Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Office of Education to modify a not-for-profit services contract with W.E. Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corporation ("Upjohn") by extending the contract to June 30, 2026.
The current contract was authorized by Ordinance 0572-2025, which was the third contract between the Office of Education and W.E. Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corporation for program evaluation services associated with the Columbus Promise program. The contract is set to expire on March 31, 2026.
Upjohn's third and final evaluation of the Columbus Promise Program is the subject of this contract, but three additional months are needed for Upjohn to complete and submit this final report. This contract extension will allow the purchase order to stay open for invoicing while work is being completed.
Original contract amount $65,000.00 Ord. 0572-2025
Modification No. 1 amount $ 0.00
Total contract amount $65,000.00
The Columbus Promise program is a transformational college access, success, and workforce program made possible by a coalition that includes Columbus City Schools, Columbus State Community College, I Know I Can, the Columbus Foundation, the Upjohn Institute, and other partners. Announced in the fall of 2021, the fourth cohort of students are now enrolled, currently enabling Columbus City Schools students to attend Columbus State Community College. The vision for the Columbus Promise program is an array of free college-to-career pathways for Columbus students.
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is requested due to the impending expiration of the current contract on March 31, 2026. It is essential to the success of the Promise program and to the work of the Office of Education that the contract be extended to allow for the completion of the final report and for invoicing against the purchase order associated with this contract.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Office of Education to extend an existing contract with W.E. Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corporation for program evaluation services in support of the Columbus Promise program to June 30, 2026; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Columbus Promise is a transformational college access, success, and workforce program with its fourth cohort of Columbus City Schools (CCS) students enrolled at Columbus State Community College; and
WHEREAS, the Office of Education has engaged a program evaluation partner to evaluate and to support strategic planning work; and
WHEREAS, W.E. Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corporation has nearly completed the final evaluation report but requires an additional three months to work at no additional cost to the City; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Office of Education in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to extend a contract with W.E. Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corporation to June 30, 2026 to allow for the completion of the three years of evaluation of the Columbus Promise program as the current contract is set to expire on March 31, 2026; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Office of Education is hereby authorized extend the contract with W.E. Upjohn Unemployment Trustee Corporation for program evaluation services in support of the Columbus Promise program to June 30, 2026.
SECTION 2. That this modification is made in accordance with the relevant provisions of the City Code Charter 329 relating to contract modifications.
SECTION 3. 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 passage and approval by the Mayor or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.