Civil Legal Services

The New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration Local Government Division and the New Mexico Civil Legal Services Commission have issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather data from civil legal services providers serving eligible low-income persons throughout New Mexico. This RFI is not a procurement announcement but rather an information-gathering exercise to inform the development of a subsequent Request for Proposal that will establish contracts for providing high-quality civil legal services with increased statewide access through direct and technology-based contact. The procuring agencies specifically seek information regarding civil legal service providers' salary determination methodologies as they relate to employee experience and certifications, approaches to managing sick pay, vacation pay, and other non-work pay categories, calendar year 2025 expenses and expenditure data, and organizational structures. The RFI recognizes that substantially all funding awarded through the future RFP process will support attorney and support staff salaries for civil legal service delivery. Respondents must submit one electronic copy in editable format to Sandra Ortega at sandray.ortega@dfa.nm.gov with "RFI# 26-341-8010-00003 Civil Legal Services" clearly identified in the subject line by the deadline of April 2, 2026, at 5:00 PM MST. An optional industry meeting is scheduled for April 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM MST to discuss the RFI. Respondents are not required to address all questions and may submit supporting documentation; no contract will be awarded as a result of this RFI.

The RFI does not contain specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting the types of organizations that may respond, though eligibility to participate in any subsequent procurement will be available to both respondents and non-respondents to this RFI. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the RFI materials. All submitted materials become the exclusive property of the procuring agency and are subject to public inspection under the New Mexico Open Records Act, with no guarantee of confidentiality. The RFI does not provide specific budget ranges or award values, as this information-gathering exercise is designed to establish appropriate compensation benchmarks and procurement standards that will inform the development of the subsequent RFP. Multiple responses from individual respondents are permitted, allowing organizations to submit different proposals or information sets if desired.