Sound Transit is seeking associate-level outside counsel services on a secondment basis. The selected candidate would be co-located within the agency’s in-house office of general counsel. Sound Transit’s office of general counsel is a collegial and high-functioning group of 14 attorneys and 7 staff. We support the entire spectrum of agency legal needs, including land use and planning, environmental, real estate, utility relocation, contract negotiation and drafting, construction procurement, contracting and claims, employment, finance, and general municipal law.

The ideal candidate will be comfortable engaging with a broad array of legal subjects and performing a variety of legal tasks under the supervision of senior attorneys. The candidate will have a minimum of three years of progressively responsible experience as an attorney. The experience need not be in any particular field of law.

We view this secondment as an opportunity for both Sound Transit and the outside firm to establish a more informed relationship and to enhance our potential to work together in the future. We are aware that client representations may pose potential conflicts of interest and are prepared to discuss whether work may be properly structured to avoid them.

The appointment will run approximately July 1, 2019 through January 31, 2019. We prefer a 40-hour week engagement but will consider alternative proposals.

Submittals

Responsive firms should propose an individual attorney who is qualified and available to perform the legal work described above and should include a summary of the attorney’s relevant experience and qualifications together with a short writing sample (no more than five pages).

Sound Transit requests billing on some other basis than paying the attorney’s full hourly rate. Please confirm that your firm is willing to negotiate such an arrangement and propose a payment structure.

Please provide responses to Kathy Gates, Legal Department Project Administration Specialist, at kathy.gates@soundtransit.org no later than 5pm on Tuesday, May 28, 2019.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Sound Transit is interested in submittals from law firms that demonstrate a commitment to equal employment opportunity. Sound Transit views diversity as an essential component of excellence and success, and proposers should include information about the diversity of their firm in terms of women, minorities, persons with disabilities, sexual orientation, etc. Describe your firm’s efforts toward, commitment to, and alignment with this view as it relates to hiring practices, promotion, and assignment of work.

Proposers are advised that they shall adhere to the following non-discrimination provisions:

The Consultant will not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employee or subconsultant because of race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, nationality, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification. The Consultant will take affirmative steps to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, nationality or the presence of such disability.

Environmental Considerations

Sound Transit prefers the use of double-sided, recycled/recyclable paper. Elaborate, decorative, extraneous, and non-recyclable materials are strongly discouraged.

Evaluation and Selection

Sound Transit seeks to solicit the best professional services for this project. An evaluation team will evaluate and screen all submissions received based on a combination of (1) relevant experience and demonstrated capability; (2) price, and (3) ongoing availability to Sound Transit’s office of general counsel. Based on the evaluation criteria, Sound Transit may select finalists for further evaluation and interviews, but Sound Transit reserves the right to make a final selection without holding interviews and may decline to engage any professional services at this time. This selection process is authorized under Sound Transit Board Resolution No. 2018-40.

Public Disclosure

Pursuant to Chapter 42.56 RCW, proposals submitted to Sound Transit shall be considered public records and with limited exceptions will be available for inspection and copying by the public. Proposers shall specifically designate and clearly label as "CONFIDENTIAL" any and all materials or portions thereof which they deem to contain trade secrets or other proprietary information, which is exempt from public inspection and copying. The Proposer shall provide the legal basis for the exemption to Sound Transit upon request. If a Proposal does not clearly identify the "CONFIDENTIAL" portions, Sound Transit will not notify the Proposer that its Proposal will be made available for inspection. If a request is made for disclosure of material or any portion marked "CONFIDENTIAL," Sound Transit will determine whether the material should be made available under the law. If Sound Transit determines that the material is not exempt and may be disclosed, Sound Transit will notify the Proposer of the request and allow the Proposer ten (10) working days to take appropriate action pursuant to RCW 42.56.540. If the Proposer fails or neglects to take such action within said period, Sound Transit may release the portions of the Proposal deemed subject to disclosure. To the extent that Sound Transit withholds from disclosure all or any portion of Proposer’s documents at Proposer’s request, Proposer shall agree to fully indemnify, defend and hold harmless Sound Transit from all damages, penalties, attorneys' fees and costs Sound Transit incurs related to withholding information from public disclosure. By submitting a Proposal, the Proposer consents to the procedure outlined in this paragraph and shall have no claim against Sound Transit by reason of actions taken under this procedure.