Southern Utah Regional Managing Defender

The State of Utah Division of Purchasing is conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP) to secure a Southern Utah Regional Managing Defender for the Office of Indigent Defense Services. The contract will cover a three-year period with an option for a one-year extension, focusing on managing indigent defense services across Sanpete, Sevier, Wayne, and Grand Counties. The selected contractor will serve as a full-time administrative and supervisory attorney responsible for overseeing defense providers, conducting courtroom observations, evaluating attorney performance, addressing client complaints, managing caseloads, approving budgets, and ensuring compliance with constitutional, state, and federal requirements. Mandatory qualifications include an Active Status Utah State Bar License, a minimum of five years' experience representing indigent clients, and at least two years of supervisory experience with indigent defense service providers. The evaluation will utilize a scoresheet with three technical categories: Resume (30 points), Management Experience (80 points), and Government Official Engagement Experience (60 points), requiring a minimum technical score of 510 points (60%) to be considered responsive. The proposal submission deadline is January 22, 2026, with proposals to be submitted through the U3P portal.

There are no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organizational types mentioned in the procurement documents. The contract has an annual value of $80,000, payable in monthly installments and subject to legislative appropriation. Vendors must certify compliance with Utah Code requirements, including non-engagement in economic boycotts, non-use of forced labor products, and non-association with restricted foreign entities. The State reserves the right to conduct background checks on vendor personnel and request additional information as needed. Proposers must submit both technical and cost proposals separately, with cost evaluated using a proportional scoring method where the lowest proposed cost receives 100 percent of available cost points. The State of Utah intends to award a single contract to the most responsive and responsible vendor with the highest overall evaluation score, following a comprehensive review of technical capabilities and cost proposals.