Request for
Proposal
(RFP)2026-01
City Attorney
Services
City of Imperial
420 S Imperial Ave
Imperial, CA 92251
Submission Deadline:
March 19, 2026
OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND
Background
The City of Imperial is committed to promoting and providing for the safety, health, and welfare of its
citizens and business community. Incorporated in 1904, the City of Imperial is a General Law City that
operates under a Council-Manager form of government. The City is governed by a five-member Council
and a five-member Planning Commission. Imperial delivers municipal services through nine (9)
departments: City Manager’s Office, Community Development, Finance, Human Resources,
Information Technology, Library, Parks and Recreation, Police, and Public Services. Fire services in
Imperial are provided by the Imperial County Fire Department.
City Objectives
The City of Imperial wishes to continue its practice of acquiring its legal services on a contract basis. The
City Attorney serves at the pleasure of the City Council as a directly appointed position. The City
Attorney is an integral part of the City’s management team and, aside from their role as legal advisor, is
expected to participate in management activities and functions as directed by the City Manager.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Proposal Submittal
Proposals must be received no later than the close of City business, March 19, 2026. The delivery
address follows:
City of Imperial
Attn: Kristen Smith, Human Resources Department
420 S Imperial Avenue, Imperial, CA 9225
Email: HR@imperial.ca.gov
General Instructions
Proposals should be a straightforward, concise description of the Applicant’s firm, background,
qualifications, capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP, and proposed pricing. The proposing
party is responsible for all costs incurred in preparation and submittal of a proposal.
Proposal Format
An Applicant should consider including information of the kind listed below, along with any other
information the Applicant believes would assist the City in assessing the proposal:
• Detailed description of Applicant’s qualifications, as further detailed below under
“Qualifications”, and ability to perform those services listed under “Scope of
Services.”
• Experience, in detail, of providing government/municipal legal services.
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• Identify the principal attorney who will serve as the City Attorney and any other functions
requested under the Scope of Services.
• Identify the location of the company headquarters and the office from which the City
attorney would be working.
• A description of the Applicant’s background, nature of business, and organizational history.
• Proposed Fee Schedule/Pricing, as further discussed below.
• Signature of a person empowered to bind the Applicant to the provisions of this RFP
and any contract awarded pursuant to it.
• A statement indicating the proposal remains valid for at least 90 days from the deadline for
receipt of proposals, with an automatic extension should the proposer be selected for
negotiation.
• A statement regarding any potential conflicts of interest that the Applicant, or any
individual who will perform work, may have.
• Provide the legal entity name, Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), and form of
business (i.e., Corporation, LLP, etc.).
• Provide the Proposal contact name, address, phone number, and email address.
• Staff services available (clerical support, paralegals, other non-attorney staff).
• Awards, honors, or public recognition of the principal attorney and the firm.
• References.
RFP Schedule of Events
RFP Event
1 City Issues RFP
2 Deadline for Receipt of Proposal
3 Interview(s)
4 Agreement to City Council
5 Contract Start Date
Date
March 5, 2026
March 19, 2026
March 31, 2026
April 15, 2026
May 1, 2026
The City reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to adjust the schedule, waive variances or irregularities,
or reject all proposals.
QUALIFICATIONS
The Applicant must be a licensed and active member of the California State Bar. Qualified applicants will
preferably have five (5) or more years of municipal legal experience in California as a Municipal Attorney.
Further, it is required that the City Attorney have experience in the following areas:
• Designing, drafting, and updating Municipal Code sections and regulations.
• Providing support to City staff and the Council on matters including land use appeals,
code enforcement, and misdemeanor violations of City code.
• Experience with and knowledge of the law governing general law cities.
• Experience regarding land use regulations related to public land use and planning,
environmental law, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), general
plans, code enforcement, and other related areas of law, administrative law, personnel law,
and other areas of municipal law.
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• Experience with public sector employment and personnel matters.
• The City Attorney should have litigation experience and experience monitoring or supervising
litigation.
• The City Attorney must demonstrate the ability to speak clearly, concisely, and effectively
in public.
• The City Attorney must have the ability to relate easily and effectively with all members of
the City Council, staff, and the public.
SCOPE OF WORK
The City Attorney reports to, and serves at the pleasure of, the City Council. The City Attorney will work
directly with the City Manager and City staff in the performance of their daily duties in the operation of
City business. The City Attorney is an integral member of the City’s management team. As such, the
City Attorney’s participation will go beyond purely legal matters and will involve City special events.
The general responsibilities of the City Attorney include, but are not limited to, the following, and shall
be considered to be services covered by the retainer:
• Provide clear and concise legal advice and consultation on a daily basis as requested or
required to members of the City Council, the City Manager, Committees, and City staff.
Contacts are typically made by way of a written legal services request, but in any case, flow
through the City Manager’s office. Each such request will include a response deadline, which
may be the same or the next day.
• Maintain availability for in-person presence at the City during such times as mutually
determined.
• Attendance at meetings, including City Council, Planning Commission, Library Board, and other
City bodies, unless excused by the City Manager.
• Provide guidance on parliamentary procedures and matters concerning requirements of such
areas, including the Brown Act, Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, CEQA, tort
liability and risk, due process, and other legal requirements imposed by statute and common
law, as well as a working knowledge of municipal employment practice and public
administration.
• Prepare, review, and revise staff documents, including, but not limited to, initiation of
memoranda concerning legal issues, contracts, agreements, ordinances, resolutions, land use
decisions, including appeals, public improvements, easements, dedications, rights-of-way,
and City Council staff reports.
• Advise the City in litigation. Represent the City in the prosecution of City ordinance violations.
• Represent the City in inter-agency projects and other legal matters.
• Oversee the City’s risk management program and defense of claims covered by the City’s
self-insurance.
• Review compliance with public records requests and records destruction.
• Counsel the City regarding taxes, assessments, fees, Proposition 218, and other financial matters.
• Designing, drafting, and updating the City’s Municipal Code.
• Monitor pending and current state and federal legislation and court decisions, as appropriate,
and provide written updates on those that have the potential to affect the City. Provide
suggested action or changes in operations or procedures to assure compliance.
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Fee Schedule/Pricing
The incumbent City Attorney currently provides the services outlined in this RFP for a fixed monthly retainer of
eight thousand dollars ($8,000), covering sixty (60) hours of service per month. However, as the City’s legal
requirements have evolved over recent years, it is anticipated that the scope of the new contract will exceed the
current arrangement. Proposers should take this expected growth into account when drafting their proposed fee
schedules. The existing agreement is available upon request through the City Clerk’s Office.
• A description of the sort of matters that would not be included in the monthly retainer. The City
expects to be charged an hourly rate for litigation in which the City is a defendant, and the matter is
excluded from coverage under its self-insurance program. It is also understood that certain
specialized matters may require the services of outside counsel. Those matters would be determined
on a case-by-case basis.
• If the proposal will require hourly compensation for time spent beyond a specified number of hours
in a month, please provide an hourly rate for all of the individuals who may be working with the
City from the Applicant’s office for services not included in the retainer.
• The proposal should provide the amount of the monthly retainer and the number of hours included in
the retainer.
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.
