Contracts

The Contracts Division of the Law Department, at the request of any City department (except DOA), represents that City department in matters involving

(i) the acquisition or sale by the City of services, personal and intellectual property, and work, for the purposes of helping its clients obtain good value for the City funds expended and minimize risk; and

(ii) the licensing of City space (whether it is real property, personal property, or intellectual property, such as software or space on the City's website) for revenue-generating purposes (such as corporate advertising). 

Activities include consultation on the best course of action from a legal and business standpoint; drafting of agreements and enabling ordinances; and negotiation of agreements with opposing counsel.

Given the range of the missions of the various departments that request the involvement of the Contracts Division, the subject matters of the transactions, and the complexity of the transactions, vary widely, although departments often seek assistance of the Division in complex transactions.  Representative matters include contracts for the acquisition of computer technology (integrated solutions, including software licensing and hardware acquisition and hosting agreements), highly negotiated agreements for supply (such as bunker gear for the Fire Department or the operation of the parts supply operation at the Fleet Management Department), and agreements for financial services (such as credit card processing).