OPD Contract Attorney

The Montana Office of State Public Defender (OPD) issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking contract attorneys to provide legal representation in criminal and civil matters throughout the state. The solicitation, identified as OPD-RFP/RFQ-2020-0083, was open from May 1, 2020 to May 1, 2022, targeting the creation of a pool of qualified private attorneys who can be appointed for contract legal services. Interested attorneys were required to submit a comprehensive application package including a current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with OPD, a fillable PDF form, current resume, an appellate brief writing sample, proof of professional liability insurance, and their most recent Continuing Legal Education (CLE) transcript from mtcle.org. The primary objective was to establish a roster of attorneys capable of handling cases where the OPD requires external legal representation. Applicants were evaluated based on professional qualifications, documentation completeness, and demonstrated legal expertise across criminal and civil legal domains.

The RFQ did not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types for respondents. No information was provided about incumbent vendors, existing infrastructure, or technology integration requirements. The solicitation appeared to be a standard qualification-based selection process without detailed pricing terms, specific funding sources, or explicit contract award details. While no specific budget range or award value was mentioned, the procurement was designed to create a flexible pool of contract attorneys capable of being appointed to various legal cases across Montana. The geographic scope encompassed Yellowstone County and potentially other jurisdictions within the state, suggesting a broad and adaptable contracting approach for legal service procurement.