GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Office
of the Attorney General
***
ATTORNEY GENERAL
BRIAN L. SCHWALB
September 26, 2023
The Honorable Phil Mendelson, Chairman
Council
of the District of Columbia
John
A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington,
DC 20004
Dear Chairman Mendelson:
Enclosed for consideration and approval by the Council
of the District of Columbia is proposed
emergency legislation, the "Contract No. DCCB-2023-F-0039 with Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
PLLC Approval and Payment Authorization Emergency Act
of 2024" and accompanying
emergency declaration resolution
to approve the award of the proposed definitive multiyear
Contract Number DCCB-2023-F-0039 to Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC (Cohen Milstein).
This contract arranges outside legal counsel from Cohen Milstein
to assist the Office of the
Attorney General with the investigation
of and potential litigation against identified targets in the
housing industry for violations
of antitrust laws. The contract is a definitive multi-year,
contingency-fee contract with a not-to-exceed contract amount
of $90 million. The base period
of performance is from the date of award through five years thereafter. This contract will
definitize a letter contract awarded on May 26, 2023.
If you have any questions, please contact Deputy Attorney General Candyce Phoenix at (202)
788-2066 or Candyce.Phoenix@dc.gov. I look forward
to favorable consideration of this
contract.
Sincerely,
Brian
L. Schwalb
Attorney General
Enclosures
400 Sixth Street NW, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 20001-5790, (202) 727-3400, Fax (202) 730-0484 1
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at the request of the Attorney General
A BILL
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
16 To approve, on an emergency basis, multiyear Contract No. DCCB-2023-F-0039 with Cohen
17 Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC,
to provide legal services to the Office of the Attorney
18 General, and to authorize payment for the goods and services received and to be received
19 under the contract.
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21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
22 act may be cited as the "Contract No. DCCB-2023-F-0039 with Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll
23 PLLC Approval and Payment Authorization Emergency Act of 2023".
24 Sec. 2. Pursuant to section 451 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved
25 December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 803; D.C. Official Code § 1-204.51 ), and section 202 of the
26 Procurement Practices Reform Act
of 2010, effective April 8, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-371; D.C.
27 Official Code§ 2-352.02), the Council approves multiyear Contract No. DCCB-2023-F-0039
28 with Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC, to provide legal services to the Office of the Attorney
29 General for an anti-trust matter, and authorizes payment in the not-to-exceed amount
of $90
30 million for goods and services received and to
be received under Contract No. DCCB-2023-F-
31 0039.
32 Sec. 3. The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement provided by the Chief Financial
33 Officer as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative 34 Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code§ 1-
35 301.47a).
36 Sec. 4. This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of
37 veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no
38 longer than 90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in
39 Section 412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87
40 Stat. 788; D.C. Official Code§ l-204.12(a)).