Regional Primary Juvenile Delinquency Defender

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing, on behalf of the Department of Criminal Justice's Office of Indigent Defense Services, is soliciting proposals for Regional Primary Juvenile Delinquency Defender legal services under an RFP with proposals due July 31, 2026. Multiple contract awards are anticipated; the methodology for determining the number of awards is specified in the scope of work. The procurement is restricted to solo practitioners or law firms with two or more attorneys licensed to practice in Utah.

Vendors must hold an active Utah State Bar license in good standing throughout the three-year contract term and must certify non-involvement in litigation that would jeopardize bar licensing or standing. Compliance with the Utah State Bar Canons of Ethics, Rules of Professional Conduct, Rules of Civility, and the IDC's Core Principles for Appointed Attorneys Representing Youth in Delinquency Proceedings is mandatory.

The scope covers comprehensive legal representation for juveniles in delinquency proceedings in the 6th Judicial District, including detention hearings, adjudications, plea negotiations, motions, trials, client interviews, case investigations, legal research, and collaboration with social workers, probation officers, and community agencies from intake through disposition and post-disposition matters.

The contract value is $100,000 per year, totaling $300,000 over three years, subject to legislative appropriations. Technical evaluation comprises three equally weighted scoreable criteria (resume quality, statement of interest, and prior youth defender experience) with a minimum threshold of 70 percent of 300 total technical points possible. Cost comprises a minimum of 30 percent of the total evaluation score. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence / $3,000,000 aggregate and comply with E-Verify requirements for Utah employees. All work product and custom deliverables become the property of the State. Pricing is not protected as confidential; vendors may submit redacted versions alongside non-redacted versions only when claiming business confidentiality for specific data elements. Background checks, interviews, and presentations are at the State's discretion. Cost proposals must be submitted separately from technical responses.