Explanation
Background: The Department of Development seeks to enter into a content marketing contract in an amount up to $75,000.00 to assist with creating the department’s communications strategy. The work completed through this contract will educate audiences on how the department helps to make Columbus a more equitable community and foster prosperity for the city’s residents, businesses, and investors; highlight the Columbus Housing Strategy and demonstrate how our programming and funding activate the Strategy; demonstrate how economic development tools attract and retain businesses and promote capital investment; illustrate how our work helps business of all sizes reach their full potential, which in turn, creates community benefits; and show how our work fosters smart and sustainable growth.
By way of this ordinance, the director seeks to encumber the planned funds from the 2023 operating budget to enter into a contract for the services mentioned above with a to-be-determined firm. The department is currently engaged in the Request for Proposal process per Columbus City Code Chapter 329, but the process will not be completed, nor legislation ready, before City Council’s last meeting in 2023. It is estimated that the contractor will be selected in January 2024. At that time, the Director will seek Council’s approval for the contract with the designated vendor.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency to prevent delays to the department’s communications strategy and to utilize the 2023 General Funds in which this contract was budgeted.
Fiscal Impact: $75,000.00 has been planned and is available within the Administration Division’s General Fund budget.
Title
To authorize the Director of Development to encumber funds for a contract for content marketing services in an amount up to $75,000.00 with a to-be-determined firm; to authorize the expenditure of up to $75,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($75,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Director of Development seeks to enter into a content marketing contract to assist with creating the department’s communications strategy; and
WHEREAS, the department is currently engaged in the Request for Proposal process per Columbus City Code Chapter 329, but the process will not be completed, nor legislation ready, before City Council’s last meeting in 2023; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that the director seeks to encumber the planned funds from the 2023 operating budget to enter into a contract for the services mentioned above with a to-be-determined firm in an amount up to $75,000.00, preventing delay of this work, thereby preserving 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 Director of Development is authorized to encumber funds for a contract for content marketing services in an amount up to $75,000.00 with a to-be-determined firm pending the outcome of the Request for Proposal process requirements in Columbus City Code Chapter 329.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $75,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept Div 44 01 (Administration), in object class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the funds are hereby deemed appropriated to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 4. 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.
SECTION 5. 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 approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.