Bond Counsel Services

Brevard County Board of County Commissioners is seeking proposals for municipal bond counsel services through RFP #1-25-13, soliciting qualified law firms to provide comprehensive legal expertise for the county's debt management activities. The procurement focuses on securing a bond counsel provider to assist with bond financing, refinancing, refunding, and related legal matters, with a five-year contract term from July 23, 2025, to July 22, 2030. Proposing law firms must submit three hard copies and one electronic copy, with detailed documentation including firm experience, key personnel qualifications, approach to services, and professional references. The evaluation criteria include firm experience (25 points), key personnel qualifications (20 points), approach to services (15 points), conflict of interest assessment (10 points), disciplinary actions review (10 points), and professional fee proposal (20 points). Proposals were due on February 25, 2025, by 4:00 p.m. local time, with a public selection committee meeting held on April 01, 2025, to review submissions. The RFP requires proposers to provide a fee structure with specific rates for different bond issuance levels and complete various compliance forms.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the procurement documents. Two law firms submitted proposals: Bryant Miller Olive P.A. from Miami, Florida, and Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson P.A. from Tampa, Florida. Ultimately, Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson P.A. was unanimously selected and awarded the contract, receiving a total of 3 evaluation points compared to Bryant Miller Olive P.A.'s 6 points. The draft contract includes comprehensive insurance requirements, including $5 million professional liability insurance, $5 million cyber liability insurance, $1 million general liability insurance, and $1 million automobile liability coverage. While specific budget ranges were not detailed, the RFP outlined a fee structure based on bond issuance levels: a flat fee for the first $10 million of bonds, a per $1,000 fee for the next $30 million, and a per $1,000 fee for bonds over $40 million. The contract is non-exclusive, allowing Brevard County flexibility in engaging additional bond counsel services if needed.