Explanation
BACKGROUND: It is necessary for the Columbus City Treasurer to modify and extend its existing contract with Fifth Third Bank for the provision of credit card services required for the processing of water bill payments over the Internet. Such services currently may only be provided by Fifth Third Bank as the software running the payment engine maintained by the Division of Power and Water was written specifically for Fifth Third Bank and its gateway, Verisign. The Department of Public Utilities anticipates the completion of a new payment engine, currently in development, in 2008 that will facilitate the processing of payments through First Data, which currently processes other credit card payments for the City of Columbus through a contract with Huntington Merchant Services.
Contract Compliance Number: Fifth Third 310740333 expiration 10/20/2008
FISCAL IMPACT: Funds for this contract are available within the Department of Public Utilities, Division of Operational Support 2007 appropriations.
EMERGENCY: This ordinance is submitted as an emergency to allow the financial transaction to be posted in the city's accounting system as soon as possible. Up-to-date financial posting promotes accurate accounting and financial management.
Title
To authorize the City Treasurer to modify and extend the contract with Fifth Third Processing Solutions for Credit Card Processing banking services on the behalf of the Department of Public Utilities; to authorize the expenditure of up to $160,000.00 from the Department of Public Utilities, Division of Operational Support, water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer and electricity operating funds; and to declare an emergency ($160,000.00).
Body
Whereas, the City Treasurer wishes to extend the contract for credit card processing banking services with Fifth Third Processing Solutions to facilitate the processing of payments over the Internet; and
Whereas, as an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, as it is immediately necessary to extend the existing contract cited below, providing banking services necessary for the daily operation of normal business activities of the City of Columbus; now therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
Section 1. The City Treasurer is hereby authorized to modify and extend the existing contract with Fifth Third Processing Solutions for the provision of credit card processing services by extending the ending date of the contract to March 31, 2008 and to authorize the expenditure of $160,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary from the Department of Public Utilities, Division of Operational Support, division number 6002 as follows:
Fund: 550 | OCA: 600207 | Object level one: 03 | Object level three code: 3348 | Amount: $2,000.00 | Operational Support
Fund: 600 | OCA: 600209 | Object level one: 03 | Object level three code: 3348 | Amount: $58,000.00 | Operational Support
Fund: 650 | OCA: 600205 | Object level one: 03 | Object level three code: 3348 | Amount: $58,000.00 | Operational Support
Fund: 675 | OCA: 600215 | Object level one: 03 | Object level three code: 3348 | Amount: $42,000.00 | Operational Support
Section 2. 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.