Project Information

Bid Title

RFQ - Special Counsel Services for Election Matters -2026

Issuing Agency

City of Orange Township

Location

New Jersey

Published Date

Jan 29, 2026

Closing Date

Feb 12, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	RFQ - Special Counsel Services for Election Matters -2026
Category:	Bids and Request for Qualification (RFQs)
Status:	Open

Description: The City of Orange Township (hereafter the “City”) is requesting proposals from qualified individuals and firms to provide Special Legal Counsel Services.  Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth in this Request for Qualifications (RFQ).  One of more individual/firms may be selected to provide services.  If selected, the governing body will approve a resolution listing the individual and/or firms as approved Special Legal Counsel.  The contract term will not exceed one (1) year from the date of the award. Publication Date/Time: 1/29/2026 12:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 2/12/2026 1:00 PM Related Documents: RFQ - Special Counsel Services for Election Matters -2026

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Municipal Council

of the City of Orange Township

City Clerk ’s Office

Municipal Building

29 North Day Street, Second Floor

Orange, New Jersey 07050

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Special Legal Counsel Services

For Election Matters

Orange Municipal Council

January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

1:00 PM – February 12, 2026

PURPOSE OF REQUEST

The City of Orange Township (hereafter the “City”) is requesting proposals from qualified individuals

and firms to provide Special Legal Counsel Services. Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the

criteria set forth in this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). One of more individual/firms may be selected to

provide services. If selected, the governing body will approve a resolution listing the individual and/or firms

as approved Special Legal Counsel. The contract term will not exceed one (1) year from the date of the

award.

FORM AS TO SELECTION

If selected to provide services, the successful Respondent shall be forwarded a Contract by the City

Council, which includes term, amount, indemnification, insurance, termination and licensing provisions. It

is also agreed and understood that the execution of the Contract and the acceptance of the representation

shall be considered a release in full of all claims against the city arising out of, or by reason of, the work

done and materials furnished under this award.

GLOSSARY

The following definitions shall apply to and are used in this Request for Qualifications (RFQ):

"City" - refers to the City of Orange Township Municipal government.

"Qualification Statement" - refers to the complete responses to this RFQ submitted by the Respondents.

"Qualified Respondent" - refers to those Respondents who (in the sole judgment of the City) have satisfied

the qualification criteria set forth in this RFQ.

"RFQ" - refers to this Request for Qualifications, including any amendments thereof or supplements thereto.

"Respondent" or "Respondents" - refers to the interested persons and/or firm(s) that submit a Qualification

Statement.

SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1.

Introduction and Purpose.

The City is soliciting Qualification Statements from interested persons and/or firms for the

provision of professional services, as more particularly described herein. Through a Request for

Qualification process described herein, persons and/or firms interested in assisting the City with the provision

of such services must prepare and submit a Qualification Statement in accordance with the procedure and

schedule in this RFQ. The City will review Qualification Statements only from those persons and/or firms

that submit a Qualification Statement which includes all the information required to be included as described

herein (in the sole judgment of the City).

The City intends to qualify person(s) and/or firm(s) that (a) possesses the professional,

financial and administrative capabilities to provide the proposed services, and (b) will agree to work under

the compensation terms and conditions determined by the City to provide the greatest benefit to the taxpayers

of the City.

1.2.

Procurement Process and Schedule.

The selection is in accordance with the "New Jersey Local Unit Pay-to-Play" Law and

municipal ordinances establishing the “pay-to-play” criteria. The City has structured a procurement process

that seeks to obtain the desired results described above, while establishing a competitive fair and open process

to assure that each person and/or firm is provided an equal opportunity to submit a Qualification Statement

in response to the RFQ. Qualification Statements will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria set forth

in Section 2 of this RFQ, which will be applied in the same manner to each Qualification Statement received.

Qualification Statements will be reviewed and evaluated by the City Attorney (or his designee).

The Qualification Statements will be reviewed to determine if the Respondent has met the minimum

professional, administrative and financial areas described in this RFQ. Based upon the totality of the

information contained in the Qualification Statement, including information about the reputation and

experience of each Respondent, the members of the City Council in consultation with the City Attorney will

determine which Respondents are qualified (professionally, administratively and financially).

The RFQ process commences with the issuance of this RFQ. The steps involved in the process and

the anticipated completion dates are set forth in Table 1, Procurement Schedule. The City reserves the right

to, among other things, amend, modify or alter the Procurement Schedule upon notice to potential

Respondents.

All communications concerning this RFQ or the RFQ process shall be directed to the City's

Designated Contact Person, in writing.

Qualification Statements must be submitted to, and be received by, the City Clerk’s Office via mail

or hand delivery on Thursday, February 12, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Qualification Statements will not be

accepted by facsimile or e-mail transmissions.

Subsequent to issuance of this RFQ, the City (through the issuance of addenda to all persons and/or

firms that have received a copy of the RFQ) may modify, supplement or amend the provisions of this RFQ

in order to respond to inquiries received from prospective Respondents or as otherwise deemed necessary or

appropriate by (and in the sole judgment of) the City.

TABLE 1

ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

ACTIVITY DATE

1.

Issuance of Request for Qualifications: January 29, 2026.

2.

Receipt of Qualification Statements: February 12, 2026.

1.3. Conditions Applicable to RFQ.

Upon submission of a Qualification Statement in response to this RFQ, the Respondent acknowledges

and consents to the following conditions relative to the submission and review and consideration of its

Qualification Statement:

*

This document is an RFQ and does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP).

*

This RFQ does not commit the City to issue an RFP.

*

All costs incurred by the Respondent in connection with responding to this RFQ shall be borne

solely by the Respondent.

*

The City reserves the right (in its sole judgment) to reject for any reason any and all responses

and components thereof and to eliminate any and all Respondents responding to this RFQ from

further consideration for this procurement.

*

The City reserves the right (in its sole judgment) to reject any Respondent that submits

incomplete responses to this RFQ, or a Qualification Statement that is not responsive to the

requirements of this RFQ.

*

The City reserves the right, without prior notice, to supplement, amend, or otherwise modify

this RFQ, or otherwise request additional information.

*

All Qualification Statements shall become the property of the City and will not be returned.

*

All Qualification Statements will be made available to the public at the appropriate time, as

determined by the City (in the exercise of its sole discretion) in accordance with law.

*

The City may request Respondents to send representatives to the City for interviews.

*

Any and all Qualification Statements not received by the City Clerk’s Office by 1:00 p.m. on

Thursday, February 12, 2026, will be rejected.

*

Neither the City, nor its officers, officials or employees shall be liable for any claims or

damages resulting from the solicitation or preparation of the Qualification Statement, nor will

there be any reimbursement to Respondents for the cost of preparing and submitting a

Qualification Statement or for participating in this procurement process.

1.4. Rights of City.

The City reserves, holds and may exercise, at its sole discretion, the following rights and options with

regard to this RFQ and the procurement process in accordance with the provisions of applicable law:

*

To determine that any Qualification Statement received complies or fails to comply with the

terms of this RFQ.

*

To supplement, amend or otherwise modify the RFQ through issuance of addenda to all

prospective Respondents who have received a copy of this RFQ.

*

To waive any technical non-conformance with the terms of this RFQ.

*

To change or alter the schedule for any events called for in this RFQ upon the issuance of

notice to all prospective Respondents who have received a copy of this RFQ.

*

To conduct investigations of any or all of the Respondents, as the City deems necessary or

convenient, to clarify the information provided as part of the Qualification Statement and to

request additional information to support the information included in any Qualification

Statement.

*

To suspend or terminate the procurement process described in this RFQ at any time (in its sole

discretion.) If terminated, the City may determine to commence a new procurement process or

exercise any other rights provided under applicable law without any obligation to the

Respondents.

*

The City shall be under no obligation to complete all or any portion of the procurement process

described in this RFQ.

1.5. Addenda or Amendments to RFQ.

During the period provided for the preparation of responses to the RFQ, the City may issue

addenda, amendments or answers to written inquiries. Those addenda will be noticed by the City and

will constitute a part of the RFQ. All responses to the RFQ shall be prepared with full consideration of

the addenda issued prior to the Qualification Statement submission date.

1.6. Cost of Qualification Statement Preparation.

Each Qualification Statement and all information required to be submitted pursuant to the RFQ

shall be prepared at the sole cost and expense of the Respondent. There shall be no claims whatsoever

against the City, its officers, officials or employees for reimbursement for the payment of costs or

expenses incurred in the preparation of the Qualification Statement or other information required by

the RFQ.

1.7. Qualification Statement Format.

Qualification Statements must cover all information requested in this RFQ. Qualification

Statements which in the judgment of the City fail to meet the requirements of the RFQ or which are in

any way conditional, incomplete, obscure, contain additions or deletions from requested information,

or contain errors may be rejected.

SECTION 2

SCOPE OF SERVICES

It is the intent of the City Council to solicit Qualification Statements from Respondents that have

expertise in the provision of professional legal services as described below and as set forth in the

attached Notice of Solicitation for Responses. Respondents must demonstrate that they will have the

continuing capabilities to perform these services.

The City Council of the City of Orange Township is seeking an attorney and/or law firm that will handle

special legal matters as directed by the City Attorney only when it is deemed that a conflict of legal

interest exist, which legally and ethically conflicts the Law Department from rendering legal advice.

The Special Legal Counsel Attorney (and other attorneys, if any) shall perform the following duties,

when only when it is deemed by that a conflict of interest exists, which legally and ethically conflicts

the Law Department from rendering legal advice to the City Council:

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541110Offices of Lawyers
• NAICS 541330Engineering Services
• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541618Other Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541690Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• NAICS 541990All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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