2026 013 indigent defense services state court

The Board of Commissioners of Spalding County, Georgia is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to procure indigent defense services for the State Court of Spalding County. The County seeks qualified attorneys or law firms capable of delivering effective, timely, and constitutionally sound legal representation to indigent defendants in compliance with the Sixth Amendment, Georgia law, and Georgia Public Defender Council standards. The scope of services encompasses comprehensive indigent defense representation including misdemeanor criminal cases, probation revocation proceedings, bond-related proceedings, arraignments, plea negotiations, trials, sentencing, and direct appeals from State Court convictions, excluding magistrate-only ordinance cases. Required qualifications include licensure in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia, admission to Georgia appellate courts or ability to obtain such within 30 days of contract execution, substantial criminal defense experience, sufficient operational capacity with effective case management systems, and a physical office location within Spalding County. Statements of Qualifications must include firm overview, staffing and attorney assignments with current resumes, detailed relevant experience, government contract history from the past five years, case management and conflict procedures, three professional legal references, and disclosure of pending litigation or disciplinary matters. Sealed cost proposals must clearly identify the compensation structure with all incidental costs included. Submissions are due by 2:00 PM EST on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, with one original and three copies submitted to Mitzy Campbell at the Spalding County Courthouse Annex, 119 East Solomon Street, Griffin, Georgia 30223, with a public bid opening scheduled for the same date and time. Written questions are accepted through April 30, 2026, and will be addressed through weekly written addenda.

The RFQ does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions based on disadvantaged enterprise status; however, all submissions are subject to County insurance requirements, indemnification provisions, E-Verify compliance, and affidavit of non-collusion. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents. Selected respondents must demonstrate commitment to data transparency and continuous performance improvement through quarterly dashboard reporting on case volume, disposition outcomes, bond-related outcomes, and average case duration, as well as administration of client satisfaction surveys addressing timeliness, communication, professionalism, availability, and overall satisfaction. The procurement documents do not disclose a specific award value or budget range, though the contract is intended to identify one or more qualified legal service providers to fulfill the County's indigent defense obligations. This is a competitive procurement with evaluation criteria emphasizing professional qualifications, experience, operational capacity, and accountability in the delivery of constitutional legal services.