CHEFA Gets RFP Resplies

The Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority received a number of responses from its request for proposals for bond counsel it released in August. The authority received 13 responses from law firms for bond counsel for general bond issues, and six responses from firms interested bond counsel for the authority’s tax-exempt competitive secured loan equipment financing program.CHEFA officials are now reviewing the responses, which were due back by Sept. 7.“We did get quite a few responses,” CHEFA chief financial officer Jeffrey Asher said. “The next step is to evaluate the responses and to determine whether or not we’re going to do interviews.” Current bond counsel for CHEFA that responded to the RFP include Robinson & Cole LLP, Pullman & Comley LLC, Lewis, Munday & Bullard, Hawkins Delafield & Wood LLP, Day Pitney LLP, and Finn Dixon & Herling LLP. Other firms that responded included Gonzalez Saggio Harlan LLP, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP, and Dorsey & Whitney LLP.Asher said CHEFA plans to bring its recommendations for bond counsel to the board meeting for approval on Oct. 23. CHEFA would likely select at least four or five firms bond counsel, he said.“There’s enough volume to spread the work around,” Asher said.The chosen bond counsel will enter into contracts with the authority not to exceed three years. Issuers in Connecticut are mandated every three years to review providers of professional services. CHEFA had 18 bond deals in fiscal 2007, which ended June 30, and it issued $834 million of debt. In fiscal 2006, the authority issued $983 million of debt.