Commission On Human Relations Solicitor

The City of Pittsburgh Office of Management and Budget is soliciting proposals for a Solicitor for the Commission on Human Relations through RFP #2023-RFP-189. The procurement seeks a qualified attorney or law firm to provide comprehensive legal services to the Commission, with key responsibilities including attending monthly meetings, providing parliamentary procedure guidance, conducting pre-hearing and settlement conferences, advising hearing panels, drafting findings and orders, seeking injunctive relief, and representing the Commission in appeals. Qualified candidates must be admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and possess extensive experience in discrimination litigation, with deep knowledge of civil rights laws such as the Civil Rights Act, Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The proposal evaluation will be conducted by a Proposal Committee using a 100-point scoring system that assesses firm qualifications (15 points), project team qualifications (15 points), project approach and plan (30 points), cost proposal (30 points), and MWDBE/VOSB good faith effort (10 points). The proposal submission deadline is September 5, 2023, at 5:00 pm, with proposal review and supplier scoring scheduled for September 2023.

The contract opportunity includes specific participation goals for minority-owned (18%), women-owned (7%), and veteran-owned (5%) business enterprises, requiring respondents to demonstrate good faith efforts and complete the MWDBEVOSB Commitment Form. The initial contract value is $25,000 for the first year, with the potential for renewal after a one-year assessment. The solicitor will work directly with the fifteen-member Commission on Human Relations, which is appointed by the mayor and focuses on investigating discrimination complaints, securing civil rights, and ensuring non-discriminatory city services. Respondents must provide evidence of their capability to integrate with the existing Commission infrastructure, which includes conducting public hearings, submitting annual reports, and exercising enforcement powers as defined in the Pittsburgh Home Rule Charter and City Code of Ordinances. The solicitor will be expected to provide legal representation and advice on complex civil rights matters, working closely with the Commission's chief staff officer to support its mission of preventing and addressing discrimination in Pittsburgh.