TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF JANUARY 8, 2026
COMMITTEE ON PROCUREMENT
Mr. John P. Murray, Executive Director
Title
Issue purchase order and enter into an agreement with the law firm of Robbins DiMonte, Ltd, for Contract 25-RFP-13, Professional Legal Services for Bankruptcy and Collection Matters for a three-year period, in an amount not to exceed $75,000.00, Account 101-30000-612430, Requisition 1634399
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Dear Sir:
Authorization is requested to issue a purchase order and enter into an agreement with the law firm of Robbins DiMonte, Ltd. (“Robbins”) to represent and counsel the District in connection with bankruptcy and collection matters in an amount not to exceed $75,000.00. This contract will be for a period of three years, commencing January 1, 2026, and ending December 31, 2028.
By way of background, the District has enacted its User Charge Ordinance (“UCO”), which authorizes the District to establish rates and assess charges against users based upon factors that influence the cost of treatment of industrial wastes and other wastes conveyed by them to the District’s sewer and wastewater treatment facilities, and its Sewage and Waste Control Ordinance (“SWCO”), which sets limits for various wastewater pollutants that a user’s discharged wastewater may contain and establishes an enforcement program when a user violates those limits. When a user fails to pay User Charges and related amounts owed to the District under UCO and/or noncompliance enforcement charges and late filing fees assessed by the District pursuant to SWCO, the District’s Law Department is called upon to assist in the collection of those delinquent amounts.
Often times, users of the District’s facilities file for bankruptcy protection. Based on the complexity of bankruptcy laws, specifically as to the rights of a governmental entity as a creditor, the assistance of bankruptcy counsel has been needed over the years to protect the District’s rights as creditor relative to bankruptcy related proceedings, and to provide recommendations and assist the District in pursuing lien foreclosure actions, wage garnishments, and other possible ancillary matters related to creditor issues.
On April 9, 2025, Contract 25-RFP-13, Professional Legal Services for Bankruptcy and Collection Matters, was publicly advertised in the Chicago Sun Times, and was later advertised in the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Three (3) vendors submitted proposal documents: Robbins; Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP; and Saul Ewing LLP.
The proposals were evaluated by staff from the Law, Finance, Monitoring and Research, and Procurement and Materials Management Departments. The criteria for these evaluations were outlined in request for proposal Contract 25-RFP-13 and included understanding the project, approach to the work, technical competence, personal effectiveness, cost of services, compliance with insurance requirements, and submission of all necessary licenses. Following the preliminary evaluation of the proposals, all proposers were invited to a finalist interview. Finalist interviews were held on August 18, 21, and 25, 2025. A solicitation was sent to the finalists on September 10, 2025, for an unqualified “best and final” offer. The “best and final” offers were returned to the Director of Procurement and Materials Management by September 15, 2025.
Based on the evaluation of the proposals using the criteria described above and the pricing provided in the “best and final” offers, it is recommended that a contract be awarded to Robbins to represent and counsel the District in connection with bankruptcy and collection matters. Robbins is a mid-sized firm located in Park Ridge, Illinois with experience in all aspects of bankruptcy matters, including Chapter 7, 11 and 13 representations, bankruptcy reorganizations and liquidations, asset liquidation strategies, complex corporate restructurings, and mortgage and UCC foreclosures. Robbins has a team of dedicated bankruptcy professionals with experience in litigating bankruptcy related matters such as adversary proceedings, has published in legal journals on the topics of bankruptcy and lien foreclosures, and has served on the Northern District of Illinois Local Rules Advisory Committee which provides direct communication with the bench on the applicable local bankruptcy rules.
Robbins has agreed to an hourly rate of $225.00 for Senior Partners, Partners and Associate Attorneys, which is reduced from its regular rates, and $200.00 for Paralegals.
The Affirmative Action Appendix A and Appendix V were not included in this RFP since the total value of the contract is less than $100,000.00.
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 Robbins DiMonte, Ltd., for Contract 25-RFP-13, Professional Legal Services for Bankruptcy and Collection Matters for a three-year period, in an amount not to exceed $75,000.00.
Funds are available for 2026 in Account 101-30000-612430. Funds for the years 2027 and 2028 are contingent on the Board of Commissioners’ approval of the District’s budget for those years.
Requested, Susan T. Morakalis, General Counsel, STM:CMM:AOC
Recommended, Darlene A. LoCascio, Director of Procurement and Materials Management
Respectfully Submitted, Precious Brady-Davis, Chairperson, Committee on Procurement
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for January 8, 2026
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