I.      GENERAL

A.    Invitation

Notice is hereby given that Municipal Court -Bibb County will receive responses to the Request for Professional Services  (original plus 4 copies) in the Procurement Department, 700 Poplar Street, Suite 308, Macon, Georgia 31201, until   12:00 o’clock NOON at the time legally prevailing in Macon, Georgia on Thursday, October 15, 2020, for two Contract Defense Lawyer for Macon- Bibb County.

NO LATE RESPONSES WILL BE CONSIDERED

The names of responding firms will be publicly read on Thursday, October 15, 2020, at 2:00 P.M. in the Macon-Bibb County Procurement Department Conference Room, located on the 3rd Floor of the Government Center Building at 700 Poplar Street, Macon Georgia 31201.

B.    Definitions

Wherever the term “Owner”, “County”, or “Macon-Bibb County” occur in this document, it shall mean Macon-Bibb County, a political subdivision of the State of Georgia acting through the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners.

C.    Solicitation Documents

Announcement of this Request for Professional Services may also be posted on the Macon-Bibb County website at www.maconbibb.us/procurement and on the Georgia Procurement Registry website https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/PRSapp/PR_index.jsp

D.    Insurance Requirements

A copy of the respondent’s Professional Liability/ Malpractice Insurance shall be included with the submission. Insurance coverage shall be carried with an insurance company licensed to do business in the State of Georgia. All coverage should be written with insurance company with a Best Rating of A or better. Insurance shall be obtained prior to commencement of work and shall remain in force throughout the period of the contract. Macon-Bibb County shall be named as additional insured on the policy.

 

Liability/Malpractice: $1,000,000/$1,000,000 aggregate.

Workers’ Compensation: Statutory

 

 

 

 

 

 

E.    Submittals

Responses must be sealed and identified on the outside of the package as and delivered to

“21-005-LS- “Contract Defense Attorney”

Macon-Bibb County Procurement Department

700 Poplar Street

Suite 308

Macon, Georgia 31201

fhoward@maconbibb.us

Telephone:  (478) 751-7651

 

Submissions may not be withdrawn for a period of one hundred and twenty (120) days after the deadline on date of closing. Macon- Bibb reserves the right to reject any and all submissions and to waive technicalities and formalities. Respondents shall carefully read the information contained herein and submit a complete response to all requirements and questions as directed.  Submittals and any other information submitted by in response to the RPS shall become the property of Macon-Bibb County.

 

F.      Responsiveness

In order to be considered “responsive” the submission must include completed copies of the following documents:

·           Copy of Required Insurance

·           Letter of Interest

• Resume
• Three professional references with addresses and phone numbers
• Documentation from the State Bar of Georgia indicating your disciplinary history
• Attachment A

G.    Responsibility

In order to be considered “responsible” the submitting firm must meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Must be a licensed attorney
• Must have Insurance “Required by Law.”

H.    Reservations

Macon-Bibb County will not provide compensation to Respondents for any expenses incurred by the Respondent(s) for submittal preparation or for any demonstrations that may be made, unless otherwise expressly stated or required by law.

Each submission should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of your firm’s ability to meet the requirements of this RPS. Emphasis should be on completeness, clarity of content, responsiveness to the requirements, and an understanding of the Owner’s needs.

Macon-Bibb County makes no guarantee that an award will be made as a result of this RPS and reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submittals, with or without cause, waive any formalities or minor technical inconsistencies, or delete any item/requirement from this RPS or contract when deemed to be in the Owner’s best interest.

Macon-Bibb County will consider only representations made within the submission in response to this RPS. Owner will not be bound to act by any previous knowledge, communication or submission by the firms other than this RPS.

Failure to comply with the requirements contained herein may result in the submission being deemed “non-responsive” or “non-responsible”. None responsive submissions will not be reviewed for potential award.

 

I.          Background

 

The Macon-Bibb County Municipal Court seeks two licensed members of the State Bar of Georgia, in good standing, to serve as Indigent Defense Counsel for individuals that meet the requirements for court appointed indigent defense.  Macon-Bibb County Municipal Court hears misdemeanor traffic violations with the exception of DUIs , as well as other misdemeanor state law offenses such as disorderly conduct, selling alcohol without a license, etc.  Arraignment takes place Monday – Friday beginning at 8:00 a.m.  Bench trials occur during the last week of each month beginning at 8:00 a.m.

 

Based on current requests for Court Appointed Attorneys, it is estimated attorneys will receive one case per month.  Case assignment will be on an alternating basis.  Please note there are some months in which counsel may have no assigned clients due to lack of requests, however this will not impact the annual salary.

 

J.          Scope of Services

 

Indigent Defense Counsel will represent individuals who request court appointed counsel, where said individuals meet the requirements for indigent defense as established by the federal poverty guidelines.  Individuals requiring representation are those charged with misdemeanor offenses.  Those selected to serve as Indigent Defense Counsel  will represent and provide legal advice to said individuals subject to all applicable standards adopted by the Georgia Public Defender Council for representation of indigent persons as established in O.C.G.A. § 36-32-1(f).

 

Attorneys must have graduated from an ABA accredited law school and possess a minimum of two years’ experience practicing law in the State of Georgia. Attorney’s with criminal law experience are also preferred.  Attorneys with less than two years of experience may be considered if they are an associate attorney currently employed in a law firm with an experienced criminal law attorney able to supervise and/or provide guidance regarding representation, but must also provide the information for said associated attorney at the law firm as requested in the Attorney Background and Experience section of the Submittal Format and Requirements section.

 

1. Term

 

The initial Indigent Defense Counsel contract will be for a term of one fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, with annual renewal possible, subject to the will of Macon-Bibb County, Georgia.

 

1. Compensation

 

The position will pay a total of $13,000.00 annually, to be paid in monthly installments.

 

1. Reporting

 

Indigent Defense Counsel shall file monthly reports with Macon-Bibb County Municipal Court delineating each client who has been appointed to Counsel that month.  Said report shall include the name(s), charge(s), citation numbers(s), disposition, bench or jury trial (jury trials require transferring the matter to State Court), whether an appeal was filed and the number of hours spent on the case that month.  The report is due on or before the fifth (5^th) day of the following month for service of the prior month.

 

1. Indemnification

 

Indigent Defense Counsel shall indemnify, defend and hold Macon-Bibb County, Georgia, its elected and appointed officials, its employees, officers, managers, supervisors, attorneys, representatives, agents and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns harmless from any and all claims, losses or liability, including all costs and attorney’s fees, arising out of the Indigent Defense Counsel’s performance of obligations pursuant to the Contract, including claims arising by reason of accident, injury or death cause to persons or property of any kind occurring by the fault or negligence of Indigent Defense Counsel, his or her associates, agents and employees.

 

1. Submittal Format and Requirements

 

Submissions must be limited to a total of twenty (20) pages and must be organized in a manner to display the required information in an easily accessible format:

 

Attorney Background and Experience

• Letter of Interest
• Resumé
• Contact information (including address(es), telephone and fax numbers, email, etc.)
• Three professional references with addresses and phone numbers
• If you currently serve or have previously served as Indigent Defense Counsel in any court in the Macon Judicial Circuit, please provide information regarding that representation.
• If licensed to practice law in Georgia for less than two years, please provide a copy of your law school transcript.
• Documentation from the State Bar of Georgia indicating your disciplinary history
• Copy of current Professional Liability/Malpractice insurance, name of carrier and policy number, policy exclusions, if any, and current coverage amounts

1. Evaluation Criterion

 

• Number of years licensed to practice law in Georgia—20%
• Prior experience with criminal law—30%
• Law practice experience—20%
• Prior experience representing clients in the courtroom—30%

 

Attachment A – Required Submission Documents