title
RETENTION OF OUTSIDE LEGAL COUNSEL FOR UTILITIES BOND, BOND DISCLOSURE AND FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS (NB)
recommendation
The City Commission authorize Broad and Cassel, Holland & Knight, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, LLP, to represent the City in bond, bond disclosure and other financial transactions for the Gainesville Regional Utilities System as specified in retention letters issued by the Office of the City Attorney.
explanation
In March 2014, the City Utilities Attorney invited eleven law firms to participate in a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process in order to retain utilities bond and bond disclosure counsel for the Gainesville Regional Utilities system. The eleven firms were invited to participate based on the depth and relevancy of their experience in representing public entities in bond and financial transactions and the ability and capacity of the firm to handle multiple areas of legal expertise that often arise in bond and financial transactions. Ten law firms expressed interest in participating in the RFP process.
From March 26 to April 14, 2014, Mark Benton, the City's Finance Director and Shayla McNeill, the Utilities Attorney, conducted telephonic interviews with the ten law firms. Also present for many of the telephonic interviews were Linda Vaughn, GRU Investments, and Joann Dorval, GRU Purchasing Manager. Upon completion of the interviews, the Utilities Attorney selected the three most highly qualified law firms based on relevant experience with utility bond issuance and disclosure and cost effective rates. In addition, the selected firms value and support diversity as follows:
Broad and Cassel actively encourages and seeks out highly qualified minority candidates and participates in forums specifically geared toward attracting minority candidates. The firm's stated belief is that by recruiting, hiring, and promoting people of different cultures, backgrounds, beliefs and preferences, the quality of work life ...
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