Title
Dept/ Agency: Law
Action: (X) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Professional Services Contract
Purpose: Bond Counsel Legal Services
Entity Name: DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole, LLP.
Entity Address: Glenpointe Centre West, 500 Frank W. Burr Boulevard, Suite 31, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666
Contract Amount: An amount not to exceed $200,000.00
Funding Source: 2016 Budget/ Law Department
Contract Period: January 01, 2017 through December 31, 2017
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:
body
WHEREAS, the City of Newark as the largest municipality in the State of New Jersey faces novel issues on a daily basis and has a need to acquire bond counsel legal services; and
WHEREAS, DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole, LLP (DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole) Glenpointe Centre West, 500 Frank W. Burr Boulevard, Suite 31, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666, is a law firm with diverse practice and specific expertise in issues involving municipal government and submitted a proposal to provide bond counsel legal services and it was found, to be in the best interest of the City of Newark to accept the proposal for the purpose of providing Bond Counsel Legal Services; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor and the Corporation Counsel wish to enter into a contract with DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole, to provide Bond Counsel Legal Services in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zeo Cents ($200,000.00), for the period of January 01, 2017 through December 31, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the Corporation Counsel has determined and certified in writing that the value of this contract will exceed $17,500.00; and
WHEREAS, this Contract is awarded without competitive bidding as an exception to public bidding, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i), professional services; and
WHEREAS, Local Public Contract 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, the actions contemplated by this Resolution shall result in the award of a non-fair and open contract in accordance with N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5; and
WHEREAS, DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole has completed and submitted a Business Entity Disclosure Certification which certifies that DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole has not made any reportable contributions to a political or candidate committee in the City of Newark in the previous one year, and the contract will prohibit DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole from making any reportable contributions through the term of the contract; 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 public bidding must be published in a local newspaper; and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Council adopted the Contractor Pay-to-Play Reform Ordinance, 6PSF-a, August 1, 2012, 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 his designee, the Corporation Counsel, are authorized to execute a contract with DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole, LLP,, Glenpointe Centre West, 500 Frank W. Burr Boulevard, Suite 31, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666 to provide bond counsel legal services in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($200,000.00), for the period of January 01, 2017 through December 31, 2017.
2. The contract is ratified from January 1, 2017, through the date of adoption of this resolution.
3. This contract is awarded without competitive bidding as an exception to public bidding pursuant to the provisions of the Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i)), professional services, pursuant to the non-fair and open procedures of the State Pay-to-Play Law (N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5), and the Business Entity has certified that it has not made or solicited a contribution in violation of the Contractor Pay-to-Play Reform Ordinance 2:4-22C.
4. This Contract is paid from Bond and Note proceeds on a percentage basis after Bonds and Notes are sold and after receipt of the funds from the sale by the City. This is also an open ended contract to be used as needed during the term of the contact. Thus, for those expenditures not covered by Bond and Note proceeds, certification of the availability of sufficient funds, as required by N.J.A.C. 5:30-5.5(b)(2), shall be executed before liability is incurred each time a service is requested. If operating under a Temporary Budget, the City shall comply with N.J.A.C. 5:30-5.5(a)(1) and (2).
5. The Determination of Value and Business Entity Disclosure Certification are attached and will be filed with the Office of the City Clerk.
6. 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.
7. 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 his designee, the Corporation Counsel, to enter into a contract with DeCotiis Fitzpatrick & Cole, LLP, Glenpointe Centre West, 500 Frank W. Burr Boulevard, Suite 31, Teaneck, New Jersey 07666, to provide Bond Counsel Legal Services in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($200,000.00) for the period of January 01, 2017 through December 31, 2017.