Explanation
Background: Working with Recreation and Parks, the Real Estate Management Office engaged in a space planning project to assess Recreation and Parks office areas and staffing needs at 1111 East Broad Street to improve space utilization to accommodate current and projected increases in staffing. A professional designer was retained to analyze existing space layouts, prepare a design plan, and to select appropriate office furnishings to be purchased to meet the needs of Recreation and Parks. The Purchasing Office advertised and solicited competitive bids for office furniture in accordance with the relevant provisions of City Code Chapter 329 relating to competitive bidding via RFQ024854. The City received three bid responses two of which were deemed eligible as follows:
Workspace Ohio LLC; DBA Dupler Office $155,297.43
Tarazi LLC $982,891.00
Workspace Ohio LLC, DBA Dupler Office, City certified WBE, was responsive to all specifications, except they inadvertently responded with their standard price hold of thirty (30) days rather than the one hundred eighty (180) day price hold specified in RFQ024854. Workspace Ohio LLC, DBA Dupler Office (Dupler) has agreed to remove the thirty (30) day price hold, and agreed to the price hold requirement of one hundred eighty (180) day as specified in RFQ024854. Due to the offer of a thirty (30) day price hold by Dupler, a bid waiver is necessary. This legislation authorizes the Director of Finance and Management to enter into a contract with Workspace Ohio LLC, DBA Dupler Office for the purchase, delivery and installation of office furniture in accordance with the specifications of RFQ024854; to appropriate and expend up to $155,297.43 from Fund 7748, the General Permanent Improvement Fund; and to declare and emergency.
Fiscal Impact: Funding for the purchase is available and shall be from the General Permanent Improvement Fund 7748 ($155,297.43). An amendment to the 2023 Capital budget will be necessary and is contingent upon the passage of the 2023 Capital Improvement Budget.
Emergency Justification: Due to supply chain issues, long lead times are required from the date of order to the delivery of the furniture. Emergency action is requested to ensure that needed office furniture can be ordered at the earliest date possible so that the project can be completed within a reasonable time frame so that Recreation and Parks can occupy the redesigned office space as soon as possible.
Title
To authorize the Director of Finance and Management to enter into a contract with Workspace Ohio LLC; DBA Dupler Office, for the purchase of office furniture; to appropriate and expend a total of $155,297.43; to waive competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes; to amend the 2023 Capital Improvement Budget; and to declare an emergency ($155,297.43).
Body
WHEREAS, reconfiguration and replacement of furniture in the Recreation and Parks Department on the second floor of the 1111 East Broad Street is required to accommodate Department growth and the hiring of additional staff; and
WHEREAS, a professional designer was retained to prepare a design plan and to select appropriate office furnishings to be purchased for this area; and
WHEREAS, a formal bid was issued through the City’s Purchasing Office via RFQ024854 in order to determine the best vendor for this furniture purchase; and
WHEREAS, a bid waiver is necessary solely to address the discrepancy in the price hold response in order to award RFQ024854 to Workspace Ohio LLC; DBA Dupler Office; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City to waive competitive bidding for this purchase solely to addresses the discrepancy in the price hold response; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the 2023 Capital Improvement Budget; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to appropriation, transfer and expenditure of funds within the General Permanent Improvement Fund; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to award and enter into a contract with Workspace Ohio LLC, DBA Dupler Office, for the purchase of office furniture for redesigned office space located on the second floor of 1111 East Broad Street to allow for occupancy by the Recreation and Parks Department to address supply chain issues resulting in, long lead times from the date of order to the delivery of the furniture all for the immediate preservation of the health, peace, property, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Finance and Management Director is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Workspace Ohio LLC; DBA Dupler Office, City certified WBE, for the purchase of office workstations, task chairs, and other associated furnishings.
SECTION 2. That this Council finds it is in the City's best interest to waive the competitive bidding provisions of Chapter 329 of Columbus City Codes to permit the aforementioned purchase contract.
SECTION 3. That the 2023 Capital Improvement Budget be amended in Fund 7748 as follows:
Project Number Project Name Revised Auth. Remaining Auth. Change
P748999-100000 Unallocated GPIF Carryover $1,366,000 $1,210,702 ($155,297.43)
P570115-100000 Furniture Replacement - Various $0 $155,298 $155,298
SECTION 4. That the appropriation of $155,297.43 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within the General Permanent Improvement Fund 7748 per the account codes in the funding attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. That the transfer of cash in the amount of $155,297.43 between projects in fund 7748 is hereby authorized and approved per the accounting codes in the funding attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. That the expenditure of $155,297.43 or so much thereof as may be necessary in regard to the action authorized in Section 1, be and is hereby authorized and approved per the accounting codes in the funding attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 8. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes necessary to revise the funding source for all contract or contract modifications associated with this ordinance to ensure that this purchase is properly accounted for and recorded accurately on the City’s financial records.
SECTION 9. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance remaining for this project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of proper notification from the Department of Finance and Management that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for this project.
SECTION 10. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten (10) days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.