RFP: Seeking Legal Service Providers for National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP)

About Acacia Center for Justice 

The Acacia Center for Justice is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that supports and partners with a national network of human rights defenders who provide legal defense to immigrants at risk of detention or deportation. Acacia fights for access to legal defense for all immigrants at risk of detention or deportation, regardless of age, ability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, race, the perceived strength of the case, previous interaction with the criminal system, or any other factor.  

Acacia’s goals are twofold: to support immigrant legal service and defense networks to provide exceptional legal services to immigrants and to advocate for the expansion of these programs and the infrastructure critical to guaranteeing immigrants access to justice, fairness and freedom.  
 

Acacia envisions a nation with a transformed immigration system that embodies freedom from detention, due process, and equal protection, where every person facing the prospect of exile and community separation has access to meaningful legal defense. 

Purpose of Request for Proposals  
    Acacia Center for Justice invites immigration legal service providers to submit a proposal to provide removal defense representation to clients who have been appointed a representative through the Executive Office of Immigration Review’s National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP).  

    If awarded work under this contract, the contract term will begin August 1, 2025 and will end July 31, 2026. The contract is subject to one renewal contingent on performance and the government’s renewal of Acacia’s legal services contract through the end of Acacia’s multiyear contract with the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR). 

Please note that legal service providers that are debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in federal assistance programs or activities will not be considered.   

About National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP)
    The National Qualified Representative Program (NQRP) provides legal representation to people in immigration court proceedings who are detained, unrepresented, and incompetent to represent themselves because of a serious mental health condition. Under the NQRP, EOIR and the BIA can appoint counsel to a person who fits the criteria. 

 
Required Task
    The subcontractor is expected to provide legal representation to NQRP respondents in their removal proceedings before EOIR or the Board of Immigration Appeal (BIA). NQRP respondents are individuals who are:  

• In Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody  
• Determined by an immigration judge or the BIA to be incompetent  
• Unrepresented at the time of competency determination  

The subcontractor is required to provide legal representation on a merits-blind universal representation model. Subcontractors will be appointed to cases through Acacia by the government.  

Subcontractor additionally is additionally required to:  

• Adhere to Acacia’s Technical Compliance Plan  
• Cooperate with technical guidance that Acacia issues for the purpose of federal audits and contract compliance.  

Lastly, subcontractors are required to implement a data management system at Acacia’s direction and maintain adequate records to facilitate Acacia’s efforts to collect date for measuring the costs, timely resolution of program funding requests and preparation of NQRP invoices, evaluating the performance of the NQRP, evaluating the subcontractors’ effectiveness; and drafting quarterly reports for submission to the government.  

Geographic service area:  
    Acacia is currently seeking potential legal service provider that can serve the following geographic jurisdictions:  

• Colorado detained and non-detained courts  
• Texas detained and non-detained courts  
• New York detained and non-detained courts  
• Arizona detained and non-detained courts  
• Detained courts hearing cases out of Moshannon Valley Processing Center in Pennsylvania  

We additionally seek providers who have flexibility to provide representation remotely to other detained dockets in the United States.   

Proposal Requirements  
    A complete proposal includes the following:  

• Completed RFP questions; and  
• Completed labor-hourly-rate proposal (using the accompanying Excel budget template which will be sent via email after the online proposal is received.)

Budget Instructions  

Acacia will send a budget template to complete after we receive this initial proposal. We ask that the budget template is completed and return within 7 business days of receipt.

Evaluation Criteria  
   The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals:  

• Prior experience working with detained non-citizens in removal proceedings who suffer mental illness and/or cognitive disabilities and demonstrated ability to deliver tasks required under the subcontract  
• Legal expertise in immigration law commonly assessed in removal defense, including, but not limited to, fear-based relief, cancelation of removal, crimmigration, robust motion practice and bond.  
• Cultural competency and experience working with individuals with mental health illness and/or cognitive decline, working with indigent individuals, and providing trauma-informed legal services;  
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with governmental agencies, other nonprofit agencies, local community-based organizations, and other entities that provide services to detained or formerly detained non-citizens, such as housing, psychological services, and other social services;  
• Commitment to provision of legal services to detained non-citizens regardless of perceived merits of a person’s claim for relief and/or previous criminal history (universal representation model); 
• While not a requirement, preference will be given to providers that can serve a wide range of geographic locations that have detention centers, including several states 

RFP Decision Timeline  

Term of Engagement: Approximately to start August 1, 2025 after selection with an end date of July 31, 2026, and the option for a one-year renewal contingent on performance and the renewal of Acacia’s prime contract with EOIR. Start dates may vary due to rolling enrollment.

RFP Deadline: Rolling deadline, with decisions made 4 weeks after initial proposal submission.
 

Additional Information  

Applicants may be contacted by Acacia concerning the substance and pricing of their proposals. Where appropriate, Acacia may negotiate any aspect of the submitted proposals with applicants. Applicants may be asked to submit additional materials as part of the negotiation process.   
 

Contact Information  

If you have any questions, including accessibility questions, or need assistance completing this application, please contact Treacy Diaz, Legal Department Coordinator, at tdiaz@acaciajustice.org.