Legal Advice Help Desks

Cook County, Illinois is seeking a contractor to operate four distinct legal help desk services through Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2413-03261, issued by the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer. The solicitation covers Legal Advice Desks for Eviction Court Defendants, Guardianship Assistance Help Desks for Minors, Domestic Relations Division Help Desks, and a Domestic Relations Division and Domestic Violence Help Desk at the Markham Courthouse. These help desks will provide free legal advice, counseling, referral services, and direct representation for self-represented litigants across various court divisions. The County intends to award a five-year contract with two potential one-year renewal options. Proposals are due on December 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. local time, with a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference scheduled for November 14, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Evaluation criteria include a technical proposal component weighted at 85 points, encompassing plan of action, qualifications, key personnel experience, and financial stability, with an additional 5 points allocated to pricing. The selected proposer must provide personnel, supplies, computer equipment, and other resources to operate the help desks, with the Court providing physical space, furniture, and basic utilities.

While the RFP establishes a 0% Minority-Owned Business Enterprise (MBE) and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) participation goal, proposers are encouraged to make good faith efforts to utilize certified minority and women-owned businesses as subcontractors. The solicitation requires comprehensive documentation, including economic disclosure statements, subcontractor identification forms, and MBE/WBE utilization plans. Proposers must meet specific staffing requirements, including minimum qualifications for supervising attorneys and support staff. The Professional Services Agreement includes extensive insurance requirements, covering workers' compensation, commercial general liability, automobile liability, excess/umbrella liability, and professional liability with specific coverage limits. While the exact contract value is not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the services and the five-year contract duration suggest a significant potential award value. The procurement is non-federally funded and will be executed through a competitive Request for Proposal process, with the Office of the Chief Judge of Cook County serving as the primary contracting agency.