About this opportunity
AI summaryThe Town of Ridgeland requests proposals to establish a contract with a qualified attorney or firm to provide municipal public defender services for indigent criminal defendants. The selected provider will manage cases, handle discovery, issue subpoenas, and deliver legal representation from court appointments through trial, sentencing, and post-conviction reviews. Eligible respondents must be USA-based organizations licensed to practice law in South Carolina, designating an attorney with at least five years of criminal trial experience. Proposals require three professional references, and the evaluation team will assess submissions based on experience and technical competence followed by recent experience with similar work.
Scope of work
- Legal representation for indigent criminal defendants from appointment or screening through trial, sentencing, post-conviction review, and Circuit Court appeals
- Determination of indigency eligibility and moving to withdraw if defendant is not eligible
- Provision of a telephone number or numbers where counsel can be reached
- Filing of quarterly reports to the Town regarding client appointments, charges, dispositions, trials, and appeals
- Provision of discovery, case management, and issuance of subpoenas as needed
- Advising clients of their right to appeal and informing them of the process
- Attendance at monthly municipal court calendars
- Provision of qualified back-up coverage to ensure continuity of representation
How proposals are evaluated
| Criterion | Weight / scoring |
|---|---|
| Experience and technical competence of the firm and its personnel considering the scope of work | Not specified |
| Recent experience and expertise with similar work | Not specified |
| Capability to perform work (including any specialized services) within the time limitations, considering current and planned workload | Not specified |
| Past record of performance on and with private industry (cost control, quality, schedules, cooperation, responsiveness, communication) | Not specified |
Minimum qualifications
- Designated contract manager attorney must have at least five (5) years criminal trial experience
- Contract manager must have at least five (5) years experience with criminal defense/prosecution in South Carolina
- All attorneys and associated counsel must be licensed and in good standing with the South Carolina Bar
- Each attorney providing services must have criminal defense/prosecution experience in the state of South Carolina
- Prior work experience in criminal law
Documents to include with your response
- Summary of experience relevant to public defender services
- Identification of designated contract manager attorney
- Resumes of all attorneys who will provide public defender services
- Designation of percentage of practice dedicated to criminal law (if applicant is a firm)
- Description of method of service delivery, philosophy, and approach to public defender services
- Three (3) references including contact name, address, and telephone number
- Certificate of Insurance evidencing required coverage
Key dates
- RFP Date
- November 2, 2026
How to submit
- Method
- Sealed hard copy
- Instructions
- Submit one (1) hard copy in a sealed envelope with the contractor's signature across the seal marked 'RFP For Municipal Public Defender' to Ms. Katie Richardson, Municipal Clerk of Court, P.O. Box 1119 / 1 Town Square, Ridgeland, South Carolina 29936.
Contract details
- Estimated value
- Flat rate of $300 per case assigned plus an additional flat rate fee of $500 for each jury trial
- Place of performance
- Town of Ridgeland Municipal Court, Town Hall, 1 Town Square, Ridgeland, SC
- Insurance and bonding
- Workers' Compensation with Employer's Liability limits of $1,000,000; Commercial General Liability of $1,000,000/$2,000,000; All Risk Property Coverage; Commercial Automobile Liability of $1,000,000 per accident; Professional Liability of $1,000,000 each claim/annual aggregate; deductibles not to exceed $100,000 per occurrence; Town named additional insured.