Explanation
This legislation seeks to amend Ordinance No. 2636-2024, passed by Columbus City Council on October 24, 2024, to enter into a service contract with Benevate, Inc. This amendment seeks to increase the amount of the contract $8,000.00, and to allow for the reimbursement of expenses incurred before the purchase order date. The expenses to be reimbursed will be User Subscription Fees for the term starting 12/15/2024 and ending 12/14/2025 for a total of 28 licenses. The original Ordinance No. 2636-2024 was mistakenly requested for the amount of $50,080.00, and was short the additional amount of $8,000.00.
The Department of Development, Housing Division started using Neighborly software in 2021. Ordinance 2629-2021 authorized the Director of the Department of Development to waive Columbus City Code Chapter 329 and enter into a contract with Benevate, Inc. for the software. After three years of use, the Housing Division would like to continue using the software, to enable safe and secure intake of applications, facilitate work from any location, and provide prompts to applicants to assure that a complete application is submitted.
In October 2021, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 2629-2021 to enter into a contract with Benevate, Inc and waived competitive bidding.
In December 2022, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 3413-2022 to enter into a contract with Benevate, Inc and waived competitive bidding.
In November 9, 2023, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 2974-2023 to enter into a contract with Benevate, Inc and waived competitive bidding. The current contract expires on December 14, 2024.
In June 27, 2024, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 1687-2024 to modify the existing contract with Benevate, Inc to provide 16 additional licenses and Database Lookup functionality, and waived competitive bidding.
In October 24, 2024, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 2636-2024 to enter into a contract with Benevate, Inc and waived competitive bidding. The current contract expired on December 14, 2024 and the new expiration date will be December 14, 2025.
Emergency action is requested in order to continue the use of Neighborly software, including support and training services without any break in services.
Contract Compliance: The vendor number is 039660 and expires 10/16/2025.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of $8,000.00 from the Department of Development’s Neighborhood Economic Development Fund.
Title
To amend Ordinance No. 2636-2024; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $8,000.00 from the Neighborhood Economic Development Fund; to allow for the reimbursement of expenses incurred before the purchase order date; and to declare an emergency. ($8,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2636-2024, passed by Columbus City Council on October 24, 2024, to enter into a service contract with Benevate, Inc. for the continued use of Neighborly software, including support and training services; and
WHEREAS, the original Ordinance No. 2636-2024 was mistakenly requested for the amount of $50,080.00, and was short the amount of $8,000.00; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Development, Housing Division started using Neighborly software in 2021 and has integrated it into its daily operations; and
WHEREAS, Neighborly is a cloud based software package that will enable safe and secure intake of applications, facilitate work from any location, and provide prompts to applicants to assure that a complete application is submitted; and
WHEREAS, to authorize the appropriation and expenditure in an amount up to $8,000.00 for expenses for the continued use of Neighborly software, including support and training services, and to allow for the reimbursement of expenses incurred before the purchase order date ; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to amend Ordinance No. 2636-2024 to correct the amount of the contract authorized with Benevate, Inc., to authorize up to $8,000.00 for expenses related to securing User License Fees for the continued use of Neighborly software, including support and training services incurred prior to issuance of a purchase order, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; and NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. Ordinance No. 2636-2024 is hereby amended as follows with deletions struck through and additions underlined:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a service contract with Benevate Inc., in an amount up to $50,080.00 $58,080.00 to enable safe and secure intake of applications, facilitate work from any location, and provide prompts to applicants to assure that a complete application is submitted, and to allow for the reimbursement of expenses incurred before the purchase order date.
SECTION 2. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025, the sum of $8,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 2237 (Neighborhood Economic Development Fund), Dept-Div 44-10 (Housing), in object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $8,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 2237 (Neighborhood Economic Development Fund), Dept-Div 44-10 (Housing), in object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. 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 6. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.