Agency IFB - Final

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, conducting procurement on behalf of the Utah Department of Corrections, is requesting bids for limited legal services to inmates incarcerated at the Uintah and Duchesne County Jails Facilities under IFB AK26-30, with bids due July 2, 2026. A single contract award will be made to the lowest cost responsive and responsible vendor.

The scope requires a Utah State Bar member in good standing with at least five years of Utah law practice to provide assistance with drafting and filing initial pleadings in federal and state courts on legality of incarceration or conditions of confinement, writs of habeas corpus, civil rights complaints under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, and petitions regarding Utah Board of Pardons and Parole decisions. The contractor must provide full legal representation in administrative proceedings for involuntary treatment and involuntary transfer cases, screen inmate-to-inmate legal mail, inspect legal pouches, and provide photocopies of legal materials. Initial contact with requesting inmates is required within ten business days; jails must be visited every other week as needed; and draft pleadings must be delivered within fifteen days. Non-lawyer assistants may assist under attorney supervision but cannot provide legal advice or practice law. Compensation is hourly, with a maximum of $5,000 per inmate per contract period and a discounted rate for services exceeding that threshold. Monthly invoices are due by the tenth of each month for services delivered in the preceding month, with detailed supporting documentation including inmate names, UDC offender numbers, service descriptions, and hours itemized by category.

The total contract budget is $70,000 over a five-year term. Vendors must guarantee pricing for one year. Professional liability insurance is required. The contractor and all personnel accessing UDC facilities must pass security background checks; personnel currently incarcerated, on supervised release, on probation or parole, or convicted of felony offenses or two or more misdemeanors within the past five years are ineligible. All personnel must complete UDC-required orientation and comply with OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards. Commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate is required. The contract is governed by Utah law with venue in Salt Lake City's Third Judicial District Court.