Labor counsel services

The City of Torrington, Connecticut, is soliciting proposals through Request for Proposal (RFP #LCS-011-060526) for comprehensive labor counsel services to support the municipality's legal needs in collective bargaining, labor law, and personnel and employee relations matters. The procurement seeks qualified law firms or individual attorneys to provide legal services across multiple domains, including compliance with employment laws (MERA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, ADEA, FLSA, OSHA, ACA), unemployment compensation, discrimination and anti-harassment matters, litigation, wage and hour standards, mediation and arbitration, collective bargaining and labor contract administration, workplace policies, and training to City personnel. The City operates six collective bargaining units representing approximately 280 full-time employees, including an 89-officer Police Department and a 54-member Fire Department, with several labor contract negotiations scheduled to commence in the first quarter of 2026. Qualified respondents must be admitted in good standing to the Connecticut bar and the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, must demonstrate no conflicts of interest, must provide at least three municipal client references from the past five years, must submit resumes of key personnel, and must provide evidence of professional liability insurance including a waiver of subrogation naming the City as additional insured. The proposal must include a cost proposal submitted in a separate sealed envelope detailing a single blended hourly rate for all attorneys and staff covering all incidental costs, including secretarial services, copying, and mailing, with separate rates provided for senior partners, partners/senior counsel, counsel, senior associates, junior associates, law clerks, and paralegals on a three-year basis. The initial contract term is three years with two possible one-year extensions for a maximum duration of five years. Proposals must be submitted by June 5, 2026, at 11:00 AM EDT to the Purchasing Agent's office at 140 Main Street, Torrington, CT 06790, and all inquiries must be submitted via email by May 27, 2026, at 12:00 noon EDT to Pennie Zucco at pennie_zucco@torringtonct.org; faxed and emailed proposals will not be accepted, and bids cannot be withdrawn for 90 days following submission.

The City of Torrington actively encourages participation from Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), Women Business Enterprises (WBEs), and Small Business Enterprises (SBEs). No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documentation, though the RFP notes that the City currently has no open collective bargaining contracts but anticipates multiple negotiations during the contract period. The procurement will include an interview component as part of the evaluation process, with assigned attorneys required to attend. The City reserves the right to award or reject any or all proposals, to waive technicalities, to select the bid that best serves the public interest rather than necessarily the lowest bid, and to cancel the contract with 30 days' written notice; the City also reserves the right not to award continuation of the multiple-year contract. Payment terms are specified as Net 30 Days with Free On Board Destination delivery terms. The estimated total value and specific budget range for this procurement are not disclosed in the available documentation.