Request for Proposals (RFP) for Legal Services

Description: Proposals are hereby requested by the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority (dba Wave Transit) for Legal Services. Submission of Proposals & Proposed Services: Proposals may be submitted until 4:00 p.m. EST, Tuesday, December 1, 2026, electronically only in Adobe Acrobat PDF format to mhairr@wavetransit.com with a subject line reading: WAVE LEGAL SERVICES. The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. The responsibility for submitting proposals (including all documents requested herein) is solely that of the applicant. The Authority is not responsible for delays in delivery and reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. The Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion, or other protected status. Applicable Title VI, ADA, DBE, and other civil rights requirements shall apply. Requests for Additional Information: Firms requiring additional information may contact the Wave Executive Director, Mark Hairr, at mhairr@wavetransit.com. Final requests for additional information or clarification should be received in writing by 4:00 pm EST on Monday, November 23, 2026. A final addendum, if necessary, will be issued by 4:00 pm EDT on Wednesday, November 25, 2026. Any spoken communication is not binding unless communicated in written form. Funding and Terms: Any contract resulting from this RFP may be subject to financial assistance agreements between the Authority and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and between the Authority and the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). The contract shall be governed by all applicable state and federal regulations. The Authority shall negotiate a contract with the highest qualifying firm for legal services at compensation set forth in this solicitation. Agency Background: The Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority (dba Wave Transit) provides public transportation in southeastern North Carolina. The current service area is 230 square miles including most of New Hanover County. Wave Transit was formed by merging the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County public transportation systems and operates under North Carolina General Statute 160A Article 25. Wave Transit operates fixed-route, paratransit, and microtransit services and its Fiscal Year 2027 budget is $17.4MM, largely funded by FTA and NCDOT grants. Scope of Work: The Authority seeks an established law firm and attorney licensed to practice in North Carolina to advise, assist and represent the Authority on legal issues specialized to the public transportation sector. Specific duties include, but are not limited to: (6.1) provide general legal advice; (6.2) represent the Authority in litigation; (6.3) represent the Authority in matters with federal, state, and/or local governments and/or agencies; (6.4) maintain knowledge of issues involving the Authority and be prepared to offer legal opinion; (6.5) review and/or prepare Authority policies, resolutions, contracts and agreements; (6.6) assist the Authority in federal, state and local grant processes; and (6.7) attend work sessions and meetings with the Authority Board and Wave Transit staff when requested. Estimated Timeline: RFP advertised November 12, 2026. Final questions due November 23, 2026. Final addendum issued, if necessary, November 25, 2026. Proposals due December 1, 2026. Anticipated award December 28, 2026. Contract commencement January 27, 2027. Specifications & Instructions to Proposers: It is the intent to obtain proposals for legal services in accordance with this solicitation and applicable law. A single electronic PDF submission is required, emailed to mhairr@wavetransit.com. Late proposals will not be considered. Award will be made to the firm or individual determined by the Authority to be most qualified and cost effective. Evaluation criteria: Qualifications & experience (50 points), Cost (25 points), Service approach (15 points), Client references (10 points) — total 100 points. Contract length is expected to be three (3) years with provision for two (2) one-year extensions by mutual agreement. Monthly invoicing required. Required proposal contents include an Executive Summary, History of Company, Experience and References, Services Approach and Team, and completion of required attachments and forms. Required Attachments / Certifications: Lobbying Certification (Attachment A); Certificate of Debarment & Suspension (Attachment B); Legal Status & Evidence of Authority (Attachment C); North Carolina E-Verify Status (Attachment D); Pricing Schedule (Attachment E); DBE (Attachment F); Acknowledgement of Addenda (Attachment G); Proposal Submission Form (Attachment H). Required Clauses and Compliance: The solicitation and any resulting contract include numerous federal and state-required clauses and assurances (FTA, U.S. DOT, NCDOT), including but not limited to debarment and suspension, program fraud and false statements, record retention and access to records, civil rights nondiscrimination (Title VI, ADA, Section 504, EEO), DBE requirements (no DBE goal established for this procurement), insurance minimums, NC E-Verify requirements, and other standard FTA-required contract provisions. Insurance minimums are specified (generally $1,000,000 per occurrence for liability unless otherwise specified). Notes: The Authority may postpone or amend the RFP; any addenda will extend the submission deadline at least seven (7) calendar days after the last addendum. Proposers who fail to follow the contact directive may be disqualified. The Authority's decision, including contract approval by the Wave Transit Board of Directors where required, will be final.