Explanation
BACKGROUND:
The City of Columbus, Columbus Public Health, receives funding for the Ending the HIV Epidemic grant program from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The purpose of the grant program is to focus resources in jurisdictions with substantial HIV burden to implement strategies, interventions, approaches, and core medical and support services to reduce new HIV infections in the United States. The overarching goal for this initiative is to reduce new HIV infections in the United States to less than 3,000 per year by 2030.
HRSA has tasked CPH to improve the efficiency of the reallocation of federal funds as necessary in order to minimize unused funds to the greatest extent possible and to maximize the available services and avoid potential penalties as future carryover funds may not be permitted by HRSA. For this reason, it is necessary to authorize the Board of Health to accept any additional awards for the Ending the HIV Epidemic grant program; to authorize the appropriation of any additional awards for the Ending the HIV Epidemic grant program; and to authorize the City Auditor to transfer appropriations between object classes for the Ending the HIV Epidemic grant program.
This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into contracts with the following vendors to provide delivery of Ending the HIV Epidemic services including, but not limited to Health Education/Risk Reduction (Peer Navigation) and EHE (Health Insurance Navigation), to achieve viral suppression for individuals living with HIV, and any other service allowable under the grant. The term of the contract with each qualified vendor is March 1, 2023, through February 29, 2024, with funding based on vendor estimates of annual funding requirements for allowable services. These services were advertised through vendor services RFQ023101 on October 10, 2022 and RFQ022980 on September 23, 2022 according to bidding requirements of the City Code. Columbus Public Health does not have the capacity to provide the above listed services.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (EBO_CC - CC-010938): $96,746.00
Central Outreach Wellness Center (EBO_CC - CC-043135): $200,000
Equitas Health (EBO_CC - CC-004721): $321,764.00
TOTAL CONTRACTS: $618,510.00
Under the terms of the grant, funds must be used during the grant period or they are forfeited and CPH may be subject to penalties related to future grant funding. Previously, CPH has reallocated unused funds from vendors through appropriate contract modifications. These modifications oftentimes required additional legislation. Most recently, toward the goals of minimizing unused funds, maximizing available services, and avoiding funding penalties, HRSA has tasked CPH with improving the process by which unused funds are reallocated. Therefore, this ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into initial contracts with qualified vendors, modify those contracts if portions of previously appropriated and encumbered funds are unused, and reallocate unused funds amongst the initial vendors without the need for additional legislation. If there is a need to enter into contracts with additional vendors, the requirements of City Code procurement will be followed.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency in order to ensure that quality medical care continues to be available to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS to provide delivery of Ending the HIV Epidemic services including, but not limited to Health Education/Risk Reduction (Peer Navigation) and EHE (Health Insurance Navigation), to achieve viral suppression for individuals living with HIV, and any other service allowable under the grant and to ensure timely payment to providers.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Contracts will be entered into by Columbus Public Health with vendors who meet federal requirements related to services allowable under the Ryan White Part A HIV Care Grant Program as well as comply with the RFQ and City bidding processes. This ordinance will authorize one ACPO in the amount of $618,510.00 to encumber funds using available grant appropriations for contracts with vendors.
Title
To authorize the Board of Health to enter into initial contracts with the following qualified vendors: AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Central Outreach Wellness Center and Equitas Health, for the provision of services allowable under the grant for persons with HIV or AIDS in central Ohio; to authorize the Board to modify the budgets of those contracts for the sole purpose of reallocating funds amongst the initial vendors without the need for additional legislation; to authorize the expenditure of $618,510.00 from the Health Department Grants Fund to pay the costs thereof; and to declare an emergency. ($618,510.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the city receives funding totaling $2,000,000 for the Ending the HIV Epidemic Grant Program (the Grant) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which requires Columbus Public Health (CPH) to assure quality medical care to eligible persons living with HIV or AIDS in Central Ohio; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the Board of Health to enter into contracts for services; and,
WHEREAS, $618,510.00 in additional funds are needed for Ending the HIV Epidemic services including, but not limited to Health Education/Risk Reduction (Peer Navigation) and EHE (Health Insurance Navigation), and any other service allowable under the Grant for a sum total of contracts not to exceed $618,510.00; and,
WHEREAS, the Board of Health will enter into initial contracts with AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Central Outreach Wellness Center and Equitas who will provide various HIV-related services to meet all grant deliverables required by the Grant; and
WHEREAS, HRSA has tasked CPH to improve the efficiency of the reallocation of grant funds as necessary to minimize unused funds, maximize available services, and avoid funding penalties; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the Board of Health to enter into and modify the budgets of those contracts with vendors that are identified by CPH as qualified to provide the required services and meet federal requirements for the Grant; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the Board of Health to reallocate appropriated and encumbered unused funds by modifying existing contracts to provide the required services and that meet federal requirements for this grant funding without the need for additional legislation; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of Columbus Public Health in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Board to enter into contracts in order to continue to provide quality medical care to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS in the delivery of Ending the HIV Epidemic services including, but not limited to Health Education/Risk Reduction (Peer Navigation) and EHE (Health Insurance Navigation), to achieve viral suppression for individuals living with HIV, and any other service allowable under the grant services without interruption, for the immediate preservation of 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 Board of Health is hereby authorized to enter into contracts with the vendors below for a total amount not to exceed $618,510.00 for HIV-related services to persons with HIV or AIDS in central Ohio, for the period of March 1, 2023 through February 29, 2024 and to authorize the Board to modify the budgets of those contracts for the sole purpose of reallocating funds amongst the vendors without the need for additional legislation.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation: $96,746.00
Central Outreach Wellness Center: $200,000
Equitas Health: $321,764.00
TOTAL CONTRACTS: $618,510.00
SECTION 2. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized to modify those contracts listed in Section 1 solely if portions of previously appropriated and encumbered funds are unused, and reallocate unused funds amongst the initial vendors without the need for additional legislation. If there is a need to enter into contracts with additional vendors, the requirements of City Code procurement will be followed.
SECTION 3. That to pay the cost of said contracts, the expenditure of $618,510.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from the Health Department Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, object class 03 per the attached accounting document.
SECTION 4. That 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 5. 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.