Explanation
Background: This legislation authorizes the amendment of Ord. 2399-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on October 20, 2025, to approve the Director of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC for the continued use of Neighborly software, including support and training services, and to also add five additional user subscriptions for the Division of Housing Stability. An amendment is requested to allow for software costs incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order, starting December 15, 2025.
Emergency action is requested in order to maintain use of critical 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.
Contract Compliance: The vendor number is 039660 and expires 02/24/2028.
Fiscal Impact: This legislation amends Ord. 2399-2025 with no fiscal impact.
Title
To amend Ord. 2399-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on October 20, 2025, to authorize the Director of the Department of Development to allow for expenses incurred prior to the purchase order, starting December 15, 2025; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City previously passed Ord. 2399-2025 authorizing the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC for the continued use of Neighborly software, including support and training services, and to also add five additional user subscriptions for the Division of Housing Stability; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend Ord. 2399-2025 to authorize software costs incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order, starting December 15, 2025; and
WHEREAS, no funding is required for this amendment; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to amend Ord. 2399-2025 to maintain use of critical 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, all 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 Background of Ordinance No. 2399-2025 is hereby amended to allow for software costs incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order, starting December 15, 2025, as follows:
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC for the continued use of Neighborly software, including support and training services, and to also add 5 additional user subscriptions for the Division of Housing Stability, in an amount up to $96,128.00. Approval is also requested to allow for software costs incurred prior to the creation of the purchase order, starting December 15, 2025
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, LLC for the software. After five 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.
On October 2021, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 2629-2021 to enter into a contract with Benevate, LLC and waived competitive bidding.
On December 2022, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 3413-2022 to enter into a contract with Benevate, LLC and waived competitive bidding.
On November 9, 2023, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 2974-2023 to enter into a contract with Benevate, LLC and waived competitive bidding.
On June 27, 2024, Columbus City Council approved ordinance 1687-2024 to modify the existing contract with Benevate, LLC to enter into a contract with Benevate, LLC and waived competitive bidding.
On October 24, 2024 Columbus City Council approved ordinance 2636-2024 to enter into a contract with Benevate, LLC and waived competitive bidding.
On March 5, 2025 Columbus City Council approved ordinance 0065-2025 to add an additional $8,000.00 to enter into a contract with Benevate, LLC and waived competitive bidding. The current contract expires on December 14, 2025.
SECTION 2. That the existing Background of Ordinance No 2399-2025 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. That the Title of Ordinance No. 2399-2025 is hereby amended as follows:
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC in an amount up to $96,128.00 to provide for the continued use of Neighborly software, including support and training services, and 5 additional user subscriptions; to authorize a transfer of $38,000.00 between object classes within the Division of Housing Stability; to waive the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Codes Chapter 329; to authorize reimbursement of expenditures incurred prior to the creation of a Purchase Order; and to authorize the expenditure of $96,128.00. ($96,128.00)
SECTION 4. That existing Title of Ordinance No. 2399-2025 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 5. That Section 1 of Ordinance No. 2399-2025 is hereby amended as follows:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Development is hereby authorized to enter into a service contract with Benevate, LLC in an amount up to $96,128.00 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 reimburse expenses incurred prior to execution of the purchase order, starting December 15, 2025.
SECTION 6. That existing Section 1 of Ordinance No. 2399-2025 is hereby repealed.
SECTION 7. 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.