RFI - Sole Source for Indigent Legal Services

The Division of Contracts and Procurement has received a request to purchase from a "sole source" vendor. If, for any reason, any party does not agree that this sole source purchase is applicable, please email the contact person for Salt Lake County Contracts and Procurement Division prior to the "Comments Due Date:" indicated below: Title: Indigent Legal Services SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION Sole source procurement is appropriate when goods or services are only available from a single vendor; when the most important consideration is the standardization or compatibility of equipment, materials, technology, software accessories, replacement parts, or service; where transitional costs are unreasonable or cost prohibitive; or if it otherwise qualifies under County Ordinance 3.20.030. Salt Lake County on behalf of its Human Services Department is seeking to enter into a sole source provider contract with its current provider to provide legal representation in civil commitment proceedings. Proposed Sole Source Provider: Law Offices of Julie George, Inc. Notice Start Date: May 1, 2026 Comments Due Date/Time: May 8, 2026, before 1:00pm MST Estimated Costs: $175,000 annually. Annual renewal amounts would be subject to appropriation by the County Council. The resulting contract would be for a two-year period January 1, 2027-December 31 2028. Contact Person: Jason Yocom email address: jyocom@saltlakecounty.gov Materials Provided to Salt Lake County The County is a governmental entity subject to the Utah Governmental Records and Access Management Act (GRAMA), Utah Code Section 63G-2-101 et seq. All documents submitted in response to this RFI will be treated as protected records under GRAMA Section 63G-2-305(7). Please be advised that documents submitted in response to this RFI will become public records upon execution of a contract directly relating to the subject of this request or in the event the County does not enter into a contract which directly relates to the subject matter upon the expiration of two years from the date of issue of this RFI. Trade secrets and commercial information will not be disclosed provided that you have properly compiled with Utah Code Section 63G-2-305 and Utah Code Section 63G-2-309. DO NOT RESPOND THROUGH UTAH PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PLACE SEND COMMENTS DIRECTLY TO CONTACT PERSON! BACKGROUND and JUSTIFICATION The state of Utah employs a county-based system for the provision of indigent defense. In Salt Lake County, the Human Services Department through Indigent Legal Services (ILS) contracts with outside firms and lawyers to provide legal representation for all qualifying individuals. Pursuant to the Utah Code, one aspect of this requirement is representation of persons who are subject to civil commitment proceedings. This is a specialized area of the law requiring specific training, knowledge, and expertise. To provide this service Salt Lake County contracts with one main provider who has the skills and capacity to handle all cases that are brought in the 3rd District Court Salt Lake Division in which there is not a legal conflict of interest. The requested service involves highly specialized legal representation in civil commitment proceedings. This area of law requires not only legal expertise, but also an understanding of the clinical aspects of mental health, including diagnosis, treatment considerations, and the intersection of behavioral health and legal standards. The recommended provider, Law Offices of Julie George, is uniquely qualified, with over 25 years of experience specifically in civil commitment proceedings. The provider has developed a rare combination of legal expertise, clinical understanding, and an effective client management strategy tailored to individuals experiencing mental health crises. This includes the ability to work effectively with vulnerable populations, coordinate with clinical professionals, and navigate complex legal and ethical requirements. Based on market research and professional knowledge, Law Offices of Julie George is the only known provider within Salt Lake County with this level of specialized experience and integrated expertise. No other available provider in the region offers the same combination of qualifications necessary to effectively handle these cases. The requested legal services must be compatible with ongoing and prior civil commitment cases, including established legal strategies, case history, and coordination with clinical providers and support systems. Continuity of legal counsel is critical in these matters due to the complexity of cases and the need for consistent client management strategies. Law Offices of Julie George has established familiarity with these processes and stakeholders. Transitioning to a new provider would require significant time to review case histories and clinical information, resulting in inefficiencies and potential disruption to legal proceedings and client care. The need for these legal services is ongoing and tied to active and future civil commitment proceedings. Continuity of representation will be required for the duration of these matters to ensure consistent legal strategy and appropriate outcomes. Transitioning to another legal provider would result in unnecessary costs. A new provider would require substantial time to review case histories, understand prior legal strategies, and become familiar with the clinical aspects of each case. Additional costs would include duplication of legal work and time required to establish effective working relationships with clients and clinical professionals. Given the vulnerable population served, disruption in established client management strategies could negatively impact client stability and legal outcomes. These combined financial, operational, and legal risks make transitioning to another provider unreasonable and cost prohibitive. An assessment was conducted to evaluate the impact of transitioning to a different legal provider. Consideration was also given to the likelihood of decreased efficiency during transition. The analysis demonstrated that transitioning would result in lower efficacy and increased risk, without providing any offsetting benefit. Therefore, continuing with Law Offices of Julie George is the most appropriate course of action