Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Division of Police Crime Lab has various scientific instruments that require maintenance and repair services by the manufacturer. This equipment is used to process and present evidence for criminal prosecutions, which requires strict adherence to rules of evidence and established mandatory timeliness. The Division of Police has a need for maintenance and repair services with Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc., Thermo-Scientific and Spectra Analysis. Specialty Underwriters manages the consolidation of the various contracts with the aforementioned vendors at a reduced cost for the maintenance and service.
BID INFORMATION: Specialty Underwriters was utilized in 2018 as a pilot project to see what the potential cost savings would be as well as determining if the city would be obtaining the same maintenance and repair services as if it contracted directly with the individual manufacturers. The pilot program did not include all instruments, rather only a few from Agilent and PerkinElmer were utilized for this program. It was discovered that Specialty Underwriters contracts with each of the individual manufacturers on the City's behalf, reducing the yearly costs per instrument while maintaining the same level of service and repairs. The Division of Police estimates that contracting with each manufacturer for these services would exceed $100,000.00. Therefore, the Division of Police is requesting a Bid Waiver on this contract in order to continue the maintenance and service contracts at a reduced cost to the City.
This company is not debarred according to the Federal excluded parties listing or prohibited from being awarded a contract according to the Auditor of State unresolved findings for recovery certified search.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE NO: CC026260 and expires July 20, 2025
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency legislation is requested for this ordinance so that there are maintenance and repair services available for the Crime Lab equipment as soon as possible. The current contract expires on August 13, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $76,629.00 from the Division of Police's General Fund operating budget with Specialty Underwriters for a maintenance and repair contract for Crime Lab equipment. The Division of Police spent $91,598.00 in 2022 and $97,410.00 in 2023 for these services with Specialty Underwriters. Due to the purchase of new equipment still covered under warranty, the cost has decreased for 2024.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into a contract for maintenance and repair services for Crime Lab instruments with Specialty Underwriters LLC.; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Codes; to authorize the expenditure of $76,629.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($76,629.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Division of Police has a need for maintenance and repair services with Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc., Thermo-Scientific and Spectra Analysis, through Specialty Underwriters, LLC in order to ensure timely repair of equipment and adequately protect the City's investment; and
WHEREAS, the Division of Police has determined that it is in the City’s best interest to waive the competitive bidding procedures of Columbus City Codes Chapter 329 to allow Specialty Underwriters to provide and manage the consolidation of the various contracts at a reduced cost for the maintenance and service contracts of the Crime Lab instruments with each respective vendor; and
WHEREAS, Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer, Thermo-Scientific and Spectra Analysis are the individual providers of these maintenance and repair services, which the City can utilize at a reduced cost through a consolidated service contract managed by Specialty Underwriters; and
WHEREAS, funds are budgeted for this purpose in the Division of Police's 2024 General Fund budget; and
WHEREAS, a emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Safety to enter into a contract with Specialty Underwriters, LLC for maintenance and repair services for Crime Lab instruments in order to ensure timely repair of equipment since the current contract expires on August 13, 2024; and to adequately protect the city's investment in the Crime Lab instruments for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Public Safety be and is hereby authorized to enter into a contract for maintenance and repair services for Crime Lab instruments with Specialty Underwriters, LLC.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $76,629.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 General Fund in object class 03 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Council finds it is in the City’s best interest to waive the competitive bidding requirements of City Code to allow the aforementioned contract with Specialty Underwriters, LLC and said competitive bidding requirements are hereby waived.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, and the City Auditor shall establish such account 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 and to make any accounting changes necessary to ensure that this contract is properly accounted for and recorded accurately on the City's financial records.
SECTION 6. That for 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.