Legal_Services_RFP__RFP_No._002-2026__-_April_14_2026.pdf

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Invitation to submit proposals for Municipal

Legal Services (Town Attorney)

RFP # 002 -2026

by

Town of Riverdale Park

5008 Queensbury Road, Riverdale Park, MD

20737

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Contents

Proposal Identification Cover Page

1. Request for Proposals

2. Solicitation

3. Questions and Clarification of RFP Requirements

4. Proposal Submission

5. Scope of Work

6. Proposal Submission Requirements

7. Award of Contract

8. Liability Insurance

9. Protests

10. Notice to Proceed

11. Taxes

12. General Indemnity

13. Receipt of Addendum

14. Certification Statement

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Proposal Identification Cover Page

Use this page as the Cover Page of your proposal:

TITLE: Municipal Legal Services (Town Attorney)

PROPOSAL NO.: RFP # 002 -2026

FROM: Authorized Representative Name

Attorney Name

Proposer Address

DATE SUBMITTED: [Date Submitted]

SUBMITTED TO: RFP-BIDQuestions@RiverdaleParkMD.Gov

Attention: Nouman Haider, Special Projects

Coordinator

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1. Request for Proposals The Town of Riverdale Park (“Town”) invites proposals from qualified attorneys or law firms licensed to practice in the State of Maryland to provide comprehensive municipal legal services as General Counsel to the Town.

The selected firm will provide ongoing legal advice and representation to the Mayor, Town

Council, Town Manager, department heads, boards, and commissions on matters including municipal governance, land use and zoning, employment law, procurement, litigation coordination, ethics compliance, and related legal matters.

The successful Proposer will be required to enter into a Professional Services Agreement with the Town.

2. Solicitation This schedule estimates the time needed to complete this RFP process. The Town reserves the right to modify this schedule as needed to accommodate the completion of the process.

RFP Release Date: April 14, 2026

Last Date for Questions: April 20, 2026, 5:00 PM

Last Date for Responses to Questions: April 24, 2026

Proposal Due Date: May 1, 2026, 12:00 Noon

Notification of Selection: TBD

3. Questions and Clarification of RFP Requirements All questions concerning this RFP must be submitted in writing no later than 5:00 pm

April 20, 2026, via email to RFP-BIDQuestions@RiverdaleParkMD.Gov and include the

Proposer’s name, point of contact, e-mail, business addresses, and telephone number.

Questions submitted after this date and time may not be addressed. Questions from potential Proposers and the corresponding response will be posted on the Town’s Website.

Proposers are urged to check the Town’s website regularly for updates and revisions via addendums.

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4. Proposal Submission A. To qualify to work on this project, the Proposer must submit all information requested in this RFP to RFP-BIDQuestions@RiverdaleParkMD.Gov.

B. All Proposals must remain in effect for at least 90 days from submittal. The Town reserves the right to accept Proposals individually or collectively, to accept or reject any or all Proposals, waive any informality, cancel the solicitation prior to Proposal opening, and take whatever action is in the best interest of the Town. There is no guarantee, either expressed or implied, that a contract will be awarded as a result of this RFP to any Proposer.

C. The Town may request additional information, samples, or presentations in support of Proposals. Additionally, the Town may perform an interview(s) with Proposers under consideration to clarify any information provided.

5. Scope of Work

Overview

The Town of Riverdale Park (the “Town”) seeks to retain a qualified attorney or law firm

(“Contractor”) to provide comprehensive municipal legal services as general legal counsel.

The Contractor shall serve as a legal advisor to the Mayor, Town Council, Town Manager, department heads, boards, and commissions, and shall provide legal representation, advice, and counsel on legal matters involving municipal government.

General Responsibilities

The Contractor shall perform professional legal services on behalf of the Town, including but not limited to:

Legal Advice and Representation

• Provide timely and competent legal advice and counsel to the Mayor, Town

Council, Town Manager, staff, boards, and commissions.

• Interpret federal, state, and local laws, regulations, judicial decisions, and legal requirements applicable to municipal operations.

• Communicate legal opinions in written and oral form as requested.

Ordinance, Resolution, and Contract Review

• As assigned draft, review, and revise ordinances, resolutions, contracts, intergovernmental agreements, leases, policies, and other legal documents to ensure compliance with applicable law.

• As requested, provide legal reviews and recommendations for procurement documents, bonds, and financing instruments.

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Meeting Attendance and Support

• Attend in-person or virtual Town Council meetings, work sessions, and such other meetings as may be requested by the Town. There is no expectation to attend all meetings.

• Attend in-person or virtual meetings of Town advisory boards and committees as may be requested by the Town. There is no expectation to attend all meetings.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Representation in litigation is generally performed by outside counsel provided by the Local Government Insurance Trust (LGIT). Track and coordinate with outside counsel. In matters not addressed by outside counsel, represent the Town in litigation, administrative hearings, mediation, arbitration, and other dispute resolution proceedings where the Town is a named party.

• Provide advice on legal strategy and litigation risk.

Claims and Risk Management

Provide legal advice regarding liability exposure and interpretation of insurance coverage.

Land Use and Zoning Matters

Provide legal services related to land use, zoning, planning, code enforcement, property acquisition and disposition, and related municipal development matters.

Municipal Operations and Employment Law

Advise on matters related to municipal operations, including employment and labor issues, personnel policies, collective bargaining (if applicable), and employment-related litigation.

Ethics, Conflict of Interest, and Open Records

• Advise Town officials on ethical obligations and conflicts of interest.

• Provide guidance related to public records laws and open meetings requirements.

Deliverables

• As requested by the Town, the Contractor shall deliver:

o Written legal opinions.

o Drafted ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and legal documents.

o Monthly billing statements detailing services provided (including dates, time expended, and services performed).

o Reports and correspondence related to legal matters as appropriate.

Performance Requirements

• Services must be provided by attorneys licensed in the applicable jurisdiction with significant municipal law experience.

• The Contractor shall respond promptly and professionally to inquiries and requests from the Town.

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• The Contractor shall maintain the confidentiality of the Town’s legal matters.

Term of Engagement

The initial contract term shall be for one (1) year, with the option of renewal upon mutual agreement of the parties and satisfactory performance.

Conflicts of Interest

The Contractor shall disclose any potential conflicts of interest and shall not represent any party in matters adverse to the Town during the term of the contract.

Additional Services

The Town may request legal services not explicitly listed here but reasonably related to municipal governance. The Contractor shall provide additional services upon mutual agreement regarding scope and compensation.

6. Proposal Submission Requirements

Proposals must include the following:

Cover Letter

• Firm name and address

• Primary contact information

• Confirmation of Maryland licensure

Firm Qualifications

• Years in practice

• Description of municipal law experience

• Experience representing Maryland municipalities

Assigned Attorneys

• Name and title

• Years of experience

• Maryland Bar admission

• Relevant municipal experience

• Identification of lead attorney

Experience and Approach

• Experience in municipal governance

• Land use and zoning experience

• Employment law experience

• Litigation coordination experience

• Approach to responsiveness and communication

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References

Provide at least three (3) municipal references within the past five (5) years, including:

• Municipality name

• Services provided

• Duration of engagement

• Contact name and contact information

Fee Proposal

• Identification of any different rates applicable to litigation matters, if applicable.

• Description of billing practices.

Conflict Disclosure

Disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest involving the Town.

7. Award of Contract

a) Proposers must submit proposal only on the entire contract. In determining which proposal is best, the Town will take into consideration the specifics of the proposal, the proposal price, and the experience, qualifications, capacity, references, and past performance of the Proposer to perform the work.

b) The Town reserves the right to cancel the Award of the Contract at any time prior to execution of the Contract without liability on the part of the Town.

8. Liability Insurance The successful Contractor will be required to purchase and maintain during the entire term of this Agreement comprehensive general liability insurance, including cyber insurance, automobile insurance, professional errors and omissions insurance, and workers’ compensation insurance with limits of not less than those set forth below.

Comprehensive General Liability Insurance:

Personal injury and property damage liability insurance with a single limit of $2,000,000 each occurrence/aggregate.

All insurance shall include completed operations and contractual liability coverage.

Automobile Liability Coverage:

Automobile liability insurance $1,000,000 for each occurrence/ aggregate; property damage - $500,000 for each occurrence/aggregate.)

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Workers’ Compensation Insurance:

Contractors shall comply with the requirements and benefits established by the State of

Maryland for the provision of Workers’ Compensation insurance. Contractor shall provide workers’ compensation insurance meeting the statutory limits for Maryland and

Employers’ Liability limits of $500,000. All corporations are required to provide Workers’

Compensation Certificates of Insurance.

Professional Errors and Omissions Insurance:

The Contractor shall maintain a policy with limits of not less than $1,000,000 each occurrence/aggregate, to include cyber liability/data breach coverage.

The Town shall be named as an additional insured on the Comprehensive General Liability

Insurance and the Automobile Insurance. The Contractor shall provide a Certificate of

Insurance with additional insured endorsement to the Town within ten business days after the award of the contract and in any event prior to beginning work. The Certificate shall be in a form acceptable to the Town.

9. Protests Any Proposer with a concern about the award of contract may submit a protest to the Town

Manager. Protests must be submitted in writing within five (5) business days following the official public announcement of the contract award on the Town’s website.

10. Notice to Proceed After execution of the Agreement, the Town will issue a Notice to Proceed. The Notice to

Proceed shall establish the effective date upon which services under the Agreement may commence. Work performed prior to the date set forth in the Notice to Proceed shall be at the selected Contractor’s risk. Failure by the successful Contractor to commence services within five (5) days of the effective date set forth in the Notice to Proceed may be construed as a breach of the Agreement and may result in termination by the Town or other remedies available at law.

11. Taxes The Town of Riverdale Park is exempt from the State of Maryland sales tax. Proposers shall not include sales tax in their proposal pricing. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to determine the applicability of any federal, state, or local taxes to their services.

12. General Indemnity The Contractor shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Town of Riverdale Park, its

Mayor and Council, officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims, damages, losses, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or resulting from the performance of the services provided under this Agreement, but only to the extent

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13. Receipt of Addendum Proposer must acknowledge receipt of all addenda issued by the Town in connection with this Request for Proposals. Failure to acknowledge receipt of addenda may result in the

Proposal being deemed non-responsive.

Addenda, if issued, will be posted on the Town’s website and/or distributed via email to known Proposers. It shall be the responsibility of each Proposer to verify whether any addenda have been issued prior to submitting a Proposal.

14. Certification Statement I certify that I have reviewed the requirements of the Request for Proposal and that all information submitted is accurate. I affirm that I am not barred from contracting with any government entity and have not been convicted of any relevant criminal offenses. I understand that false statements may result in disqualification.

Firm name: ____________________________

Authorized Representative (Print): ____________________________

Title: ____________________________

Signature: ____________________________

Date: ________________________________