NIGP 96941: Patent, Legal Expenses

NIGP 96941 Patent, Legal Expenses is an Item code under which state and local governments procure legal representation, legislative advocacy, intellectual property management, and administrative adjudication services. Recent solicitations show demand for state-level lobbying support, specialized legal counsel in elder law and code enforcement, and patent portfolio management. The issuing bodies span municipalities, counties, state higher-education institutions, and county law departments—a diverse mix reflecting the breadth of legal work performed across state and local jurisdictions. Work is typically structured as professional services contracts, often on a retainer or as-needed basis with hourly rates, fixed fees, or project-specific pricing, and frequently includes qualification screening, experience verification, and mandatory insurance and compliance certifications.

Recent activity appears in New Mexico, Florida, Texas, and New York. The City of Rio Rancho issued an IFB on July 15, 2026 for state lobbyist services to advocate during the New Mexico legislative session, with proposals due August 11, 2026. Seminole County, Florida sought Special Magistrate Services for Code Enforcement through an RFP with a March 29, 2023 due date, appointing up to three magistrates with 10–12 anticipated service hours per month. Rockland County, New York released RFP-RC-2026-012 on February 10, 2026 to establish a Qualified Suppliers List for legal services to the county law department and Office for the Aging, with a virtual pre-proposal meeting on February 24, 2026, written questions due March 5, 2026, and proposals due March 12, 2026 at 3:00 PM. The University of Houston solicited intellectual property management services covering patent application handling and annuity payments for worldwide patent filings; that RFP closed February 26, 2026.