1-AOCss26003 sole source for 3rd District SLC paralegal services.pdf

Chief Justice Matthew B. Durrant Utah Supreme Court Chair, Utah Judicial Council

April 6, 2026

Ronald B Gordon

State Court Administrator Neira Siaperas

Deputy Court Administrator

The mission of the Utah judiciary is to provide the people an open, fair, efficient, and independent system for the advancement of justice under the law.

450 South State Street / P.O. Box 140241 / Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-0241 / 801-578-3842 / Email: dustint@utcourts.gov

Notice Number: AOCss26003

Due Date for Comments: Tuesday, April 14, 2026 @ 3:00 p.m. (mdt)

The Utah Procurement Code provides that a procurement may be made without competition under certain circumstances. Therefore, an ACWESP, Intent to Award a Contract without Engaging in a Standard Procurement Process (sole source) is justified if there is only one product or service that can reasonably meet the state’s need and there is only one vendor who can provide the product or service; or if transitional costs make changing vendors not fiscally responsible for tax payer dollars.

The Administrative Office of the Courts has received a request to make the following

Non-Standard procurement.

Product and/or service to be purchased:

Paralegal Services for 3rd District Court Legal Protective Orders/Stalking Injunctions

Proposed Sole Source Supplier: Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake (non-profit)

Sole Source Justification: Full details on the following pages…

If for any reason, any party does not agree with the proposed procurement, please email Dustin Treanor in the Administrative Office of the Courts at dustint@utcourts.gov prior to the “Due Date for Comments” indicated above.

THIS IS NOT A BID REQUEST> NO BIDS CAN BE SUBMITTED OR ACCEPTED

mailto:dustint@utcourts.gov

UTAH STATE COURTS

Purchasing Department

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT WITHOUT ENGAGING

IN A STANDARD PROCUREMENT PROCESS

AOC Purchasing is publishing this notice pursuant to the Utah Procurement Code. The Conducting Procurement Unit submitted this form to Purchasing claiming that it intends to award a contract without competition if it is determined by Purchasing, in writing, that:

• there is only one source for the procurement item;

• transitional costs are a significant consideration in selecting a procurement item; or

• the award of a contract is under circumstances, described in rules adopted by the applicable rulemaking authority, that make awarding the contract through a standard procurement process impractical and not in the best interest of the procurement unit.

In the subsequent pages the Conducting Procurement Unit has identified its justification for wanting to award a contract without engaging in standard procurement process.

Determination of Other Interested Vendors

The intent of this notice is to determine if there are any other interested and qualified vendors that meet the specifications of this notice. Any such vendors must submit the following information:

• The name of the contesting person; and

• A detailed explanation of the challenge, including documentation showing that there are other competing sources for the procurement item.

In addition, a vendor should include:

• Documentation that your firm can provide a comparable or better procurement item that meets or exceeds the specifications;

• Documentation that your firm can also provide the same proprietary procurement item or an equivalent procurement item;and

• If transitional costs are identified as the justification for this notice, submit a cost comparison of the identified transitional costs with your firm’s anticipated transitional costs.

Regardless of any prior communications with Purchasing or the State, all vendors interested in responding to this notice must submit a response to this posting containing complete responses to all of the information requested above.

DO NOT CONTACT THE CONDUCTING PROCUREMENT UNIT. Any questions regarding this notice, including obtaining additional information, can be obtained through AOC Purchasing during the publication period. No action is required if you agree with the justification.

If, after the public notice period has passed, AOC Purchasing determines that there are other interested and qualified vendors that meet the specifications of this notice, Purchasing will not award a contract pursuant to this notice.

If, after the public notice period has passed, no valid challenges have been received, then Purchasing may award a contract to the identified vendor without competition.

Please read the entire form very carefully before responding to this notice.

Issuing Procurement Unit: AOC Purchasing

Conducting Procurement Unit:3rd District Court

It is anticipated that this procurement will result in a:

RESULT ACTION

X

Agency Contract

1. The term of this contract will be: 3 years and renewal options: 2 years

2. The Conducting Procurement Unit may not make the procurement until the solicitation process is completed and a contract is written and signed by the procurement unit, the vendor, and AOC Purchasing.

Purchase Order The Conducting Procurement Unit may not make the procurement until after the solicitation process is completed, the purchase order is signed by AOC Purchasing, and the purchase order is delivered to both the agency and the vendor.

Description of procurement item/s to be purchased: Legal Protective Order/Stalking Injunction clerical services

Estimated value of the contract/purchase order: $111,427 per year x up to 5 years = $ 557,135

Freight Cost (F.O.B. Destination, Freight Prepaid):

Vendor Name: Salt Lake Legal Aid Services

Explain in detail the service or product to be procured (additional information can be found on the attached Scope of Work):

In the past 25 + years Legal Aid has been screening petitioners in Salt Lake County at Matheson Courthouse and more than 10+ years at the West Jordan Courthouse who wish to apply for a Stalking Injunction or Protective Order. Ensuring they have proper venue and proper grounds for a petition as set forth by Utah Code.

Processes have been established over the years to streamline these efforts and to make them as efficient as possible.

Provider prepares and serves relevant documents for each petitioner including Verified Petition, Return of Service, Sheriff’s Information Sheet. When applicable, LAS paralegals will prepare Waiver of Fees, Writ of Assistance, and Arrangement of Foreign Service. LAS paralegals will send Police Report Request Forms by email to appropriate law enforcement agencies if such reports are necessary for petitioner’s court hearing.

Legal Aid also provides victims with the Salt Lake County Resource List, Crime Victim Reparation application and pamphlet.

When appropriate, LAS paralegals will refer all petitioners to an appropriate provider of pro bono legal representation.

LAS paralegals will work with court staff to ensure protective order and CSI petitions are entered into the State Court management system, and orders are entered on the statewide domestic violence network. Protective Order hearings are scheduled within 20 days, and CSI hearings are scheduled within 10 days of request of hearing by respondent.

A process has been developed to ensure conflicting and inconsistent orders in multiple locations are avoided and will update as needed to avoid conflicting orders. The court has provided the necessary space, computers, internet access, telephones, copy machines, printers and scanners.

Legal Aid currently provides at least 4 paralegal staff at the Matheson Courthouse. There is a supervising attorney available on-site or available by telephone to assist with screening.

Complete disclosure must be included with this request if the requestor has any personal, financial, or fiduciary relationship with the vendor. (Please Attach)

CHECK THE BOX THAT IDENTIFIES WHY A CONTRACT SHOULD BE AWARDED WITHOUT ENGAGING IN A

STANDARD PROCUREMENT PROCESS:

X There is only one source for the procurement item. Complete section A

Transitional costs are a significant consideration in selecting a procurement item and the results of a cost-benefit analysis demonstrate that transitional costs are unreasonable or cost-prohibitive, and that the award of a contract without engaging in a standard procurement process is in the best interest of the procurement unit

Complete section B

The award of a contract is under circumstances described in rules adopted by the applicable rulemaking authority, that make awarding the contract through a standard procurement process impractical and not in the best interest of the procurement unit.

Complete section C

SECTION A: ONLY ONE SOURCE

1. What is unique about this procurement item to justify an award of contract without engaging in a standard procurement process? (Explain in detail why the service or product is only available from a single supplier.)

Legal Aid is the only one that offers the service that we need. There were no other responses to the last RFP when Legal Aid was awarded the contract for these same services. In the previous years when an RFP has been posted no one with the ability to perform the required duties has submitted a request to be considered in the selection process. Legal Aid provides 4 workers for the price of only 2 full-time court employees to provide these services which is a large savings for the Court.

Legal Aid is non-profit.

2. Could the procurement item be reasonably modified to allow for competition?

No

3. Explain the market research performed.

Past RFP’s have turned up no other competition to perform these services for this price.

4. What research have you conducted to ensure the requested procurement item is not available on an existing state cooperative contract?

An internet search did not turn up any information that could help find new vendors to meet this vendor’s value.

5. If there is only one source for the procurement item, list the names of other similar vendors contacted, contact person, and a summary of their response, SECTION B: TRANSITIONAL COSTS

1. Describe the existing equipment, technology, software, accessories, replacement parts, or service, hereafter referred to as equipment; include the original purchase price and date of purchase for the existing equipment.

2. Please supply the following:

a. Procurement method that was used to purchase the existing equipment? (IFB, RFP, Sole Source):

b. Solicitation number, RQS number, or sole source number for the existing equipment:

c. Contract number for the existing equipment:

3. Attach the cost-benefit analysis, as required by Utah Code Section 63G-6a-802 that demonstrates that transitional costs are unreasonable or cost-prohibitive.

SECTION C: STANDARD PROCUREMENT PROCESS IMPRACTICABLE

1.

Cite the applicable rule adopted by the applicable rulemaking authority that provides that awarding the contract through a standard procurement process is impractical and not in the best interest of the procurement unit under the circumstances;

including any supporting documentation.

2. Please supply the following, if applicable:

a. Procurement method that was used to purchase the existing equipment? (IFB, RFP, Sole Source):

b. Solicitation number, RQS number, or sole source number for the existing equipment:

c. Contract number for the existing equipment

LEASING PERSONAL PROPERTY (Not Real Property) Lease requests must include an approved FI 9 State of Utah Lease Obligation Record form from the Division of Finance. The FI 9State of Utah Lease Obligation Record form can be found on the Division of Finance website finance.utah.gov under Forms.

The Finance policy FIACCT 09-21.00 Fixed Assets – Leases can be found on the Division of Finance website under Accounting Policies and Procedures.

Approved FI 9 attached.

Revised June 30, 2016

3rd District Court-Salt Lake City- Legal Aid Contract Scope of Work – Page 1

SCOPE OF WORK

A. Responsibilities of the Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake Domestic Violence Victim Assistance Program protective order and civil stalking injunction paralegal services are as follows:

1. Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake (LAS) will provide at least four paralegal staff trained in the areas of domestic violence and family law, preferably with at least one year of experience under the direct supervision of a trained and experienced attorney. The attorney will either be on-site or available by telephone to assist in any screening decisions. Paralegal staff shall be available at Third District Court, Matheson Courthouse in Salt Lake County.

Services shall be provided from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding state holidays. Exceptions to this are:

• Monthly staff meetings held during the lunch hour off-site from about 11:30 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. LAS will provide one-week advance notice of these meetings to the Trial Court Executive and other court personnel.

2. LAS paralegals will assist all petitioners in Salt Lake County who wish to apply for civil orders of protection or civil stalking injunctions by screening petitioners to ensure they have proper venue and proper grounds for petition as set forth by Utah Code Paralegals will conduct an intake interview and screen the case with a supervising attorney. If the attorney determines that the statutory requirements exist, the paralegal will prepare the appropriate pleadings and file them with the court. If statutory requirements do NOT exist, the paralegal will provide the individual with a declination letter explaining why the case was declined and options for other services or how to file a petition on a pro se basis.

3. LAS paralegals will prepare and serve relevant documents for each petitioner such as:

Verified Petition, Return of Service and Sheriff’s Information Sheet,

4. When applicable, LAS paralegals will prepare Waiver of Fees, Writ of Assistance, and arrangement of foreign service.

5. LAS paralegals will send Police Report Request Forms by email to appropriate law enforcement agencies if such reports are necessary for petitioner’s court hearing.

6. LAS paralegals will provide victims with Salt Lake County Resource List, Crime Victim Reparation application and pamphlet.

7. When appropriate, LAS paralegals will refer all petitioners to an appropriate provider of pro bono legal representation.

8. LAS paralegals will limit, to the extent possible, the number of issues in the CSI and ex parte protective order to those matters concerned with protection.

3rd District Court-Salt Lake City- Legal Aid Contract Scope of Work – Page 2

9. LAS will develop one uniform policy manual for screening and referring petitioners for civil stalking injunctions and a separate uniform policy manual for screening and referring petitioners for ex parte protective orders. A copy of each manual and any updates to said manuals shall be provided to the Trial Court Executive.

10. LAS paralegals will work with assigned Third District Court staff to ensure protective order and CSI petitions are entered into the State Court case management system, any orders are entered on the statewide domestic violence network, protective order hearings are scheduled within 20 days before a domestic commissioner and CSI hearings are scheduled within 10 days of request for hearing by respondent.

11. LAS and program paralegals shall comply with all applicable statutes and rules of judicial administration.

12. LAS will provide to Third District Court, on a quarterly basis, the following statistical information:

Number of clients served, number of petitions filed, and number of clients unable to assist due to conflict of interest or other reasons and average time client is waiting for services.

13. LAS will develop a process to ensure conflicting or inconsistent orders in multiple locations are avoided and will update as needed to avoid conflicting orders.

14. The services will be provided to the Third District Court, Matheson Courthouse located at 450 South State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Family Justice Center at the YWCA located at 344 East 300 South in Salt Lake City, Utah is another Legal Aid location that can be used.

B. Responsibilities of Third District Court

1. Provide Space in Matheson Courthouse for up to four staff to prepare civil stalking injunctions and ex parte protective orders.

2. Provide use of computers with modem and internet access, telephones, copy machines, printers and scanners to paralegals preparing civil stalking injunctions and ex parte protective order petitions.

C. Contract Costs/Payments

Legal Aid will be paid a maximum of $111,427.00 annually for this contract.

Send invoices monthly, preferably within ten days of the end of the month being billed for.

Legal Aid Scope of Work-3rd District Court Salt Lake 2026.pdf