Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Service to enter into contract with Decker Construction Company for the Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue project and to provide payment for construction, construction administration and inspection services.
This contract includes adding ADA compliant sidewalk and improving existing curb ramps along Grace Street from Orel Avenue to the alley west of Roys Avenue and from Hague Avenue to Eureka Avenue. Work includes the installation of hydrodynamic separators, curb walls and cellular retaining walls, and other work as may be necessary to complete the contract in accordance with the plans and specifications set forth in the Bid Submittal Documents.
Ordinance 0413-2020 authorized the Director of Public Service, on behalf of the City of Columbus, to prepare and submit a Safe Routes to School Application to the Ohio Department of Transportation, accept and expend awarded grant funds, and issue refunds, if necessary, for the Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue project.
The estimated Notice to Proceed date is July 15, 2024. The project was let by the Office of Support Services through Vendor Services and Bid Express. Two bids were received on May 2, 2024, (both majority) and tabulated as follows:
Company Name Bid Amount City/State Majority/ODI Certification
Decker Construction Company $3,107,786.87 Columbus, OH Majority
Strawser Paving Company $3,302,807.52 Columbus, OH Majority
Award is to be made to Decker Construction Company as the lowest responsive and responsible and best bidder for their bid of $3,107,786.87. The amount of construction administration and inspection services will be $466,168.03. The total legislated amount is $3,573,954.90.
Searches in the System for Award Management (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against Decker Construction Company.
The certification of Decker Construction Company and all associated subcontractors was in good standing at the time the bid was awarded.
As part of their bid Decker Construction Company has proposed the following subcontractors to work on the project:
Company Name City/State Majority/ODI Certification
The Paul Peterson Company Columbus, Ohio MAJ
Griffin Pavement Striping, LLC Columbus, Ohio MAJ
Mid-West Landscape, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MAJ
Burley Trucking LLC Columbus, Ohio MBE
Garcia Surveyors, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MBE
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
The contract compliance number for Decker Construction Company is 004549 and expires 11/3/25.
3. PRE-QUALIFICATION STATUS
Decker Construction Company and all proposed subcontractors have met code requirements with respect to pre-qualification, pursuant to relevant sections of Columbus City Code Chapter 329.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
A portion of this project is a reimbursable budgeted expense of $400,000.00 within the Federal Transportation Grant Fund, Fund 7765, Grant #G592401 (2024 Grace Street 113775). Funds need to be appropriated.
The remaining balance of $3,173,954.90 is available within the Streets and Highways Bond Fund, Fund 7704. Funds are appropriated. Funding in the amount of $2,301,235.90 in Fund 7704 is contingent upon receipt of bond sale funds from the May 2024 Bond Sale.
5. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested in order to complete needed improvements at the earliest possible time and meet the requirements of the start date for the Highway Safety Improvement Program funding award to avoid penalty and to ensure the safety of the traveling public.
Title
To appropriate funds within the Federal Transportation Grants Fund; to authorize the Director of Public Service to enter into contract with Decker Construction Company for the Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue project; to authorize the expenditure of up to $3,573,954.90 from the Streets and Highways Bond Fund and the Federal Transportation Grants Fund for the project; to repay any unused grant funds at the end of the grant period; and to declare an emergency. ($3,573,954.90)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service is engaged in the Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue project; and
WHEREAS, the work for this project consists of adding compliant sidewalk and improving existing curb ramps along Grace Street from Orel Avenue to the alley west of Roys Avenue and from Hague Avenue to Eureka Avenue. Work includes the installation of hydrodynamic separators, curb walls and cellular retaining walls; and other work as may be necessary to complete the contract in accordance with the plans and specifications set forth in the Bid Submittal Documents; and
WHEREAS, Decker Construction Company will be awarded the contract for the Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue project; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service requires funding to be available for the Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue project for construction expense along with construction administration and inspection services; and
WHEREAS, Federal Transportation grant funds will be used to pay for a portion of this project; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is contingent upon receipt of the May 2024 bond sale funds; and
WHEREAS, funds must be appropriated within the Federal Transportation Grants Fund; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with Decker Construction Company to ensure the safety of the travelling public and to meet the requirements of the start date for the Highway Safety Improvement Program funding award to avoid penalty, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; and now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, the sum of $400,000.00 is appropriated in Fund 7765 (Federal Transportation Grant Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), Project G592401 (2024 Grace Street 113775), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Public Service be and is hereby authorized to enter into a construction services contract with Decker Construction Company, 3042 McKinley Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43204, for the Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue project in the amount of up to $3,107,786.87 in accordance with the specifications and plans on file in the Office of Support Services, which are hereby approved; and to pay for necessary construction administration and inspection costs associated with the project up to a maximum of $466,168.03.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $400,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7765 (Federal Transportation Grant Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), G592401 (2024 Grace Street 113775), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $3,173,954.90, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 7704 (Streets and Highways Bond Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Design and Construction), Project P590955-100061 (Operation Safewalks - Grace Street - Orel Avenue to Eureka Avenue), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 7. That this ordinance is contingent upon receipt of the May 2024 bond sale funds.
SECTION 8. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 9. 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 10. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Director of the Department administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 11. At the end of the grant period, any repayment of unencumbered balances required by the grantor is hereby authorized and any unused City match monies may be transferred back to the City fund from which they originated in accordance with all applicable grant agreements.
SECTION 12. 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.