Title
Dept/ Agency: Economic & Housing Development
Action: ( X ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: EUS Contract
Purpose: To provide Reentry Legal Services to formerly incarcerated individuals
Entity Name: Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, Inc.
Entity Address: 101 Commerce Street, Newark, NJ, 07102
Contract Amount: $300,000.00
Funding Source: United States Department of Justice
Contract Period: January 15, 2012 to September 30, 2012
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor ( ) Prof. Ser. (X ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale (X ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
Additional Information:
Funds applied for, accepted and grant period extended to September 30, 2012 by Resolution No. 7R1-d 101911
Appropriation established by resolution No.7R1-Z 040412
body
WHEREAS, the City seeks to reduce violence and recidivism and develop opportunities for formerly incarcerated Newarkers returning to the community; and
WHEREAS, the City has identified that removing barriers to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals through legal services such as expungements, license reinstatement and child support reductions ("Reentry Legal Services"), in addition to community-based case management and job placement services ("Case Management and Job Placement Reentry Services") are proven methods of reducing the devastating cycles of crime, violence and recidivism; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Justice ("USDOJ") has made funds available through its Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program to assist, among other things, local jurisdictions in reducing the incidents of crime and enhance reentry services; and
WHEREAS, the Business Administrator prepared a proposal and application to USDOJ for a grant award in the amount of $400,000.00 for Reentry Legal Services and Case Management and Job Placement Reentry Services; and
WHEREAS, the USDOJ awarded the City a $400,000.00 grant for these services and has approved a budget that includes expenditures of $300,000.00 for Reentry Legal Services and $100,000.00 for Case Management and Job Placement Reentry Services; and
WHEREAS, the Business Administrator requested an extension of the expiration date for the grant agreement from September 30, 2011 to September 30, 2012 through the submission of a Grant Adjustment Notice to USDOJ, which was approved by USDOJ on June 24, 2011; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Resolution 7R1-d, adopted October 19, 2011, the City accepted grant funds and entered into a grant agreement with USDOJ, for the grant award 2010-DD-BX-0503, in the amount of $400,000.00, for the implementation of Reentry Legal Services and Case Management and Job Placement Reentry Services, for the period commencing on October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011, and by the same resolution, authorized an amendment to the grant agreement to extend the grant expiration date from September 30, 2011 to September 30, 2012; and
WHEREAS, Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, Inc. (VLJ) is a non-profit corporation that provides free legal services to low income individuals; and
WHEREAS, since 2008, VLJ has run a program called ReLeSe ("ReLeSe") that provides legal services to people with criminal records; the legal services are targeted to address legal issues that otherwise serve as barriers to employment and community integration; and
WHEREAS, due to the unique nature of the work performed by VLJ and its experience in providing legal services the City desires to utilize the grant funding from the USDOJ to enter into a contract with VLJ to provide Reentry Legal Services to formerly incarcerated individuals in an amount not to exceed $300,000.00 for the period commencing January 15, 2012, and terminating on September 30, 2012; and
WHEREAS, VLJ has demonstrated that it is qualified by training and experience to provide the required Reentry Legal Services in the manner and on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(ii)), such a contract for an Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service (EUS) may be awarded and entered into without public bidding; and
WHEREAS, VLJ is a non-profit entity and is not subject to the requirements of the State Pay-to-Play Law, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5, and the Newark Executive Order MEO-07-0001, effective March 31, 2007.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
-
- The Mayor and/or his designee, the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development, are hereby authorized to enter into and execute an Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service (EUS) Contract with Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, Inc. (VLJ), 101 Commerce Street, Newark, NJ, 07102, for the purpose of providing Reentry Legal Services to formerly incarcerated individuals, in an amount not to exceed $300,000.00, for the period commencing on January 15, 2012 and terminating on September 30, 2012.
- This EUS Contract is ratified from January 15, 2012 until the date of adoption of this authorizing resolution.
- Attached hereto is a Certification of Funds which states that there are available legally appropriated funds for the purpose set forth herein above in the amount of $300,000.00 and that the line appropriation of the official budget which shall be charged is as follows: Business Unit, NW051, Dept G12, Div/Proj., D12B0, Activity, A, Account #, 72030, Budget Ref., B2012
-
- This contract is being awarded pursuant to the provisions of the State Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(ii)) and since VLJ is a non-profit organization the procedures of the State Pay-to-Play Law, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5, and Newark Executive Order MEO-07-0001, effective March 31, 2007 do not apply.
-
- This contract is awarded as an Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service Contract pursuant to the provisions of the State Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(ii)) and the Certification of Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service, is attached hereto and shall be filed in the Office of the City Clerk with the original resolution.
-
- Due to the unique nature of the services being provided it was impracticable to obtain two competitive quotations.
- A copy of the Comptroller's Certification and the fully executed contract herein authorized shall be filed in the Office of the City Clerk by the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development.
-
- 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 10 days of its passage.
STATEMENT
This resolution ratifies and authorizes the Mayor and/or his Designee, the Deputy Mayor/Director of the Department of Economic and Housing Development, to enter into and execute an Extraordinary Unspecifiable Service contract with Volunteer Lawyers for Justice, Inc. (VLJ), 101 Commerce Street, Newark, NJ, 07102, for the purpose of providing Reentry Legal Services to formerly incarcerated individuals, in an amount not to exceed $300,000.00, for the period commencing on January 15, 2012 and terminating on September 30, 2012. This contract is being awarded pursuant to the provisions of the State Local Public Contracts Law (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5 (1)(a)(ii)) and since VLJ is a non-profit organization the State PaytoPlay Law, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5 and Newark Executive Order MEO-07-0001 do not apply.