COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council
FROM: Mitchell Kaluali, City Magistrate
SUBJECT:Title
Award Professional Services Agreement for Public Defender Services to Whitney & Whitney PLLC DBA Whitney | Whitney | Baldridge | Atkinson (Mitchell Kalauli)
Body
FUNDING SOURCE:
General Fund
PURPOSE:
To award an agreement to provide legal representation for indigent defendants.
BACKGROUND:
The City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Public Defender Services in April of 2024. The evaluation process was outlined in the RFP and used to evaluate proposals. The scoring committee evaluated the one proposal received and recommends that Whitney & Whitney PLLC DBA Whitney | Whitney | Baldridge | Atkinson, be awarded the Professional Services Agreement for Public Defender Services.
The RFP was published in Today’s News Herald HavasuNews, DemandStar eProcurement system, and emailed to the Mohave County Bar Association members.
The negotiated term of the agreement is for five years with a first-year annual rate of $280,000, and four annual renewal fee escalations of $5,000 per year, plus other services for expert witnesses, interpreters, Rule 11 competency evaluations, and/or other defense associated fees, Court approved.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Providing quality legal representation for eligible, indigent defendants in the Lake Havasu City Municipal Court.
FISCAL IMPACT:
$280,000 for Fiscal Year 2025, plus $5,000 escalation per year for the next four renewal years for public defender services. Other reimbursable services are approximately less than $5,000 per year. Funds are allocated and available in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 General Fund budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
Professional Services Agreement
SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended Action
I move to award the Professional Services Agreement for Public Defender Services to Whitney & Whitney, PLLC DBA Whitney | Whitney | Baldridge | Atkinson.