Project Information

Bid Title

2025-08 Contract City Attorney Services

Issuing Agency

City of Del Mar

Location

California

Published Date

Nov 5, 2025

Closing Date

Dec 5, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

2025-08

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Number:	2025-08
Bid Title:	2025-08 Contract City Attorney Services
Category:	Professional Services
Status:	Open

Description: The City of Del Mar (“City”) is seeking Statements of Qualifications (SOQ/proposals) from qualified attorneys and/or legal firms to provide municipal legal services to the City as its designated contract “City Attorney”. The focus of this solicitation is to engage the services of an outside City Attorney to oversee and manage the legal affairs of the City and ensure the policies, procedures, and activities of the City are carried out in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The City Attorney reports directly to the City Council. Inquiries Questions and inquiries regarding this RFQ must be received by 4:30 p.m. PST on Friday, November 14, 2025, and directed in writing by email to Ashlea Houston, Management Analyst, at For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. . All inquiries must reference “RFQ 2025-08 Contract City Attorney Services” in the title or subject line. Questions and inquiries submitted over the telephone will not be accepted. Submittal Requirements Proposals are due on or before Friday, December 5, 2025, no later than 4:30 p.m. PST. Your proposal should be submitted via email to Ashlea Houston, Management Analyst, at For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. .The submittal must reference “RFQ 2025-08 Contract City Attorney Services” in the title or subject line. Facsimile submittals will not be accepted. Publication Date/Time: 11/5/2025 12:00 AM Closing Date/Time: 12/5/2025 4:30 PM Related Documents: RFQ No. 2025-08- Contract City Attorney Services

Attachment Preview

CITY OF DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

No. 2025-08

CONTRACT CITY ATTORNEY SERVICES

I.

INTRODUCTION

A. General Information

The City of Del Mar (“City”) is seeking Statements of Qualifications (SOQ/proposals)

from qualified attorneys and/or legal firms to provide municipal legal services to the

City as its designated contract “City Attorney”. The focus of this solicitation is to engage

the services of an outside City Attorney to oversee and manage the legal affairs of the

City and ensure the policies, procedures, and activities of the City are carried out in

compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The City Attorney reports directly

to the City Council.

B. About the City

Incorporated in 1959, the City of Del Mar is a Charter Law City with a Council-Manager

form of government. The Del Mar City Council consists of five at-large seats (currently

only four members due to a Council vacancy), one of whom is chosen on a rotating

annual basis to serve a one-year term as mayor.

Del Mar is located just 20 minutes north of downtown San Diego on the southern

California coast. Approximately 3,900 residents call this 2.2 square mile city their home.

The famed horse racing and annual County Fair that take place at the Del Mar

Fairgrounds and over two miles of white sandy beaches make Del Mar an inviting

tourist destination for upwards of 3 million visitors annually. Residents and visitors

enjoy excellent weather and a variety of outdoor activities at the City's parks and

Downtown Village.

A wide range of services are provided by the City, through departments that include

Administrative Services, City Manager, Community Services, Fire Services, Planning

& Community Development, and Public Works. The City currently has eight Council

appointed advisory committees and two quasi-judicial bodies including the Planning

Commission and Design Review Board. The City Attorney or their designated staff

attends City Council and Planning Commission meetings.

The City employs approximately 66 full-time employees and 44 part-time employees.

The City’s total budget for the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 is $48.4 million. The Fiscal Year

2025-2026 budget for legal services is $316,000, which is based on general retainer

costs. Legal services beyond the base services provided under the general retainer

City of Del Mar - RFQ 2025-08

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are billed separately, along with costs for special projects and claims/litigation. Annual

budget documents and prior year Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports are

available online via the City’s website: https://www.delmar.ca.us/132/Budget-Financial-

Reports.

C. Inquiries

Questions and inquiries regarding this RFQ must be received by 4:30 p.m. PST on

Friday, November 14, 2025, and directed in writing by email to Ashlea Houston,

Management Analyst, at ahouston@delmar.ca.us. All inquiries must reference “RFQ

2025-08 Contract City Attorney Services” in the title or subject line. Questions and

inquiries submitted over the telephone will not be accepted.

D. Submittal Requirements

Proposals are due on or before Friday, December 5, 2025, no later than 4:30 p.m.

PST. Your proposal should be submitted via email to Ashlea Houston, Management

Analyst, at ahouston@delmar.ca.us.The submittal must reference “RFQ 2025-08

Contract City Attorney Services” in the title or subject line. Facsimile submittals will not

be accepted.

II. ANTICIPATED TIMELINE

Anticipated timeline for RFQ process is outlined below and is subject to change without notice:

Action

Issue Notice of RFQ

Tentative Timeline/Deadline

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Questions Due from Respondents

Friday, November 14, 2025 (4:30 PM)

City Responses to Questions Posted Friday, November 21, 2025 (4:30 PM)

Deadline to Submit Proposals

Friday, December 5, 2025 (4:30 PM)

Review of Proposals Received

Monday, December 8, 2025 - Friday,

December 19, 2025

Interviews

Week of January 5, 2025

City Council Award of Agreement

February 2025

III. SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. Essential Attributes and Qualifications

The City Council and City administration expect the City Attorney to be service-oriented,

actively involved in the business of the City, creative in finding solutions and pro-active in

helping City officials and staff avoid legal pitfalls, as well as having experience and expertise

in the following areas:

1. Land Use, Planning and Development Regulations, CEQA, NEPA, code enforcement,

California Coastal Act, NPDES, and Regional Water Quality Board issues

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Contract City Attorney Services

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2. Affordable Housing

3. Zoning, Development processes, Building and Housing Codes

4. Municipal Corporations in California

5. Rules of public meetings, decorum, open meeting laws, Brown Act, Conflict of Interest

(AB 1234), Political Reform Act, Public Records Act, due process and other legal

requirements imposed by statute and common law

6. Ethics

7. Elections

8. Public Personnel, employee discipline, labor relations, Fair Labor Standards Act

(FLSA)

9. Taxes and fees, Proposition 218, assessments, franchise agreements

10. Contracting Law, contracts and transactions

11. Construction Law, claims, public contracting requirements

12. Laws pertaining to Public Utilities (water, sewer and clean water)

Additional requirements include the following:

a) It is expected that there will be one individual designated to serve as the City Attorney from

within the chosen firm. For the purpose of this RFQ, a “firm” is defined as a firm or a sole

proprietor. The City Attorney will be the primary contact except when unavailable due to

vacation or illness. The designated individual must have a college degree, a law degree (J.D.)

from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and must be a licensed and

active member of the California State Bar.

b) Both the firm representing this RFQ, and the individual proposed to serve as the City

Attorney must describe the circumstances surrounding any malpractice lawsuit or legal

services contract termination during the past five (5) years.

c) The City Attorney must have served as a City Attorney for at least five (5) years in a

California municipality or as a Deputy City Attorney for a minimum of seven (7) years.

d) The City Attorney must be able to demonstrate an on-going commitment to receive training

on contemporary issues affecting local government.

e) The City Attorney must be an articulate, decisive, and highly motivated leader who

possesses excellent political acumen and awareness.

f) Written and oral communications by the City Attorney must be clear, concise, well-organized

and intelligently explain legal concepts to different levels of audiences in a clear and direct

manner.

g) The City Attorney shares the vision of the Council and community, and can advocate,

articulate and implement that vision. The City Attorney must be able to blend innovation and

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creativity, think outside the box, acknowledge the challenges of the City and address those

challenges in a strategic manner.

h) Both the firm responding to this RFQ, and the individual proposed to serve as the City

Attorney must demonstrate the capacity to effectively deal with any existing or future time

commitment conflicts.

i) The firm responding to this RFQ must provide evidence, if selected, of Commercial General

Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 annual aggregate), Commercial

Automobile Liability ($300,000 per occurrence), Workers’ Compensation ($1,000,000

minimum employers’ liability coverage) and Consulting Liability (Errors and Omission)

($1,000,000 per claim and $2,000,000 annual aggregate) coverage in force and acceptable to

the City.

A. Scope of Services Requested

The City Attorney shall provide the following services to the City:

1. Represent and advise the City Council and all City Officers in all matters of law

pertaining to their offices.

2. Keep the City Council informed of legislation or judicial opinions that have potential

impact to the City.

3. Represent the City before other governmental bodies and agencies to promote the

interests of the City.

4. Oversee and manage the legal affairs of the City and to ensure the policies, programs,

and activities of the City and its employees and agents are carried out in compliance

with all applicable law and that the best interests of the City are otherwise protected to

the fullest extent possible.

5. Attendance at City Council (open and closed sessions) and Planning Commission

meetings are expected.

6. Attend Executive Team meetings or other City meetings at the request of the City

Manager.

7. Be promptly available in person and/or by telephone, e-mail or other forms of electronic

consultation and render written opinions on given issues related to City business in a

timely manner. Same day response for items designated as urgent is expected.

8. Approve the form and content of all performance bonds, insurance certificates and like

documents tendered to the City.

9. Prepare/review all Ordinances, Resolutions, Contracts, Memorandums with Public

Agencies, Deeds, Leases, Staff Reports, and all other legal documents as requested

by the City Council, City Manager or staff designee. Review of routine items is generally

expected to be completed within five (5) to seven (7) business days of submittals. For

more complex items, the City Attorney is expected to provide regular reports to the City

Council, City Manager, or staff designee on the status of completion and anticipated

completion dates.

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10. Provide recommendation and advice when requested by the City Council or City

Manager pertaining to the retention of and employment of outside special counsel in

complex and important cases in which the City may be involved.

11. Coordinate with City Manager or designee for the management of services and costs

of all outside legal counsel within budgetary limits as approved by the City Council.

12. Perform legal work pertaining to land use issues including but not limited to property

acquisitions, property disposals, public improvements, economic revitalization,

easements, dedications, and right-of-way vacations.

13. Review Environmental Impact Reports/Environmental Impact Statements for adequacy

with CEQA and NEPA.

14. Provide consultation on claims and complaints by or against the City and prepare civil

cases and act as trial counsel, as requested by City Manager or designee, and make

recommendations to the City Council in consultation with the City Manager.

15. Aid with the City’s Administrative Services Department electronic and digital records

for the California Public Records Act (PRA). A plan identifying how the City Attorney

can assist with digital records for PRA’s is desirable. E-Discovery and Legal Holds

Software for use in gathering records is highly desirable, but not mandatory.

16. Review citations for violations of City ordinances in accordance with criminal/civil law

and procedures, prepare and try infractions, misdemeanors, and ordinance violations

as required and requested by the City Council, City Manager or designee.

17. Assist the City in enforcing codes, zoning regulations, and building standards through

administrative and judicial actions.

18. Provide conflict of interest assistance to City Council and staff and assist members and

staff in seeking advice from the Fair Political Practices Commission.

19. Be available on agenda meeting day to provide full range of normal City Attorney

services to City Manager, staff, and the City Council.

20. Quarterly Reports. To keep the Council and City Manager informed of the status of

litigation involving the City, the City Attorney will submit a quarterly status report briefly

outlining the status of each litigation matter, including code enforcement litigation

matters. The City Attorney shall advise City Council and City Manager of significant

developments in litigation involving the City as they occur. The status report shall be

submitted between the first and fifteenth of the following months (April, July, October

and January).

21. Provide advice regarding responses to media requests related to litigation or

anticipated litigation matters when requested.

22. Provide written legal opinions and advise the City Council and management staff on

legal matters pertaining to City operations.

23. Maintain legal files and provide the City Clerk copies of pertinent pleadings and orders

in all litigation the City Attorney is handling for the City.

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541110Offices of Lawyers

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