Conflict_Public_Defender_Services.pdf

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County of Napa, CA

CPD102601

CONFLICT PUBLIC DEFENDER SERVICES

RELEASE DATE: October 20, 2026 RESPONSE DEADLINE: November 6, 2026, 5:00 pm

Please refer to the project timeline in this document for all important deadlines.

Request For Qualification #CPD102601 Title: Conflict Public Defender Services

Table Of Contents

1. Summary and Background

2. Calendar of Events

3. Scope of Work

4. Compensation

5. General Conditions

6. Questions Regarding the RFQ

7. RFQ Addenda

8. Response Submission, Due Date and Late Submittals

9. Organization of Submittal and Submittal Organization Requirements

10. Evaluation and Award

11. Evaluation Criteria

12. PSA and Insurance Requirements

13. Local Vendor Preference Policy

14. Vendor Submissions

Attachments:

A - Sample Agreement

Summary and Background The County is issuing this RFQ to solicit statements of qualification (“SOQs”) from qualified attorneys and law firms who demonstrate the qualifications described below. The applicants’ qualifications which will be used as the basis for determining which attorney or law firm will be recommended to the Board of Supervisors to be selected as CPDs.

The attorney(s) or firm(s) to be selected shall perform all of the duties of a public defender described in Chapter 13 of Division 2, Title 3 of the California Government Code, commencing with Section 27700, as well as certain other duties and services specified herein and in the proposed form of CPD contract that is attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference as Exhibit B (the “Contract”), for indigent adult persons in Napa County when the Napa County Public Defender has declared a conflict of interest, has a conflict of interest as established or declared by a court, or is otherwise unavailable for good cause.

Please see the proposed Contract for the full scope of duties to be performed and the provisions that must be agreed to by each CPD.

Napa County (“County”) is requesting the submittal of statements of qualifications from attorneys or law firms who are interested in providing general and complex criminal legal defense services as a Conflict Public Defender (“CPD”). The County maintains a panel of five CPD’s who provide criminal legal defense services to indigent defendants when the Public Defender has declared a conflict. The County is seeking to fill one or more of the five contracts at this time. The attorney or firm selected will provide services as independent contractors and are not being hired as County employees.

This RFQ seeks to fill one or more CPD position, to commence on January 1, 2026, or at such other time as the services may be needed (in which case an addendum to the RFQ may be issued). An attorney or law firm may not hold more than one of the five CPD positions.

It is generally contemplated that the workload of each CPD will require devotion to CPD services of roughly a full-time criminal defense attorney, but it could be a greater portion of time if serious felonies (defined in the CPD contract as Class 1 or Class 2 cases) are assigned to a CPD (in which case additional compensation is paid). In consideration of that time commitment, each CPD receives a stated monthly amount of base compensation. The base rate of compensation (the “Base Compensation”) for the position will be $19,857 per month as of January 1, 2027 through June 30, 2027. That Base Compensation is subject to adjustment once each fiscal year as of July 1, based generally on the current salary for an Attorney IV, step 5 with the Napa County Public Defender’s Office. If a new agreement with SEIU Local 1021 has not been adopted prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, the monthly compensation will increase by 3% until the new negotiated salary takes effect. Please note that the CPD contract will not allow compensation for the expense of traveling between the CPD’s office and Napa, California.

Additionally, the CPD contract will include the right to receive additional compensation for the defense of Class I and Class II cases (as defined in the contract), up to $3,500 per month for Class I and up to $2,500 per month for Class II cases, subject to stated maximums in any 18-month period for each such case.

The CPD contract will have an initial term from January 1, 2027, through June 30, 2027. The terms of the contract will then automatically renew for a full fiscal year (July 1 through June 30 of the next year) at the end of the initial term and at the end of each fiscal year thereafter unless notice of non-renewal is given or unless the contract is previously terminated under its terms.

Napa County has developed and approved a Conflict of Interest Code as required by state law which requires Attorney to file with the Elections Division of the Napa County Assessor-Clerk Recorder “assuming office,” “annual,” and “leaving office” Statements of Economic Interest as a “consultant” as defined in section 18701(a)(2) of Title 2 of the California Code of Regulations, unless it has been determined in writing that Attorney, although holding a “designated” position as a consultant, has been hired to perform a range of duties so limited in scope as to not be required to fully comply with such disclosure obligation.

Calendar of Events

Release of Request for Qualifications: October 20, 2026

Question Submission Deadline: October 26, 2026, 5:00pm

Question Response Deadline: October 30, 2026, 5:00pm

Statement of Qualifications Submission Deadline:

November 6, 2026, 5:00pm

Qualifications Review and Selection Completion :

November 10, 2026

Interviews: November 13, 2026

Contracts prepared by County Counsel and executed by recommended applicant:

December 4, 2026

Notification of Intent to Award: December 7, 2026

Recommendation presented to the Board of Supervisors:

December 15, 2026

Commencement of Services: January 1, 2027

*These dates may be changed at the discretion of Napa County. Changes to the due date for questions or due date for qualifications submittal will be made by addendum.

Scope of Work

Conflict Public Defender Services Attorney shall provide County with the following services:

1. Duties. When the Public Defender has declared or the Superior Court has established a conflict of interest on the part of the Public Defender, which is thus unable to represent an indigent person accused in Napa County of criminal charges, or when ordered by the Court, Attorney shall serve as a CPD for that person and perform all the duties of a public defender described in Chapter 13 of Division 2, Title 3 of the California Government Code (commencing with Section 27700), as well as certain other duties specified in this Agreement. The duties and functions described in (a) through (l) below will be assigned by the Coordinator of the CPD program on a rotational basis among Attorney and four other CPD Attorney Attorneys, with each being required to handle approximately one-fifth (1/5) of the adult cases assigned to conflict counsel. In addition to the description of the Attorney’s duties above, the Attorney’s duties shall also include the following:

(a) Attorney shall defend, without expense to the defendant except as provided by Section 987.8 of the Penal Code or similar statutes, any person who is not financially able to employ counsel and who is charged with the commission of any criminal contempt or offense triable in the Napa Superior Court at all stages of the proceedings including the preliminary examination. Attorney shall give counsel and advice to such person about any charge against the person for whom the Attorney is conducting the defense, shall file such in pro per notices of appeal in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court as are appropriate for any person who has been convicted, and shall prosecute all appeals to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court that Attorney deems meritorious. For purposes of this subparagraph, an appeal shall include necessary prejudgment writs and motions.

(b) Attorney shall represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in proceedings under Division 4 (commencing with Section 1400) of the Probate Code, and Part 1 of Division 5 (commencing with Section 5000), and Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Part 2 of Division 6 (commencing with Section 6500) of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(c) Attorney shall represent any indigent person in proceedings brought pursuant to Sections 601, 602 or other applicable provisions of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(d) Attorney shall represent any person who is not financially able to employ counsel in proceedings relating to the nature or conditions of detention, of other restrictions prior to adjudication, of treatment, or of punishment resulting from criminal proceedings when a conflict is declared by the Public Defender or when the court finds that the Public Defender is not able to handle the case, excluding proceedings brought pursuant to Section 300 et seq. of the Welfare & Institutions Code.

(e) Attorney shall represent any person who is entitled to be represented by counsel but is not financially able to employ counsel in proceedings under Part 3 of Division 12 (commencing with Section 7600) of the Family Code; Article 14 of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 (commencing with Section 601) of the Welfare and Institutions Code; and proceedings under Article 4 of Chapter 7 of Title 1 of Part 3 (commencing with Section 2960) of the Penal Code.

Conflict Public Defender Services Page 2 Exhibit B PL Doc. No. 114217

(f) Attorney shall represent indigent persons, including witnesses, in police lineups, in pre-statement counseling and revocation hearings, both as the law may presently require such representation and as it may be modified by statute, case law, or court rules during the term of this Agreement. Upon order of the court, Attorney shall act as co-counsel or advisory counsel.

(g) Attorney shall represent indigent contemnors subject to incarceration pursuant to the Family Law Act, only if the client is determined to be indigent, and only if ordered to do so by a court.

(h) Attorney shall represent indigent persons in paternity proceedings.

(i) Attorney shall participate in eligibility screening (as to the accused’s indigent status and financial eligibility for representation without charge by the CPD) and obtain such financial statements as may be required by County and shall cooperate with any County department involved in such activities to the extent ethically possible. Attorney shall use his or her best efforts to encourage the courts, when appropriate, to order reimbursement from represented parties to the County of all or a portion of the legal costs of Attorney or other counsel who have provided services pursuant to this Agreement or the costs of experts retained by counsel.

(j) Attorney shall represent multiple defendants, when necessary, in a single action to the extent ethically possible.

(k) If the Agreement is terminated mid-term, or if the end of the Agreement’s term is reached without being automatically extended and without being extended as a result of the re-negotiation process that may occur prior to the end of any term, Attorney shall complete any trial, the date of which is set prior to the end of the Agreement’s term or prior to the effective date of termination of the Agreement but which is a trial date after the end of the Agreement’s term or after the date of termination of the Agreement. Compensation for such cases shall be the same as set forth in subparagraph (e) of Paragraph 3.

2. Additional Duties. If Attorney performs the following additional duties, they shall be at no additional cost to County.

This section shall not be construed as creating an obligation to represent defendants in appeals to the State Court of Appeals subsequent to adjudication in the Napa Courts.

(a) Represent defendants in appeals or reviews by a superior court judge.

(b) Initiate applications for extraordinary writs, file all appropriate writs and notices of appeals.

Accessibility and Web Presence

• Contractor shall ensure that any reports, and any deliverables to the County, be delivered in a manner to ensure non-discrimination and equal access to County services and digital properties such as websites, documents, and applications by persons with a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and under § 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The successful respondent shall ensure that any deliverable, including but not limited to, reports, documents, videos, multimedia productions, live broadcasts and any and all other web content and information communications technology are fully accessible and in compliance with federal accessibility standards and laws and with the County's Web Content Accessibility Standards.

Specifically, Contractor shall ensure that all websites, mobile applications, and digital content or services provided under this Agreement comply with the latest version of the U.S.

Department of Justice’s rule on Website and Mobile Application Accessibility, which currently requires conformance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.

• Any web presence, including websites created, maintained, or administered for the provision of services will require approval from Napa County Information Technology Services (ITS).

• Contractor shall supply when requested by County documentation to evaluate current conformance with federal Web Content Accessibility Guidelines which may include, but is not limited to, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT).

• Contractor shall supply when requested by County documentation to evaluate website security which may include, but is not limited to a Soc 2 Type 2, or ISO 27001.

Assignment of Cases

The attorney or law firm serving as Coordinator of CPD Services shall distribute cases on a rotational basis to all contracted CPDs, reassigning cases when a CPD declares a conflict and ensuring that cases are distributed as equitably as possible, bearing in mind the various levels of complexity described below. Cases shall be assigned within two business days of receipt from the Napa County Superior Court or the Napa Public Defender’s Office. Coordinator shall assign Class 1 cases in which the death penalty is being sought only to those CPDs who meet and maintain the qualifications for the defense of capital cases as described by the California Rules of Court, Rule 4.117.

Although cases will be distributed on a rotational basis, the Coordinator shall have the option to readjust the distribution if actual appointments would otherwise result in disproportionate referrals, to ensure that over time cases are distributed as equitably as possible, taking into account the assignment of Class 1 and Class 2 cases and any resulting reduction in workloads that may be required to accommodate the demands of those cases. For purposes of assigning cases to CPDs, in order to spread the task of handling cases of varying complexities among the five CPDs as evenly as reasonably practicable, the Coordinator will keep in mind the following classification of Cases according to the seriousness of the offense(s) charged. The classes are as follows:

Class 1: Murder cases as defined by Penal Code Section 187 wherein the accused faces death (capital cases) or the accused faces life in prison without the possibility of parole (LWOP).

Class 2: Non-capital and non-LWOP murder cases as defined by Penal Code Section 187.

Class 3: Felony sex offense cases charging multiple offenses and non-murder cases wherein the accused faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Class 4: All felony offenses charged as a first or second strike; cases in which more than one strike offense is charged, or a gang enhancement is charged, or in which the sentence exposure is more than 20 years; and straight felony offenses not defined in Class 1, 2, or 3.

Class 5: Felony offenses that could be charged as either a felony or misdemeanor, not specified above.

Class 6: All misdemeanor offenses.

Class 7: Juvenile cases, including Welfare and Institutions Code Section 601 and 602 cases, except for Welfare and Institutions Code Section 300 (dependency) cases, when both the Public Defender’s Office and the Juvenile Conflict Attorney have declared conflicts.

Class 8: Miscellaneous Cases -- This class includes Department of Child Support (DCSS) cases, other civil cases as listed in Paragraph (1), above, witness representation cases, and misdemeanor appeals. Miscellaneous cases may be further defined as subclasses based upon the seriousness of the case.

Compensation This competitive Request for Qualifications process will evaluate the capability and qualifications of the submitters. The selected vendor will be compensated as agreed upon during the contract negotiation process. Continued funding is contingent on the vendor meeting contractually agreed upon project deliverables and milestones. The contract shall be awarded as soon as possible and shall continue through June 30, 2027, with the possibility of automatic one-year renewals if neither party gives the other written notice of intention not to renew no less than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the current term, subject to successful completion of the contract deliverables. Base compensation under this contract is $19,857.07 per month for Fiscal Year 2026-27, with possible extra compensation for Class 1 or 2 cases.

General Conditions

Proposal Process

The County reserves the right to:

• Accept submittals, award a contract and/or not award a contract on individual items listed, on group items, or on the submittal as a whole.

• Request clarification of information submitted.

• Request additional information from competitors.

• Waive any informality in the proposals.

• Waive any irregularity in the submission and review process.

• Reject any and all submittals.

• Accept the submittal that appears from all considerations to be in the best interest of the County.

• Modify the scope of work after the selection process without re-issuing the RFQ.

The County may reject the submittal of any respondent who previously failed to perform properly, or complete on time, contracts of a similar nature, or to reject the submittal of a respondent who is not in a position to perform such a contract satisfactorily. The County may reject the submittal of any respondent who is in default of the payment of taxes, or other monies due to Napa County.

None of the materials submitted will be returned to the respondent unless they are not submitted within the timelines of the RFP.

This solicitation and related information can be found at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa. Napa County does not guarantee the accuracy of information posted on or obtained from sources other than this e-procurement portal.

Provision of Information to Respondents

Submittals will become a public record and available for release to the public upon selection of a successful respondent and an Intent to Award Notification is distributed. Respondents should not include proprietary, trade secret, or other confidential information in their submittal, and do so at their own risk. If such information is included, respondents must clearly identify it as confidential, proprietary, or trade secret within the submittal. The County will consider information so identified as a request to withhold it, but the County may nonetheless release, redact or withhold such information in its sole discretion. If the County redacts or withholds such information, the respondent shall indemnity the County and defend, at its own expense, any legal actions or challenges seeking to obtain the redacted or withheld information from the County. Nothing in this RFQ creates any obligation for the County to notify the respondent or obtain the respondent's approval or consent before releasing information subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. Submitting a Statement of Qualifications in response to this RFQ shall constitute the respondent’s acknowledgement and acceptance of these provisions regarding the Public Records Act.

Questions Regarding the RFQ Respondents shall submit all inquiries regarding this solicitation via the County's e-Procurement Portal, located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa.

Please note the deadline for submitting inquiries in the Calendar of Key Events. All answers to accepted inquiries will be posted on the Napa County e-Procurement Portal. Proposers may also click “Follow” on this RFQ to receive an email notification when answers are posted. It is the responsibility of the respondent to check the website for answers to inquiries. Questions will not be answered that would tend to constitute an evaluation of a response being prepared or that might give an unfair advantage to a potential respondent.

No prior, current or post award verbal conversations or agreements with any officer, agent, or employee of the County or any other person or entity shall affect or modify any terms or obligations of this RFQ or any agreement resulting from this process. Potential respondents should not contact Napa County officials or staff regarding any aspect of this RFQ. If such contact is made, the County reserves the right to reject the submittal.

RFQ Addenda Respondents are required to register for an account via the County's e-Procurement Portal hosted by OpenGov. Once the respondent has completed registration, they will receive addenda notifications to their email by clicking “Follow” on this project. Ultimately, it is the sole responsibility of each respondent to periodically check the site for any addenda at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa.

It is the sole responsibility of the respondent to ensure that they obtain information related to any Addenda, and acknowledge any and all Addenda electronically in the e-Procurement Portal as part of their Response. Failure to do so will result in rejection of the response.

Response Submission, Due Date and Late Submittals By submitting a response, the respondent represents and warrants that:

The information provided is genuine and not a sham, collusive, or made in the interest or in behalf of any party not therein named, and that the respondent has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other respondent to put in a sham submittal, or any other respondent to refrain from presenting information and that the prospective provider has not in any manner sought by collusion to secure an advantage.

The respondent has not paid or agreed to pay any fee or commission, or any other thing of value contingent upon the award of an exclusive operating area, to any employee, official, or existing Contractor of the County of Napa.

Submit Electronic Responses via the County's e-Procurement Portal https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa.

The deadline for submission of qualifications in response to this RFQ is 5:00 pm on Friday, November 6, 2026. Late submittals will not be accepted or considered.

The County reserves the right to request additional information not included in this RFQ from any or all proposers after the Response Submission deadline.

Any modification, amendment, addition, or alteration to any submission must be presented, in writing, executed by an authorized person or persons, and submitted prior to the final date for submissions. No amendments, additions or alterations will be accepted after the time and date specified as the submission deadline unless requested by the County.

The submission of a response shall be an indication that the responder has investigated and satisfied themself as to the conditions to be encountered, the character, quality and scope of the work to be performed, and the requirements of the County, including all terms and conditions contained within this

RFQ.

Organization of Submittal and Submittal Organization Requirements Submittals shall contain the following information and shall be organized in the same order as provided herein. See Vendor Submissions:

1. Cover Page. Cover page shall state Title and RFQ number (Conflict Public Defender Services, RFQ Number CPD102601), name of submitting company, and name and signature of the person who is authorized to make decisions and represent the submitting firm with respect to this RFQ.

2. Company Information. This section shall state:

1. The legal name of the company which can enter into a contract with the County and any alternate names for which the company is known (D.B.A.);

2. Mailing, and physical address(es);

3. Remit-to billing address;

4. Phone, fax, and website (if applicable);

5. Organization type;

6. Federal I.D. number

7. Federal Unique Entity ID, if applicable

8. List of owners;

9. List of corporate officers with titles (if applicable); and

10. Name (first and last), title, mailing address, phone number, fax and email of the person to receive notices and who is authorized to make decisions or represent the company with respect to this RFP

3. Company History, Experience, Qualifications and Approach to Scope of Work. See Evaluation Criteria This section shall consist of the information requested in "Evaluation Criteria" to allow for review of company history, experience, qualifications, description of offered services, and approach to the Scope of Work. Each question/information section request should be copied into proposal with answers following each request.

4. References. Provide 3 references (company, contact, phone number, date(s) and description of service(s) provided). References should be entities for which similar work has been completed. Data entry submission -See "Vendor Submissions".

5. Disclosures. Data entry submission -See "Vendor Submissions".

6. PSA and Insurance Acceptance or Exception. Data entry submission -See "Vendor Submissions".

All information provided as a response to this RFQ should be in the context of the information requested in the RFPQ Please do not submit additional flyers, brochures, marketing material, etc.

Responses must be submitted through the County's e-Procurement Portal located at

Evaluation and Award Evaluation

A panel will review all responses submitted pursuant to the terms of the RFQ and select the highest ranked response(s) for consideration based on the evaluation criteria noted below. After responses have been received and reviewed, the top three highest ranked respondent(s) will be invited to interview with the evaluation panel at no cost to the County to discuss and clarify any questions concerning the submittal and the County’s requirements.

At any time during the evaluation process, the County may request “Best and Final” offers based upon the County’s improved understanding of the offers or changed scope of work. Based on the initial responses, further clarification and/or revision of responses, and Best and Final offers, if requested, the panel will select the response(s) that provides the best value to the County. The County may negotiate final pricing and a contract form with the successful respondent(s)

Because this response is negotiable, all data shall remain confidential until after an award recommendation is made, and there shall be no public opening and reading of responses.

The County reserves the right to award an agreement without further competition based on the responses received to this RFQ.

Award

The County intends to award a contract to the firm who distinguish themselves as capable of the type and breadth of services provided for in the Scope of Work as evident in submitted response Selection and determination of qualifications is at the sole discretion of the County.

The County will attempt to negotiate a contract with the firm submitting the top ranked response. If no contract can be successfully negotiated with the top ranked respondent, then the County may, at its election enter into negotiations with the next highest ranked respondent; and move down the list of responders in order of scoring until a contract can be negotiated.

Upon selection of qualified respondent, completion of successful negotiations, and distribution of the “Intent to Award Notification” has taken place, the contract will be presented to the appropriate authority level for authorization.

The County reserves the right to decline awarding a contract to any of the respondents.

Evaluation Criteria Qualifications and experience will be evaluated to determine the response that provides the best value to the County.

Program Criteria

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Eligiibility/Required Qualifications

Any individual attorney or law firm offering the services of one or more individual attorneys may respond provided they can meet the criteria below. Law firms responding to this RFQ must identify all attorneys who may be assigned under this contract and provide their individual qualifications in accordance with this section and Section E of this RFQ. Each attorney selected to serve as a CPD and, if a law firm is selected, each attorney in the firm who serves as lead CPD for the firm, in any defense of a criminal cases or who will be assigned to make any court appearances for the firm on behalf of an accused, must satisfy, and provide a description of how they satisfy, the following criteria:

A. Is an active member in good standing of the State Bar of California and has been an active trial practitioner with at least 8 years' litigation experience in the field of criminal law;

2. Has not previously been the subject of a state bar disciplinary action which led to the suspension or revocation of the attorney’s

Points Based 50

(50% of Total) license to practice law. If a proposed attorney has been disciplined by any state bar for any reason, the nature and reasons for such discipline must be disclosed in the SOQ;

3. Must be familiar with the practices and procedures of the California criminal courts;

4. Has insurance coverage that meets the County’s insurance requirements specified in the attached Contract, including but not limited to professional malpractice insurance;

5. Provides an office or other suitable place for meetings with clients that is in the City of Napa or otherwise reasonably close to the Napa County courthouse so as to be reachable by clients without undue expense or difficulty (at a location subject to the County’s consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld);

6. Has substantial prior experience as lead trial counsel in defending or prosecuting serious or violent felony-level cases;

7. Possesses demonstrated skill in the use of expert witnesses and evidence, including familiarity with common areas of psychiatric and forensic evidence and investigation, including fingerprints, ballistics, forensic pathology, and DNA evidence;

H. Possesses demonstrated skill in the management and conduct of complex negotiations and litigation;

I. Possesses demonstrated skill in legal research, analysis, and the drafting of litigation documents;

J. Possesses demonstrated skill in oral advocacy;

K. Possesses demonstrated skill in the elements of trial advocacy, such as jury selection, cross-examination of witnesses, opening statements and closing arguments.

2. Responsiveness of SOQ

The SOQ should include a resume or curriculum vitae for each attorney proposed to serve as lead CPD counsel and every attorney who will be assigned to make any court appearances for the firm on behalf of an accused, written responses to the items described in this Section, and any other written materials necessary to demonstrate the qualifications required for this position (no audio-visual materials, electronic or computer presentations, or similar materials should be submitted please).

Points Based 35

(35% of Total)

3. Business Model

In addition to describing how the applicant satisfies the criteria listed in the Eligibility/Qualifications section above, the SOQ must address each of the items listed below, where appropriate to the types of cases.

A. How the following will be accomplished:

I. Coverage for all stages of proceedings;

II. Contact with clients prior to court appearances, including those in custody;

III. Availability to clients between court appearances, particularly those in custody;

IV. Coverage, if applicable, for sentence modification and probation revocation;

V. Eligibility screening

Points Based 15

(15% of Total) process to determine the client’s financial eligibility for CPD services, including taking a financial declaration and referral back to court when necessary and representation at reimbursement hearings;

VI. Representation relative to complaints, writs, etc.

arising from detention in County facilities, treatment or punishment;

and

VII. Representation at Appellate Court including, if applicable, misdemeanor appeals and appropriate writs.

B. Describe capability to provide management statistics regarding caseload and workload.

C. Describe capability to be a steward of County resources in minimizing costs, such as costs for investigations and experts, without compromising the defense of a client.

Phase 2

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. Interview

Interviews will be conducted for the top three scoring respondents. Interviews will take place November 13, 2026 via Teams.

0-10 Points 10

(100% of Total)

PSA and Insurance Requirements

Professional Services Agreement

The successful proposer will be expected to enter into a Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with the County. The County’s standard General Terms and Conditions of the PSA is attached (see Attachments Tab) to this RFP for review by prospective Proposers. Proposers are not required to submit a signed copy of the County’s PSA with their proposal but are merely directed to review the PSA to ensure that all Proposers understand the County’s PSA requirements.

Proposers should clearly note in their proposals whether they take exception to any of the PSA requirements and should include a detailed explanation of the reason for the exception and a counterproposal or alternative suggestion(s) for the County’s review. However, after review of any proposer’s exceptions, the County reserves the right to reject any and all exceptions taken to the County’s PSA.

Insurance Requirements

Respondents are directed to review the County’s insurance requirements as detailed in the attached draft PSA, General Terms and Conditions (Article IV, Article V, and Exhibit C ) and are required to submit a written statement with their submittal indicating their willingness and ability to meet all the County’s insurance requirements. Additionally, required insurance endorsements must be scheduled endorsements specifically naming Napa County. Without prior written approval, blanket endorsements will not be accepted

Respondents who are unable to meet all the County’s insurance requirements may submit with their response an alternative plan for obtaining insurance that will adequately mitigate the risks associated with providing the services. Any alternative insurance coverage request is subject to review and approval by County Counsel and the County’s Risk Management Officer.

Failure to meet the County’s insurance requirements (as determined by County Counsel and County Risk Management) may be sufficient reason for disqualification from the selection process.

Local Vendor Preference Policy Napa County has a local vendor preference that covers the acquisition of requested services. Local vendors will be awarded contracts for services where qualifications are determined by the reviewing panel to be otherwise equal unless such preference is not allowable by law. For this matter, a local vendor is a vendor who has a billing address located within Napa County.

Vendor Submissions Responses must be submitted through the County's e-Procurement Portal located at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofnapa

Cover Page and Company Information* See Organization of Proposal and Project Organization Requirements for Required Information.

*Response required

COMPANY HISTORY, EXPERIENCE, QUALIFICATIONS, and APPROACH TO

SCOPE OF WORK*

See Evaluation Criteria for required information that must be provided.

*Response required

References* Provide a minimum of three (3) current professional references for each person identified to serve as proposed lead counsel or support counsel.

The County reserves the right to contact references not provided in the submittals.

*Response required

You are required to disclose any alleged significant prior or ongoing contract failures, any civil or criminal litigation or investigation pending which involves the respondent or a verification of no responsive incidents.*

Failure to comply with the terms of this provision may disqualify any response. The County of Napa reserves the right to reject any response based upon the submitter’s prior history with the County of Napa or with any other party, which documents, without limitation, unsatisfactory performance, significant failures to meet contract milestones or other contractual failures.

Please disclose below. If you have no disclosures to report please write that you have no reportable disclosures.

*Response required

Required Declaration* Applicant must attach the following Declaration, to be signed by an individual having full authority to execute the SOQ and any resulting contract including, if the attorney/firm is a corporation, the signature of the president and secretary of the corporation.

“I declare under penalty of perjury and the laws of the State of California that the information contained in this response to the Request for Qualifications is accurate and true to the best of my knowledge. I am aware that should any of the information be found false, the County of Napa may pursue any remedy authorized by law, which shall include the right, at the option of Napa County, of declaring any agreement made as a result thereof to be void.”

*Response required

The respondent accepts the County’s standard Agreement; and is willing and able to meet the County’s insurance requirements, found in the draft Agreement, Sections IV, V, and Exhibit C ( Agreement attached)*

☐ Yes ☐ No

*Response required

When equals "No"

If no was selected, please provide reasons/exceptions:* PSA: Respondents should clearly note in their proposals whether they take exception to any of the PSA requirements and should include a detailed explanation of the reason for the exception and a counterproposal or alternative suggestion(s) for the County’s review. However, after review of any respondent’s exceptions, the County reserves the right to reject any and all exceptions taken to the County’s PSA.

Insurance: Respondents who are unable to meet all the County’s insurance requirements may submit with their proposal an alternative plan for obtaining insurance that will adequately mitigate the risks associated with providing the services. Any alternative insurance coverage request is subject to review and approval by County Counsel and the County’s Risk Management Officer.

Failure to meet the County’s insurance requirements (as determined by County Counsel and County Risk Management) may be sufficient reason for disqualification from the selection process.

*Response required