RFQ for Bid and Disclosure Counsel

Grand County, Colorado (the “County”) is seeking qualifications and fee quotes from prospective law firms to provide bond and disclosure counsel services regarding the anticipated issuance of Certificates of Participation, Series 2025 (the “2025 COPs”). Proceeds of the 2025 COPs will be used to finance a project fund of approximately $22 million to finance the construction of a new Emergency Management Services (“EMS”) Facility. The County anticipates the total cost of the new facility to be approximately $26 million, although it expects to finalize project costs upon executing a Guaranteed Maximum Price contract for the project later in 2024 or early in 2025. The difference in proceeds between the project fund from the 2025 COPs and the anticipated total cost will be funded with anticipated grant funding that will be received by the County throughout 2025. The County has also identified available cash to cover these project costs if the total amount of anticipated grant funding is not received.

The 2025 COPs will be paid from base rental payments to be made by the County to a Trustee pursuant to the terms of a lease of real property. The payment of base rentals will be subject to annual budgetary appropriation by the County.

The County reserves the right to reject all responses, to negotiate with any prospective firm, and to terminate the proposed financing at any time. If the 2025 COPs are not delivered for any reason, the proposing firms will have no recourse against the County, its financial advisor, or any of their affiliates, agents or representatives for any expenses, losses, damages, or liability incurred.

1. Please provide a brief overview of your firm and its experience providing bond and disclosure counsel services to Colorado local government for the issuance of certificates of participation or lease purchase agreements. Please include at least two comparable transactions for Colorado counties that you have worked on that are similar in scope to the proposed 2025 COPs.

2. Please identify the public finance personnel assigned to this transaction and provide brief descriptions of their relevant experience.

3. Please provide your proposed fee structure for the 2025 COPs, including any reimbursable costs you would submit to the County for payment. Please include fees for bond and disclosure work separately and combined.

Curtis Lange Grand County, Colorado clange@co.grand.co.us
Mattie Prodanovic Hilltop Securities Inc. Mattie.Prodanovic@hilltopsecurities.com

October 15, 2024 Distribution of Request for Qualifications
October 29 Proposals delivered to the County
October 31 Firm Selected
November 6 Selection Approval by Board of County Commissioners
March 11 Projected sale of COPs
March 25 Projected closing of COPs

Any information requests, questions about the selection process or questions about the financing should e-mailed to the County’s Financial Advisor (contact information provided above).