OPD Contract Attorney

The Montana Office of State Public Defender (OPD) has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) numbered OPD-RFP/RFQ-2021-0106 seeking contract attorneys to provide legal representation in criminal and civil matters statewide. The procurement is designed to establish a comprehensive pool of qualified contract public defenders who can be assigned to various legal cases requiring representation. Interested attorneys must submit a comprehensive application package that includes a completed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), current resume, professional writing sample, proof of current professional liability insurance, and their most recent Continuing Legal Education (CLE) transcript. Applicants must demonstrate active legal practice status, appropriate professional credentials, and ongoing legal education compliance. The solicitation was opened on March 9, 2021, with an unusually extended due date of January 1, 2099, suggesting an ongoing, rolling recruitment process for building a robust attorney contract roster. Evaluation criteria appear to focus on professional qualifications, insurance coverage, legal education, and demonstrated competency through submitted materials.

The RFQ does not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged business enterprises. There are no details provided about incumbent vendors or existing contractual relationships within the current solicitation. The document does not specify financial terms, pricing structures, or potential contract award values, which suggests a flexible engagement model for contract attorneys. The procurement appears to be an open invitation for qualified legal professionals to enter a contract pool from which the OPD can draw representation as needed. While no specific budget ranges are mentioned, the broad scope of the solicitation implies the potential for varied case assignments across criminal and civil legal domains. The lack of specific financial details indicates that compensation and case assignments may be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the specific legal representation requirements and the individual attorney's qualifications.