) , for the period of January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025.