TOWNSHIP OF NORTH BERGEN
County of Hudson
State of New Jersey
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS (RFQ)
FAIR & OPEN PUBLIC SOLICITATION PROCESS
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE:
LEGAL REPRESENTATION (VARIOUS)
RFQ 2026-6
1. General Litigation in both State & Federal Courts
2. Tax Court
3. Land Use
4. Bankruptcy Law
5. Environmental Law
6. Bond Law
7. Landlord/Tenant Law
8. Labor Law
9. Administrative Law
10. Municipal Law
11. Construction Law
12. Alternate Municipal Court Public Defender
13. Tenant Advocate Attorney
14. Conflict Tenant Advocate Attorney
Submission Date:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 23, 2026
11:00 A.M. prevailing time
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TOWNSHIP OF NORTH BERGEN
HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY
PUBLIC NOTICE FOR THE SOLICITATION OF REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS
(One-Year)
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that sealed request for qualifications submissions will be received by the
Township of North Bergen Purchasing Agent for the services set forth below in accordance with the “fair and
open process” pursuant to N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5, et seq.:
RFQ#
RFQ 2026-21
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Legal Representation
15. General Litigation in both State & Federal Courts
16. Tax Court
17. Land Use
18. Bankruptcy Law
19. Environmental Law
20. Bond Law
21. Landlord/Tenant Law
22. Labor Law
23. Administrative Law
24. Municipal Law
25. Construction Law
26. Alternate Municipal Court Public Defender
27. Tenant Advocate Attorney
28. Conflict Tenant Advocate Attorney
Submission package may be examined or obtained at the Township Purchasing Office, Township of North
Bergen, 4233 Kennedy Boulevard, North Bergen, NJ, 07047 (phone 201-392-2040), Monday through Friday
during business hours, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or downloadable on the Township’s website
www.northbergen.org/notices.
Request for qualifications (“RFQ”) responses shall be submitted to Carmen M. Borrell, Purchasing Agent,
on Friday, January 23, 2026 at 11:00 am prevailing time, at which time said responses will be publicly opened
and read in the Municipal Chambers.
Responses must be enclosed in a sealed envelope. The service provider must indicate the following on
the outside of the envelope: (1) the name and address of the service provider; (2) the RFQ# and Title of the Legal
Service for which the response is submitted; and (3) “Sealed RFQ Response”. Responses may be delivered by
hand, overnight courier or mail. The envelope containing the response must be received by the Township of
North Bergen by the date and time set forth above. No late responses will be accepted.
All professional service contractors are required to comply with the requirements of N.J.S.A. 52:32-44
(Business Registration of Public Contractors), N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27 (Contract Compliance
and Equal Employment Opportunities in Public Contracts)and N.J.S.A. 52.32.60.1Certification of Non-
Involvement in prohibited activities in Russia or Belarus
Contracts will be awarded based on the most advantageous responses. A form of contract is available
upon request from the Law Department. The Township of North Bergen reserves the right to reject any or all
responses.
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Carmen M. Borrell
Purchasing Agent
INVITATION TO SUBMIT QUALIFICATIONS
Proposals are being solicited through a fair and open process in accordance with N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.1, et seq.
Respondents should submit an original and one copy of their proposals.
Respondents are expected to examine the RFQ with care and observe all its requirements. All questions about the meaning or intent of
this RFQ shall be submitted in writing no less than 5 days prior to the due date of the proposal. All interpretations and clarifications
considered necessary by the Township’s representative in response to such comments and questions shall be responded to no less than
3 days prior to the due date of the proposal and will be posted online at www.northbergen.org/notices.
The Township assumes no responsibility and liability for costs incurred by the Respondents prior to the issuance of an agreement. The
liability of the Township shall be limited to the terms and conditions of the contract. Respondents will assume responsibility for all costs
not stated in their proposals. All unit rates either stated in the proposal or used as a basis for its pricing are required to be all-inclusive.
Additional charges, unless incurred for additional work performed by request of the Township, are not to be billed and will not be paid.
Any contract entered into between the Respondent and the Township must be in accordance with and subject to compliance by both
parties with the New Jersey Local Public Contracts Law. The Respondent must agree to comply with the nondiscrimination provisions
and all other laws and regulations applicable to the performance of services there under. The Respondent shall sign and acknowledge
such forms and certificates as may be required by this section.
No corporation or partnership shall be awarded any contract for the performance of any work or the furnishing of any goods, unless,
with receipt of the proposal of said corporation or partnership, there is submitted a statement setting forth the names and addresses of
all stockholders in the corporation or partnership who own ten (10) percent or greater interest therein. The Respondent shall complete
and submit the form of statement that is included in this RFQ.
The Township shall retain all of its rights and interest in any and all documents and property both hard copy and digital furnished by the
Township to the Respondent for the purpose of assisting the Respondent in the performance of this contract. All such items shall be
returned immediately to the Township at the expiration or termination of the contract or completion of any related services, pursuant
thereto, whichever comes first. None of the documents and/or property shall, without the written consent of the Township, be disclosed
to others or used by the Respondent or permitted by the Respondent to be used by their parties at any time except in the performance of
the resulting contract.
Ownership of all data, materials and documentation originated and prepared for the Township pursuant to this contract shall belong
exclusively to the Township. All data, reports, computerized information, programs and materials related to this project shall be delivered
to and become the property of the Township upon completion of the project. The Respondent shall not have the right to use, sell, or
disclose the total of the interim or final work products, or make available to third parties, without the prior written consent of the
Township. All information supplied to the Township may be required to be supplied on CD-ROM media compatible with the Township’s
computer operating system, Windows-based, Microsoft Office.
Termination: If, through any cause, the Respondent shall fail to fulfill in a timely and proper manner obligations under the contract or
if the Respondent violates any requirements of the contract, the Township shall have the right to terminate the contract by giving written
notice to the Respondent of such termination at least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed effective date of the termination, unless the
contract contains more favorable terms to the Township. Such termination shall relieve the Township of any obligation for the balances
to the Respondent of any sum or sums as set forth in the contract.
The right to reject any or all proposals and to waive immaterial formalities is reserved by the Township.
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SCOPE OF SERVICES & EVALUATION CRITERIA
The Township of North Bergen (“Township”) is soliciting qualifications to provide for the following Professional
Services:
RFQ 2026-6:
Legal Representation (#s 1-11)
Scope of Services:
The Township seeks attorneys to perform various types of legal work and all proposals should specify individual area or areas of
expertise. The delegation of work among the attorneys awarded contracts will be made by the Township Attorney based on his analysis
of the nature of the work to be assigned and his opinion of which law firm is best suited to perform the necessary service. All legal
work will be allocated on an as needed basis with no guarantee as to amount. Each contract awarded will specify the particular area or
areas of law to which it applies.
Legal representation in the following areas:
1. General Litigation in both State & Federal Courts
2. Tax Court
3. Land Use
4. Bankruptcy Law
5. Environmental Law
6. Bond Law
7. Landlord/Tenant Law
8. Labor Law
9. Administrative Law
10. Municipal Law
11. Construction Law
Compensation will be as follows:
$180.00 per hour
Copy Cost:
$0.05/page for 8 ½“ x 11”
$0.07/page for 8 ½” x 14”
Postage: Direct Reimbursement
Travel Expenses: Prevailing IRS rate/mile plus Tolls and Parking
Court Fees: Direct Reimbursement
Filing Fees: Direct Reimbursement
Transcript Cost: Direct Reimbursement
Any other reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the course of performing the
contract: Direct Reimbursement
RFQ 2026-6:
Legal Representation (#12) - Alternate Municipal Court Public Defender
Scope of Services:
The Township seeks an attorney to perform municipal court public defender services as an alternate to the Township’s Public Defender,
when that person is not available, or when that person is conflicted. Submissions should set forth experience in this area.
Compensation for alternate public defender services will be as follows:
$200.00 per court session where appearance is required
Disbursement reimbursement will be the same as that set forth above
RFQ 2026-6:
Legal Representation (#13) - Tenant Advocate Attorney
Scope of Services:
The Township seeks an attorney to perform the services of Tenant Advocate. The roll and services of the Tenant Advocate are set forth
in Township Ordinance 467-93, a copy of which is available upon request. Submissions should set forth experience in the area of
landlord/tenant law.
Compensation for Tenant Advocate services will be as follows:
$180.00 per hour
Disbursement reimbursement will be the same as that set forth above
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RFQ 2026-6:
Legal Representation (#14) - Conflict Tenant Advocate Attorney
Scope of Services:
The Township seeks attorneys to perform the services of Tenant Advocate where the Township’s Tenant Advocate is unable to act due
to a conflict. The roll and services of the Tenant Advocate are set forth in Township Ordinance 467-93, a copy of which is available
upon request. Submissions should set forth experience in the area of landlord/tenant law.
Compensation for Conflict Tenant Advocate services will be as follows:
$180.00 per hour
Disbursement reimbursement will be the same as that set forth above
Qualifications responses will be evaluated by the Township of North Bergen on the basis of the most
advantageous and other factors considered. The evaluation will consider:
1. Experience and reputation in the field.
2. Knowledge of the Township of North Bergen and of legal matters concerning the Township, and of the
subject matter to be addressed under the area of expertise.
3. Familiarity with courts and administrative tribunals before which Township matters may be brought.
4. Two (2) samples of the attorney’s work product prepared within the past 24 months.
5. The amount of resources, including the number of attorneys and staff available to attend to Township
matters.
6. Other factors if demonstrated to be in the best interest of the Township of North Bergen.
Each criteria will be scored from 0 – 10, 0 being the lowest, 10 being the highest for each factor. Each criteria
have equal weight on scoring.
Scoring of submissions will be made by an evaluation committee, except that if any submission is made by a law
firm with which the Township Attorney is associated, the Township Attorney will not participate in any way with
the review of that submission.
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This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.
