Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Franklin County Municipal Court Administrative and Presiding Judge to enter into contract with CourtView Justice Solutions Inc. DBA Equivant to create an integrated eFiling system within CourtView and authorizes the expenditure of up to $193,083.00. This request is for licensing, professional services, and first-year maintenance for the Equivant IJIS Broker eFiling integration project.
This project will provide the necessary software for the Court to electronically file (eFile) any document that is currently filed with the Clerk of Court’s office, directly into the Equivant/CourtView system, while bypassing the normal filers interface application.
This project is required for the Court to move to a paperless operation. The Court is currently developing and deploying an electronic bench tool which will result in the elimination of paper from our Courtrooms and a fully electronic lifecycle for all Court documents. The IJIS Broker eFiling project completes the final step in this cycle as our electronic bench software will be able to send all filings directly to the Clerk’s eFiling system, without the documents needing to be printed and handed off to a Clerk for timestamp and filing.
This is a sole-source project due to the proprietary nature of the Equivant/CourtView application and the current CourtView eFiling application provided by the Clerk of Courts office.
EMERGENCY: Emergency legislation is requested as the vendor’s quote is only valid through January 2, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds are available within the 2023 General Fund Budget.
Title
To authorize and direct the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to enter into contract with CourtView Justice System Inc. DBA Equivant; to authorize the expenditure of up to $193,083.00 to create an eFiling system, software, and maintenance in accordance with the sole source provisions of the Columbus City Codes; and to declare an emergency. ($193,083.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Court has determined that it is in its best interest to enter into contract with CourtView Justice System for an integrated eFiling system; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is requested as an emergency to permit the timely procurement of needed services; and
WHEREAS, Equivant is the sole provider of any changes to the CourtView system.
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Franklin County Municipal Court, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Administrative and Presiding Judge to enter into contract and authorize the expenditure for an integrated eFiling system, with Equivant, in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code relating to Sole Source procurement prior to the vendor's quote expiration thereby preserving 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 Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with CourtView Justice System for the creation of an integrated eFiling system, in accordance with the pertinent provisions for Sole Source procurement of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code.
SECTION 2. That to pay the cost of the aforesaid contract, the expenditure of $193,083.00 or as much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized from the Franklin County Municipal Court,
SECTION 3. 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 4. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby 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.