New York State Contract Reporter #2138907

Rural civil legal services and access-to-justice support in five New York counties

New York State seeks nonprofit providers to expand free civil legal services and access to justice in five rural counties. - Government buyer: New York State Unified Court System (UCS), through the Office of Court Administration (OCA), Division of Grants, Contracts & Procurement. - Opportunity: Judiciary Civil Legal Services Access to Justice: Rural Justice Initiatives, solicitation OCA-DGCP-077. - Service areas: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Franklin, and St. Lawrence counties. UCS intends to award one contract per service area. - Eligible clients: New York residents with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty threshold. - Services requested: Free civil legal advice and representation; intake and eligibility screening; advocacy, document preparation, and representation in negotiations, administrative hearings, and court proceedings; legal-system navigation, outreach, and rights education. - Priority matters include family issues and protection orders, residency-related administrative matters, public benefits and healthcare, consumer and debt issues, disability rights, and veterans’ benefits. - Allowable work includes related alternative dispute resolution, restorative justice, and preventive civil legal services. - Access and delivery requirements: Proposals should address rural barriers through approaches such as mobile or accessible community-based services, transportation support, remote consultations, online intake and forms, virtual communications access, and online dispute resolution. Services should be trauma-informed and language-accessible. - Program requirements: Maintain client and case records and outcome data; provide quarterly reports; coordinate with courts, community organizations, and social-service partners; and support interdisciplinary services. Eligible applicants are nonprofit civil legal services providers with required charitable registration or exemption and tax-exempt status. - Funding: Up to $1,000,000 in aggregate for the initial 12-month funding period, with a maximum of $200,000 per targeted service area; applicants may request less. No specific service quantities are stated. - OEMs and named providers: No OEMs, product manufacturers, or applicant vendors are named. The requested work is professional legal and client-support services, not a branded product purchase.

Description

The New York State Unified Court System is soliciting proposals from nonprofit civil legal services providers for free legal services to eligible New York residents in Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Franklin, and St. Lawrence counties. Services include legal advice and representation, intake and eligibility screening, community outreach and navigation, language-accessible and trauma-informed support, and strategies to address rural barriers such as transportation, geographic isolation, and limited internet access. The initial-year funding allocation is $1,000,000 in aggregate, with maximum funding by Targeted Service Area specified in Exhibit 5. UCS intends to award one contract per Targeted Service Area for a five-year term, expected to run from December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2031.

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