Christian County Library District (referred to as the “Library”) hereby gives notice of their intent to engage an attorney or law firm to serve as outside legal counsel for the Library.
SECTION I: GENERAL INFORMATION
Respondents will be responsible for all costs incurred in preparing or responding to this RFP.
The Library will select a respondent to provide the required services and enter a routine letter of engagement. The decision will be based upon the respondent’s proposal, qualifications, and potential interview.
The Library is a political subdivision of the state of Missouri and any information submitted to the Library is subject to release as provided for by Missouri Public Records Law. The Library will take reasonable efforts to protect any information marked “confidential,” to the extent allowed by Missouri Public Records Law. As part of the RFP processes, any confidential information must be submitted in a separate envelope, sealed, and marked “Confidential Information” and will be returned upon request, after the determination of a list of qualified respondents. It is understood, however, that the Library will have no liability for disclosure of such information. Any proprietary or otherwise sensitive information contained in or with any submittal is subject to potential disclosure. All other materials and documents submitted in response to the RFP become the property of the Library and will not be returned.
SECTION II: BACKGROUND
Christian County Library District is in the southwest part of the state, part of the Springfield metropolitan area, serving over 90,000 people in Christian County. The Library, with approximately 60 staff members, provides service through 4 branches including outreach vehicles and online resources. Christian County Library’s mission is building community for all through access, innovation, and engagement. The Library is governed by a board of five appointed trustees.
SECTION III: SCOPE OF WORK
As a not for profit political subdivision, Christian County Library District desires legal advice on the following (not an all-inclusive list):
- Library law
- Employment law
- First Amendment law
- Real estate law
- Municipal law
- Missouri Sunshine law
SECTION IV: TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Below is a tentative timeline of the process.
- Post and distribute the RFP: October 25, 2024
- Receive responses by deadline of noon, Friday, November 8, 2024
- Review of proposals: November 8-18, 2024
- Board of Trustees and Executive Director may interview the top respondents based on criteria found below: November 18-20, 2024
- Execute an agreement based on the desired scope of work: November 21, 2024
If unable to successfully negotiate an engagement for any reason, an attempt will be made to engage the second most qualified respondent, and so on until the Library is able to successfully engage outside counsel.
SECTION V: PROPOSAL FOR SERVICES
Proposal for services should include the following:
- Method of billing and proposed rate, whether hourly, monthly fee, or retainer, for all services, including phone calls, email, written correspondence, and attendance at meetings
- Scope of work/number of hours (if billing a monthly fee) and proposed rate for out-of-scope work
- Preferred communication methods and expected response times
- Preferred engagement terms, whether month to month, annual contract, etc.
- Willingness to make legal memos/opinions public records
- Statement of qualifications, as defined in Section VI
SECTION VI: STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATION
Statements of qualifications should include the following:
- General information regarding the respondent, including educational credentials and where licensed
- The respondent’s experience as outside counsel for political subdivisions of the State of Missouri
- Availability of the respondent to attend Library Board meetings and to review meeting agendas
- If responding as a firm, indication of the individual(s) primarily responsible for the engagement along with the name, credentials, and rates of those responsible for assisting with the engagement
- Include a list of current clients and engagements focusing on any potential conflicts of interest
- Past performance as reflected in evaluations of previous and current clients with respect to factors such as quality of work and meeting deadlines. The respondent should include a list of three relevant clients involving similar work. Descriptions should include the following:
- Description of client (if unable to provide name) and location
- Brief description of the scope of engagement
- Other relevant information about the project and the firm’s services
- Any noteworthy activities associated with the engagement
- Reference contact person and phone number (if possible)
- Any notable awards or certifications
SECTION VII: SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The deadline for receipt of proposals is Friday, November 8, at noon.
Please submit an electronic copy of the proposal in either DOCX or PDF file format to legalrfp@christiancountylibrary.org with the Subject line “Proposal for Legal Counsel.” Submissions may be mailed to the address below but will be converted to an electronic format. Mark the envelope in which the submissions are enclosed as “Proposal for Legal Counsel” and deliver to:
Renee Brumett
Christian County Library
208 N. McCroskey St.
Nixa, MO 65714
Upon receipt, responses will be shared electronically with all individual trustees via library file sharing software or email. Any information marked confidential and submitted as directed in Section I will be viewed in person by trustees during the review process.
It is the intent of this RFP to describe the required services in sufficient detail to secure comparable qualifications. Appropriate questions from firms that are intended to clarify the contents of this RFP must be submitted in writing and directed to Renee Brumett, at the address listed above or rbrumett@christiancountylibrary.org
SECTION VIII: EVALUATION & SELECTION
The Library Board of Trustees and Executive Director will review and evaluate the proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria identified in Section IX and rank the respondents in order of their qualifications. Factors to be considered relative to the qualifications of the respondent will include, but not be limited to: credentials, experience, and perceived capability to perform the work.
The Library Board of Trustees and Executive Director may conduct in person or virtual interviews of some or all of the candidates in a public special meeting of the board during the week of November 18, 2024.
If the Library is unable to negotiate an engagement with any of the selected respondents, the library shall reevaluate and compile a list of qualified respondents and proceed in accordance with the Library’s selection process.
The Library reserves the right to reject any and all submissions, to waive any irregularities in the qualifications received, and to accept the submission deemed most advantageous to the best interest of the Library.
As a political subdivision of the State of Missouri, any contract or engagement developing from this RFP is subject to the laws and regulations of the State governing its contracts, choice of law, venue, and other similar parameters for political subdivisions including RSMO Sec. 285.530.2. Pursuant to that section, any subsequent engagement or contract is contingent on providing the Library with an affidavit affirming enrollment and participation in a federal work authorization program respective to the employees working in connection with the services to be provided to Christian County Library District.
SECTION IX: SELECTION CRITERIA
The Library will consider the following selection criteria to determine the most qualified consultant:
- The specialized experience and technical competence of the respondent with respect to the described work.
- The capacity and capability of the respondent to provide legal advice in one or all areas.
- The past record of performance of the respondent with respect to such factors as quality of work and timeliness of response.
- Proximity to and familiarity with the Library service area.
- The Library will take the best qualified bid. The “best bid” will be determined by the selection criteria and may not necessarily be the “low bid.”