School Board Agenda Item

Accept the Proposals Submitted by 1) Joyner & Jordan-Holmes, 2) W. Crosby Few, and 3) Broad & Cassel for Request for Proposal (RFP) #4825-TS Legal Services – Truancy Court. The work will be assigned by the Deputy Superintendent, in consultation with the School Board Attorney, taking into consideration the expertise required and circumstances of each assignment. (Business Division)

On August 3, 2006, the Purchasing Department on behalf of Department of Student Services issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for legal representation based upon specifications provided by the department. The purpose of this RFP is to establish a contract, with a highly qualified law firm, to perform the full range of services associated with litigations related to truancy court. To evaluate this RFP, firms were asked to provide their knowledge/experience, experience of the primary individual, small business utilization, references, and cost/fees for services. Proposals were due on August 23, 2006. The District utilizes an online vendor registration system to notify potential bidders of opportunities. Through this system, three (3) firms responded (Attachment A). Proposals were received from Broad and Cassel, Joyner & Jordan-Holmes, and, W. Crosby Few. The evaluation process included a committee of district, sheriff’s office, and court system personnel (Attachment B). Prior to Phase l, Purchasing staff contacted references to assist the committee in determining which firms would advance. During Phase I, the committee evaluated the proposals on August 28, 2006, based on the RFP criteria (Attachment C). The committee determined Phase II, Oral Presentations, was not necessary. During Phase I, the committee reviewed key points, as a group and individually, and rated each vendor for final compilation and ranking (Attachment D). The fee schedule for each firm recommended for award is provided (Attachment E). Elsa Tuggle, Supervisor of Attendance, is the person with whom the attorney will communicate as to matters relating to this contract. The contract shall have an effective date of September 27, 2006, and an expiration date of September 26, 2008.

As stated in OPPAGA report: “Efficient purchasing and warehousing require that management processes be in place to ensure that supplies, equipment, and services vital to the school’s education mission are purchased from a competitive source, in the right quantity, delivered timely to the correct location, and stored in a secure location. These criteria should be met for each purchase without sacrificing quality.”

The average yearly total cost of attorney fees for all district legal services is $749,293 based upon the expenses for the past three years. Legal activity does vary from year to year in amounts and among the various legal disciplines based upon circumstances at the time. The average expenses, paid for from operating budget dollars, have been paid for from budget dollars charged to the operation of the School Board. Legal costs incurred due to capital outlay matters including bond counsel, land use, real property, and construction litigation are charged to the appropriate projects in the capital outlay budget.

The Project Manager (end user) and Purchasing Analyst, who function as a team, perform contract administration or evaluation. Reviews are conducted face to face, typically quarterly, or by utilizing an online vendor performance report. Prior to soliciting a new contract, the Contract Administration team must first give consideration to the specifications and supporting data of the expiring contract.

Gwendolyn Luney Assistant Superintendent, Student Services and Federal Programs (813) 272-4879	Gretchen Saunders Chief Business Officer (813) 272-4270
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Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20060926_184 * Section E Item# 5.24