title
PROPOSED CONTRACT AMENDMENT
Department(s): Office of the Chief Judge
Vendor: The Chicago Bar Foundation, Chicago, Illinois
Request: Authorization for the Chief Procurement Officer to renew and increase contract
Good(s) or Service(s): Legal Advice and Guardianship Assistance Help Desks
Original Contract Period: 5/1/2020 - 4/30/2023, with two (2), one (1) year renewal options
Proposed Amendment Type: Renewal and Increase
Proposed Contract Period: Renewal period 5/1/2023 - 4/30/2024
Total Current Contract Amount Authority: $790,345.50
Original Approval (Board or Procurement): Board, 3/26/2020, $790,345.50
Increase Requested: $279,555.00
Previous Board Increase(s): N/A
Previous Chief Procurement Officer Increase(s): N/A
Previous Board Renewals: N/A
Previous Chief Procurement Officer Renewals: N/A
Previous Board Extension(s): N/A
Previous Chief Procurement Officer Extension(s): N/A
Potential Fiscal Impact: FY 2023 $163,073.75, FY 2024 $116,481.25
Accounts: 11100.1310.33790.520830.00000.00000
Contract Number(s): 1944-17845
Concurrences:
The contract-specific goal set on this contract was zero.
The Chief Procurement Officer concurs.
Summary: This proposed contract renewal is the first of two (2), one-year renewal options. The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) provides no-cost legal advice and assistance to pro-se litigants involved in eviction matters in the First Municipal District (Chicago) or for those who seek guardianship of minors in the Court’s Probate Division. Services include staffing and volunteer coordination for The Legal Advice Desk for Eviction Court Defendants and for the Guardianship Assistance Help Desk for Minors.
The role of the CBF is to oversee and coordinate volunteer lawyers who, in conjunction with court staff, work to ensure litigants receive legal assistance. The CBF works with two local legal aid organizations, Coordinated Advice & Referral Programs for Legal Services and Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc., to link pro-se litigants to attorneys who provide pro bono legal assistance. Assistance may include in-court representation in appropriate matters. Thousands of pro-se litigants with pending eviction cases receive free legal assistance from the help desk to better prepare them for their court appearances, contributing to the fair, impartial and efficient administration of justice.
The CBF also manages off-site legal services and coordinates volunteer attorneys for the Court’s Guardianship Assistance Help Desk for Minors. Every year, the desk provides free legal assistance to thousands of pro-se litigants who are seeking to obtain guardianship of minors in the Court’s Probate Division. The CBF partners with Chicago Volunteer Legal Services (CVLS) to coordinate more than 200 volunteer lawyers, who work in conjunction with court staff to provide legal assistance. The CBF also conducts trainings for all volunteers.
This contract was awarded through publicly advertised Request for Proposals (RFP) process in accordance with the Cook County Procurement Code. The Chicago Bar Foundation was selected based on established evaluation criteria.
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