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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001 06 05 Regular Item A MEMORANDUM TO: Board of Trustees Members FROM: Jan Palladino, Secretary to the City Manager DATE: May 9, 2001 SUBJ: Request For Qualifications For your review, as requested at the Board of Trustees Meeting of May 8, 2001, please find the Request For Qualifications- RFQ#006-0 l/GD - Pension Attorney Services. If you have any questions you may contact Gene DeMarie, General Services Director at 407 -327 -5961. ., " CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA 1126 EAST STATE ROAD 434 WINTER SPRINGS. FLORIDA 32708.2799 Telephone (407) 327-1800 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS - RFQ # 006-01/GD - PENSION ATTORNEY SERVICES The City of Winter Springs, Florida, invites attorneys who are licensed to practice in the State of Florida to submit their qualifications for the performance legal services related to pension matters. Proposers must have significant legal experience in pension law and preparing defined benefit plans for public employees. A. General Information 1. The City will contract for legal services related to pension matters for fiscal years ending September 30, 2002, 2003, and 2004. 2. Winter Springs, Florida is a City Commission/City Manager form of municipal government. The City is primarily a retail, office and residential area with a population of 30,090 (preliminary 2000 census estimate). The City employs approximately 240 employees and administers a combined budget of $36,000,000. 3. The City provides pension benefits to its employees through a Defined Benefit Plan that is overseen by a Board of Trustees. Trustees are appointed from the general population of the City by the City Commission, which has ultimate authority and responsibility for pension policy matters. Staff support is provided to the Board of Trustees through the City Manager's office. The Trustees meet quarterly, with special meetings held as necessary. 4. The City currently has 209 active participants in the plan. Participation is mandatory after six (6) months of employment. Employees contribute three (3) percent of their salaries toward support of the plan, with the City contributing eight (8) percent. 5. The plan currently has assets of slightly over Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) in market value. 6. There are currently seven (7) retirees drawing benefits from the plan. 7. The City retains acturial services and investment management services.for plan administration purposes and the investment of plan funds. B. Performance Specifications: 1. To qualify, an attorney or law firm must meet the following minimum requirements: a) Be established as a legal entity and be licensed in the State of Florida, and must have performed continuous legal services to local governments for a minimum of five (5) years. b) Must have provided legal services for pension purposes for at least three (3) years. .. c) Must be a member in good standing of the Florida Bar Association. Specialized training or certifications in legal services to local government, particularly pension in matters, is highly desirable 2. Attendance at meetings of the Board of Trustees and/or the City Commission will be at the discretion and call of the Chairman. . 3. A continuous review of the plan documents and Code of Ordinances as they relate to pension matters will be required. 4. Working papers will be available for examination or duplication without charge to authorized City personnel. They will be made available for examination or duplication at a reasonable charge to subsequent attorneys engaged by the City. 5. C. Instructions for Submittals: 1. Submittals, in not less than 10 copies, shall be mailed or delivered to: Director of General Services City of Winter Springs 1126 East S.R. 434 Winter Springs, FL 32708 2. Proposals must be received by the City not later than 5:00 p.m. on Monday, April 30, 2001, in order to be considered. 3. Submittals must be delivered in a sealed envelope with the name of the proposer and RFQ # 006-01/GD - Pension Attorney Services clearly marked on the outside for easy identification. No facsimile or telegraphic submittals will be accepted. 4. . Costs of the preparation of submittals are an operational cost of the proposer, and the City of Winter Springs shall not be responsible for any such costs incurred. D. Information to be included in the Submittal: 1. Title Page - The proposer should identify the RFP number and subject, the name of the firm, local address, telephone number, name and title of contact person, and date of submission. 2. Location of all offices and dates established. 3. Letter of Transmittal - Should be brief, and introductory in nature. 4. Name(s) and biographical sketch(es) of attorney(s) proposed to be involved with the City engagement. 5. An express agreement to meet or exceed performance expectations listed in Section B. Specify any exceptions. 6. Description and history of the firm, including whether the firm is local, regional or national. 7. The location of the office from which the work is to be done. Indicate relevant prior governmental experience of the assigned office. Firm-wide experience may be submitted in addition to, but not in lieu of, the assigned office's experience. 8. A listing of Florida municipalities for which the firm is providing or has provided requested services, the scope of such service, and the time periods of such service. Please provide a contact person, address and phone number, as these clients may be contacted for references. NOTE THAT A FEE PROPOSAL IS NOT TO BE INCLUDED WITH THIS PROPOSAL. 2 E. Evaluation Procedure and Selection Process: The Board of Trustees, with input and recommendations from city staff, will evaluate all submittals and select attorneys/firms as finalists for oral presentations and interviews. After oral presentations and interviews, the Trustees will undertake fee negotiations with the top ranking finalist. Should agreement not be reached, negotiations will begin with the remaining firms in ranking order. The Trustees will then present a recommendation to the City Commission on a date to be determined. F. Terms and Conditions: 1. All responses shall become the property of the City of Winter Springs. 2. Submittals shall be prepared simply, providing straightforward responses to satisfy the requirements of this RFQ. 3. Each firm shall examine all parts of this RFQ and shall determine all matters relating to the interpretation of such documents. 4. A response to this RFQ does not constitute a bid. Therefore, the City retains their right to contact any/all proposers after submittal in order to obtain supplemental information and/or clarification. 5. All questions for clarification or additional information should be directed to Gene DeMarie, Director of General Services, at (407) 327-5961. No other City Staff, Board, Commission members, or contracted consultants shall be contacted. Such unauthorized contact shall be cause for disqualification. 6. The City reserves the right to accept or reject any and all submittals received, to waive irregularities and technicalities, and to request re-submission or to re- advertise for all or any part of the RFQ. The City shall be the sole judge of the submittal and the resulting negotiated agreement that is in the City's best interest, and the City's decision shall be final. G. Request for Additional'nformation: The proposer shall furnish such additional information as the City may reasonable require. This includes information, which indicates financial resources as well as ability to provide and maintain the requested services. The City reserves the right to make investigations of the qualifications of the proposer or any of its agents as it deems appropriate. H. Addendum and Amendment to Request for Proposals: If it becomes necessary to revise or amend any part of this RFQ, the revision will be furnished by written Addendum. It shall be the responsibility of proposers to contact the Director of General Services no later than the end of the workday, April 26, 2001, to determine if addenda have been issued and/or are available. I. Non-Collusion: By offering a submittal, the proposer certifies that he/she has not divulged to, discussed or compared his/her proposal with other proposers or parties to this proposal whatsoever. See required Non-Collusion Statement below. 3 J. Additional Information: Requests for additional information should be made to: Gene DeMarie Director of General Services City of Winter Springs 1126 East S. R. 434 Wi.nter Springs, FL 32708 (407) 327-5961 NOTE: All prospective proposers are hereby cautioned not to contact any member of the City of Winter Springs Commission, or any other staff member except the Director of General Services, regarding this RFQ. Such unauthorized contact shall be cause for disqualification. All contact must be through the Director of General Services. 4 NON-CULLUSION WITH - AND NON-INTEREST OF - CITY EMPLOYEES. Description of Contract: PENSION ATTORNEY SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA STATE: COUNTY OF: FLORIDA SEMINOLE Name of company responding Name of authorized individual signing being the first duly sworn, deposes and says that he/she is the respondent in the above SUBMITTAL, that the only person or persons interested in said submittal are named therein; that no officer, employee or agent of the City of Winter Springs or of any other party is interested in said request for qualifications; and that affiant makes the above proposal with no past or present collusion with any other person, firm or corporation. Firm Signature . 5