TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF NOVEMBER 21, 2024
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. Brian A. Perkovich, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP to conduct a technical review of the plan document for the District Deferred Compensation Plan and Trust in an amount not to exceed $25,000.00, Account 101-25000-612430, Requisition 1627073
Body
Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP to conduct a technical review of the plan document for the District Deferred Compensation Plan and Trust.
The District solicited four law firms possessing the expertise to provide the requested legal services. These services will include a comprehensive review of the plan document for the deferred compensation plan to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state regulations including Internal Revenue Service guidelines and recommendations for any necessary changes to the document based on current industry best practices.
An evaluation committee comprised of staff from the Human Resources, Law and Procurement departments, interviewed the three firms that responded to the solicitation. The evaluation criteria utilized by the committee included the firm’s professional qualifications, resources, ability to manage the scope of work, and specific experience with similar public sector retirement plans. Based on these criteria, the evaluation committee recommends the firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP to conduct the technical review.
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP is a Chicago-based firm with significant experience working with public entities on employment, compensation and benefits matters. Anthony Antognoli, who would serve as lead counsel for the technical review, has more than twenty years practicing in employee benefits. This experience includes drafting deferred compensation plans, reviewing and restating plan documents for compliance, and providing counsel on plan administration for both governmental and non-governmental plans.
Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP has agreed to a reduced hourly rate of $410.00 for Mr. Antognoli’s services and a rate of $250.00 per hour for any work performed by attorneys serving in an associate role on this technical review project. As a result, an exception to the Board’s $250.00 hourly rate cap policy for outside legal services, adopted March 15, 2018, is recommended.
As the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP possesses a high degree of professional experience and skill, such action may be taken without advertising in accordance with Section 11.4 of the District’s Purchasing Act.
In view of the foregoing, it is requested that the Director of Procurement and Materials Management be authorized to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with the law firm of Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP to conduct a technical review of the plan document for the District Deferred Compensation Plan and Trust in an amount not to exceed $25,000.00.
Funds for 2024 expenditures in the amount of $25,000.00 are available in Account 101-25000-612430.
Requested, Thaddeus J. Kosowski, Director of Human Resources, TJK
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Marcelino Garcia, Chairman, Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for November 21, 2024