RFP – Legal Counsel, Manchester Sanitary District

Start Date: July 29, 2025
End Date: August 29, 2025
Type: Requests for Proposals (RFP)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Legal Services

Issue Date: July 29, 2025

Overview

The Manchester Sanitary District (the District) is seeking proposals from qualified attorneys or law firms to provide legal services on a contractual basis under appointment by the Trustees of the Manchester Sanitary District. The District’s Attorney will provide legal counsel to Trustees and represent the District in legal proceedings as needed. Services will include, but are not limited to:

• Drafting and review of contracts
• Review of existing the District's rules and regulations; providing opinions thereafter and suggestions to the Board of Trustees for revision
• Attending public meetings on an as-needed basis (or special sessions when requested), teleconference attendance acceptable
• Advise and represent the District in the event of ratepayer disputes

The District will accept proposals that include hourly billing structures and/or proposals for retainer-based services at a fixed monthly rate covering routine legal matters. Prompt and responsive legal support is expected, regardless of legal team size.

District Profile

The Manchester Sanitary District is a Title 38 Sanitary District, serving approximately 400 ratepayers residing in the town of Manchester, Maine. The District’s Projected revenues are $416,000 for the current fiscal year. The board consists of Five elected Trustees that meet monthly. The District contracts with a neighboring treatment facility for treatment of all effluent, in addition to processing flow of neighboring towns through a trunkline agreement.

Proposals are due no later than:
Friday, August 29, 2025, by 5:00 PM (EST)

Proposals must be submitted electronically and clearly marked:
"Legal Services Proposal – Manchester Sanitary District"

Email to:
[email protected]
Late submissions will not be accepted.

Evaluation Criteria

Submissions will be evaluated on the following:

• Qualifications and experience in Sanitary District/government law
• Fee structure and overall cost
• Responsiveness and turnaround time, ability to delegate work in the absence of a primary contact
• Sanitary District/Government references
• Optional oral interview (if requested)

The District has the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and may choose to contract with multiple attorneys or firms in different subject matter areas if in the best interest of the District.

Required Proposal Contents

Refer to Appendix A for detailed service areas and proposal form. Responses must include:

1. Completed Appendix A (fee structure and firm info)
2. Resumes for all attorneys proposed
3. List of Sanitary District or comparable clients with references
4. Professional liability insurance certificate (minimum $1,000,000 coverage)
5. Detailed description of billing practices (including hourly and retainer options)
6. Statement of response time standards
7. Plan for legal transition or delegation of services
8. Description of proactive/litigation-prevention legal strategies
9. Explanation of digital capabilities

For more information, please reach out to the contact listed below:

Charlie Hippler

Chairman

207.530.2708

[email protected]

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to reviewing your proposal.

APPENDIX A

Proposal Form

Please complete the following fields. Attach additional sheets as necessary

Name of firm:

Mailing address:

Physical address:

Telephone:

Fax:

Email address:

Website:

Name of lawyer proposed as Town Attorney:

Estimated % of time spent on District legal affairs:

Can your firm provide documents digitally

Professional Liability Insurance Carrier:

Coverage Limits:

Billing Information

Attorney hourly rate (include any applicable discount):

Associate attorney hourly rate:

Paralegal hourly rate:

Clerical hourly rate:

Other staff hourly rate:

Billing rate for travel (both ways, one way, or no charge?):

Mileage expense rate:

Legal research hourly rate: