Contract counsel luna and hidalgo counties

The New Mexico Law Offices of the Public Defender Agency is seeking a sole source contract for legal counsel services in Luna and Hidalgo Counties within the 6th Judicial District. This procurement is for criminal defense representation of indigent clients across misdemeanor, juvenile, and felony cases, with services to be provided from March 15, 2026, through October 31, 2026. The selected contract counsel must meet thirteen specified criteria, including nine years of legal experience, active licensure in New Mexico (with licensure in other states such as Texas or California acceptable), completion of at least 24 trials as lead counsel, and current compliance with existing Law Offices of the Public Defender contracts. The agency conducted an extensive recruitment effort through an April 2025 Request for Proposals advertised in multiple newspapers, the State Bar Bulletin, social media, and professional legal associations; however, limited submissions were received, and direct recruitment efforts by the Director of Contract Counsel yielded no other willing attorneys to serve these counties. The due date for this solicitation is March 18, 2026, and the sole source determination will not become effective until the request has been posted for thirty calendar days without challenge and subsequently approved in writing by the State Purchasing Agent or the Secretary of the General Services Department, with certification and approval already obtained as of February 9, 2026.

This procurement contains a sole source designation with no apparent set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or organizational restrictions, indicating that only the identified contractor, Eric Montrose, a sole practitioner based in El Paso, Texas, is being pursued for this contract. Montrose currently holds an existing Law Offices of the Public Defender contract awarded in October 2025 and is willing to accept cases at the standard LOPD/CCLS contract rates. The contract value is $150,000.00 before tax, with an estimated tax of $7,312.50, bringing the total anticipated cost to approximately $157,312.50. The agency justifies this sole source approach by stating that without Montrose's agreement to serve, it will be forced to decline conflict cases in Luna and Hidalgo Counties due to insufficient available counsel willing to accept cases in these regions. No current Law Offices of the Public Defender office exists in these two counties, making Montrose's willingness to provide services critical to the agency's operational capacity.