Municipal Tax Appeal Counsel Services - 2026

Agency:	City of Orange Township
State:	New Jersey
Type of Government:	State & Local
NAICS Category:	541110 - Offices of Lawyers 541213 - Tax Preparation Services 541990 - All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
Posted Date:	Oct 24, 2025
Due Date:	Dec 4, 2025
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Department of Law

Gracia Robert Montilus, City Attorney

Municipal Building

29 North Day Street, Second Floor

Orange, New Jersey 07050

REQUEST FOR

QUALIFICATIONS

Municipal Tax Appeal Counsel Services

January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

1:00 PM – December 4, 2025

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

The City of Orange Township (hereinafter the “City”) is requesting qualification statements from qualified

individual to provide Tax Appeal Counsel Services. Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the

criteria set forth in this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Using this RFQ, the City intends to establish a

pool of attorneys who will be available to provide legal services as needed during the contract term. One or

more individuals/firms may be selected to provide services. If selected, the governing body will approve a

resolution awarding a contract to the attorney based on an hourly rate of compensation not to exceed $150.00

and for a sum not to exceed a specified amount.

PERIOD OF QUALIFICATION

January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026.

FORM AS TO SELECTION

If selected to provide services, the successful Respondent shall be forwarded a letter of engagement that shall

be binding on the Respondent and Respondent’s law firm, which includes indemnification, insurance,

termination and licensing provisions. It is also agreed and understood that the acceptance of the representation

shall be considered a release in full of all claims against the City a]’rising 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.

“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.

“Period of Qualification” – refers to the period (January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026) during which a

successful Respondent will remain eligible for services under the terms of this RFQ.

SECTION I

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Introduction and Purpose

The City of Orange Township is soliciting Qualification Statements from interested persons and/or firms to

provide professional services, as more particularly described herein. Through a Request for Qualification

process described herein, person 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 of Orange Township will review Qualification Statements only from those persons and/or

firms that submit a Qualification Statement which includes all 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) possess the professional, financial and administrative capabilities to provide the proposed services, and

(b) will agree to work under the level of 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 process 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 of the City of Orange Township.

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 City Attorney will evaluate and determine which Respondents are

qualified (professionally, administratively and financially) to be submitted to the Municipal Council for

approval.

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 all 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 Office of Procurement, via mail or

hand delivery, by 1:00 p.m. on December 4, 2025. Qualification Statements will not be accepted by facsimile

or e-mail transmissions. Qualification Statement shall be opened in the City Attorney’s Office, located on the

2nd floor of Orange City Hall, Orange, New Jersey.

TABLE I

ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

ACTIVITY DATE

1. Publication of Request for Qualifications October 23, 2025.

2. Commence Issuance of Request for Qualification Packages October 23, 2025.

3. Receipt of Qualification Statement December 4, 2025.

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 RFQ.

 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 to

eliminate any and all Respondents responding to this RFQ from further consideration for this

procurement.

 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’s Law Department Procurement by 1:00

p.m. on December 4, 2025, 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 the right to reject any and all submissions, if necessary, or to waive any informalities in

submissions and to accept any item, items or services in the submissions that are in the best interest of the

City. The City of Orange Township reserves the right to terminate services upon notice to the submitter.

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 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

2.1 It is the City’s intent to solicit Qualification Statements from Respondents that have expertise in

providing 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 Department of Law of the City of Orange Township is seeking legal support for a law firm with

substantial experience in Tax Appeal Law. Among the areas of legal representation sought by the City are

litigation support under the New Jersey laws governing tax appeals, N.J.S.A. 54:3 et seq., N.J.S.A. 54:4 et

seq. and N.J.A.C. 18:12A et seq., and assistance in interpreting and complying with all relevant rules and

regulations issued by the New Jersey State Division of Taxation.

Counsel will, on an “as needed” basis, be assigned and required to provide representation in all aspects

of Tax Appeals law, including but not limited to, preparation of pleadings, motions, and discovery documents;

participation in all discovery including attendance at all depositions; participation in and attendance at

settlement conferences, pre-trial motions and trials.

Counsel may be called upon to attend meetings.

Counsel may also be called upon to provide other types of legal services of a specialized nature.

SECTION 3

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

3.1 General Requirements

The Qualification Statement submitted by the Respondent must meet or exceed the professional,

administrative and financial qualification set forth in this Section 3 and shall incorporate the information

requested below.

In addition to the information required as described below, a Respondent may submit supplemental

information that it feels may be useful in evaluating its Qualification Statement. Respondents are encouraged

to be clear, factual, and concise in their presentation of information.

3.2 Administrative Information Requirements.

The Respondent shall, as part of its Qualification Statement, provide the following information:

1. An executive summary (not to exceed two (2) pages) of the information contained in all the other

parts of the Qualification Statement.

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

Bid Title:	Municipal Tax Appeal Counsel Services - 2026
Category:	Bids and Request for Qualification (RFQs)
Status:	Open

Municipal Tax Appeal Counsel Services - 2026

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