HIRING A LAW FIRM

TERMS OF REFERENCE 

1. Background: 

The Institute of Real Property Valuers in Rwanda (IRPV) was established by Law Nº 17/2010 of 12/05/2010 establishing and organizing the real property valuation profession in Rwanda as published in Official Gazette n° 20 of 17/05/2010.

The Institute is in the process of hiring a law firm to provide legal services. The selected law firm will be expected to handle various legal matters on behalf of the Institute, ensuring compliance, providing legal advice, and representing the organization's interests in legal proceedings. 

2. Objectives:

The general objectives of this recruitment process are as follows:

• To identify and engage a qualified and reputable law firm to provide comprehensive legal support.
• To ensure that the selected law firm has expertise in the specific legal areas relevant to the Institute's operations.
• To establish a clear scope of work, expectations, and responsibilities for the selected law firm.
• To secure legal representation that aligns with the Institute's values, goals, and needs. 

3. Duration 

The selected law firm will be awarded a framework contract for 1 year, renewable upon satisfactory performance and availability of funds. 

4. Scope of Work: 

The law firm is expected to provide a wide range of legal services, including but not limited to:

1. Legal advice on business operations, regulations, contracts and compliance matters
2. Revising IRPV internal rules and regulations
3. Revising IRPV procedure manuals
4. Revising IRPV professional code of conduct
5. Revising IRPV social policy document
6. Revising IRPV CPD working document
7. Representing the Institute in negotiations, mediations, arbitrations, and litigation when necessary
8. Advising on labor and employment issues, including HR policies and disputes.
9. Advocates out of courts (intellectual property)
10. Attempt at conciliation before the Labour Inspectorate
11. Representations to various institutions and services
12. Legal and regulatory due diligence
13. Conferences, meetings,  leading  debates on questions of law or in connection with the  profession
14. Legal and regulatory due diligence
15. Other legal related services 

5. Requirements 

The interested Law firm must fulfill the following requirements:

• Incorporation Certificate of the law firm;
• Valid Practicing certificate issued by Rwanda Bar Association;
• Valid Tax clearance certificate issued by RRA;
• Valid RSSB clearance certificate;
• At least three (3) good completion certificates for similar services rendered
• Payment proof of non-refundable fee of FRW 20,000 (twenty thousand) payable on IRPV bank account number 00022-01390253514-57 opened in Equity Bank 

6. Selection Criteria 

The law firm will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Reputation and track record: Demonstrated experience and success in handling similar legal matters.
• Expertise: Depth of knowledge and skills in relevant legal areas.
• Resources: Availability of qualified legal professionals, support staff, and other resources.
• Compatibility: Alignment with the organization's values, culture, and communication preferences.
• Cost-effectiveness: Clear and reasonable fee structure for the proposed services.
• Geographic coverage: Ability to provide legal support in the relevant jurisdictions. 

7. Proposal Submission 

Interested law firms should submit a detailed proposal addressing the following:

• Overview of the firm's background, experience, and expertise;
• Description of the proposed approach to handling the Institute’s legal needs;
• At least five key legal practicing professionals certified by Rwanda Bar Association who will be involved, along with their qualifications; 

8. Financial proposal as per the above scope 

Interested law firms should submit their financial proposal including fee charges on legal services as per the table below:

9. Selection Process 

The selection process will involve the following steps:

• Proposal Evaluation: A review committee will assess submitted proposals based on the selection criteria.
• Shortlisting: A shortlist of law firms will be created for further evaluation.
• Reference Checks: References provided by the law firms will be contacted for verification.
• Final Selection: Based on the evaluation, a final law firm with the highest qualifications and lowest financial proposal will be selected.

10. Contractual Agreement:

The selected law firm will enter into a formal agreement outlining the terms, conditions, and scope of the legal services to be provided. This agreement will also include provisions for confidentiality, conflict of interest, and dispute resolution. 

11. Timeline:

• Proposal Submission Deadline: 08/03/2024
• Shortlisting Announcement: 15/03/2024
• Interviews/Presentations: 22/03/2024
• Final Selection and Contracting: 29/03/2024

Done at Kigali, On 01/03/2024

John MUGISHA

IRPV Board Chairperson