Explanation
Columbus City Council and the Mayor's Administration, with significant assistance from the City Attorneys' Office, have undertaken efforts to modernize Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, which governs responsible public procurement of goods and services, including construction services. The last major updates of the City's construction contracting code were passed in 1996 and 2002.
Council President Andrew J. Ginther and Mayor Michael B. Coleman established three clear goals for the responsible modernization of the City's construction contracting code:
1. Streamline the bidding process to make it faster, easier and more accessible.
2. Focus on uniform, transparent administration of the bidding process.
3. Bring the City’s construction bidding process into the 21st century.
After extensive stakeholder discussion and outreach, City Council and the Administration developed an approach to construction contracting that meets and exceeds those goals. This process focuses on prequalifying potential bidders and licensed construction trade subcontractors once a year, rather than reviewing this information with each bid. Evaluation of bids can then focus on three key areas -- responsiveness, project-specific quality factors, and lowest price. This new process will be good for contractors, subcontractors, city bid evaluators, and, most importantly, taxpayers.
Drawing on best practices from across the country, the new Chapter 329 enacted by this ordinance includes changes to the Columbus City Codes, 1959, which will:
1. Streamline the bid application process by establishing an annual responsibility prequalification process for construction bidders and licensed construction trade subcontractors that will reduce the time and cost associated with submitting and evaluating bids and reduce costs to taxpayers.
2. Produce objective, transparent and uniform forms, applications and standards across all City departments and grant the authority for...
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