Explanation
1. NEED: This legislation authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a professional consulting services contract with EMA, Inc. The Department of Public Utilities, in conjunction with the Department of Technology, desires to develop a professional Technology Master Plan. The intent of this plan is to create a comprehensive strategy that integrates the business and technology of all the Department of Public Utilities' organizational divisions. Both the Departments of Public Utilities and Technology currently support a wide variety of technology projects each serving customer's throughout the divisions. Many of these projects have overlapping data, users, technical criteria, and purposes. This technology master plan will identify the most effective approach to leverage existing systems along with potential new investment to help DPU achieve identified business objectives.
2. PROCUREMENT INFORMATION: The basis for selection of the chosen professional services firm: The Department advertised Request for Proposal for the subject services in the City Bulletin in accordance with the provisions of Section 329.14 of Columbus City Codes. Nineteen firms submitted proposals of which five were short-listed.
These five proposals were reviewed and ranked by a Professional Services Selection Committee consisting of personnel from both Departments in order to determine the best qualified to provide the services for this project. The Department of Public Utilities received presentations on February 25 & 26, 2004 from Westin Engineering, EnGenious, MiCon, CDM and EMA. The committee ranked the proposals according to Section 329.12 of Columbus City Codes and forwarded to the Director of Public Utilities for selection. After careful consideration the Director selected EMA, Inc. to provide the professional services for this project.
3. FISCAL IMPACT: While not expressly budgeted for this purpose, adequate monies will exist within each division's budget to fund this contract by forgoing other expenditures in this same budgetary category.
4. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: The Department of Public Utilities is requesting City Council to designate this ordinance an emergency measure in order to allow for immediate commencement of this work. Authorizing this contract as an emergency measure will assist the Department in the proposed schedule of other technology related initiatives that are awaiting the results of this plan.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a professional services contract with EMA, Inc. for the preparation of a technology master plan for the Department of Public Utilities; to authorize the expenditure of $299,990.00 from the water, sanitary sewer and electricity operating funds, and to declare an emergency. ($299,990.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Utilities wishes to engage a consultant to perform a comprehensive evaluation of all technology utilized by the Department in order to leverage existing systems along with potential new investment to help the Department achieve business objectives; and
WHEREAS, the Director of Public Utilities requested detailed proposals for the aforementioned services; and received 19 proposals on February 2, 2004; and short listed the firms Westin Engineering, EnGenious, MiCon, CDM and EMA in accordance with the procurement provisions of Section 329.14 of the Columbus City Codes; and
WHEREAS, based upon an evaluation of the proposals utilizing predetermined criteria, an evaluation committee determined that EMA, Inc., submitted the best proposal for the required project services, to which the Director of Public Utilities concurred; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to award a professional services contract for purposes of the aforementioned services to assist the Department in the proposed schedule of other technology related initiatives that are awaiting the results of this plan; and for the preservation of the public, health, peace, and safety, now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That the Director of Public Utilities is hereby authorized to contract with EMA Inc., for the purpose of developing a technology master plan for the department.
Section 2. That for the purpose of paying the cost of the aforementioned professional service, the following expenditure is hereby authorized as follows:
Division Division No. Fund OL3 OCA Amount
Electricity 60-07 550 3336 600791 $ 29,990.00
Water 60-09 600 3336 602995 135,000.00
Sewers 60-05 650 3336 605006 135,000.00
Total: $ 299,990.00
Section 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, where is hereby made a part hereof, this Ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure, which 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.