Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, to enter into a contract with Emergency Networking, who provides application programming services associated with the City’s Rapid Response Emergency Addiction Crisis Team (RREACT). Emergency Networking (EN) is a digital software company that builds platforms for first responder and community paramedic needs. Emergency Networking (EN) designed and developed a program-tailored Client Management System (CMS) for RREACT to collect highly detailed data and perform aggregate data analysis. RREACT is an innovative outreach service operated by the Division of Fire to actively address the opioid crisis in Columbus. RREACT outreach includes firefighters/paramedics, Crisis Intervention Team certified peace officers, a substance use case manager, a registered nurse, a family case manager, and a trauma specialist. .
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the Department of Public Safety on behalf of the Division of Fire to enter into a contract for application programming services for RREACT Case Management in the amount of $60,000.00, of which $25,000.00 will be paid from the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Site-based Program (COSSAP) Grant Project G342100, and $35,000.00 from Grant Project G342000 United States Centers for Disease Control Overdose Data to Action. RREACT contracts with EN to provide technical support and program coding for new features and software integrations to enhance data collection practices and expand data evaluation capacity. A total of $53,700.00 has been expended with Emergency Networking since 2019 for grant related programming services.
Bid Waiver Justification: The Division of Fire has successfully implemented specialized application programming in contracting with Emergency Networking and does not seek an alternative solution at this time. The applications created and maintained by Emergency Networking has allowed for the timely grant reporting required to manage RREACT related case management in use for addressing the City of Columbus' opioid crisis.
EMERGENCY ACTION: This ordinance is submitted as an emergency so these important program services can continue without interruption to maintain compliance with grant reporting compliance requirements and provide timely case management resources used by the City's RREACT team in addressing the ongoing opioid crisis in the City of Columbus.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Safety, on behalf of the Division of Fire, to enter into a contract with Emergency Networking for application services for the RREACT program, to authorize the expenditure of $60,000.00 from the General Government Grants Fund; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of City Code; and to declare an emergency. ($60,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Division of Fire needs to enter into a contract with Emergency Networking for application programming services associated with the City’s Rapid Response Emergency Addiction Crisis Team (RREACT); and
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Safety, on behalf of the Division of Fire, to enter into a contract with Emergency Networking for application programming services; and
WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive bidding provisions of City Code Chapter 329 to enter into this contract given the specialized and unique nature of the services provided; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Safety to enter into a contract for application programming services to allow for the continuation of grant related reporting and timely case management resources used by the City's RREACT team in addressing the City of Columbus' opioid crisis for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with Emergency Networking for RREACT application programming services on behalf of the Division of Fire.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $60,000.00 is authorized from the General Government Grants Fund No. 2220, according to the attached accounting document.
SECTION 3. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are deemed appropriated and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. That the monies appropriated in the foregoing Sections shall be paid upon order of the Director of Public Safety and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except upon voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 6. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 7. That this Council finds it to be in the best interests of the City to waive the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code relating to Competitive bidding for this purchase.
SECTION 8. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is made a part hereof, this ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.