Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Building and Zoning Services to modify an existing service contract with Touchstone IQ LLC to add natural gas automated benchmarking services for building owners in Columbus in order to track gas usage data from Columbia Gas. Currently, building owners with multiple natural gas tenants have no data aggregation tool and do not have access to whole-building natural gas usage. The existing contract between the Department of Building and Zoning Services and Touchstone IQ LLC for energy benchmarking software license, maintenance and support allows the Department to manage all building and energy use data in addition to tracking owner communications.
City Code Chapter 4117, Energy Benchmarking, requires building owners to submit benchmarking reports to the City. In order to do that, the owners need access to aggregate, monthly, whole-building energy usage data. The additional services provided through this contract modification will give the owners access to their building’s gas usage data, enabling them to comply with the Energy Benchmarking Code.
In Columbus, buildings account for 55% of community-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, a major contributing factor to climate change. The reports submitted by building owners required by the Energy Benchmarking Code are necessary in order to track city emissions and meet the City’s carbon reduction goals.
The term of the contract modification will be from April 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025 to coincide with the existing contract term.
Contract Compliance
Vendor: Touchstone IQ LLC (D365 Vendor Acct: 032992)
Certification #: CC-032992 - Exp: 12/12/2026
The company is not disbarred according to the excluded party listing system of the Federal Government or prohibited from being awarded a contract according to the Auditor of State unresolved finding for recovery certified search.
Principal Party:
Touchstone IQ LLC
Jon Dierking, CEO
2000 S Colorado
Annex Building Suite 460
Denver, CO 80222
jon.dierking@touchstoneiq.com <mailto:jon.dierking@touchstoneiq.com>
State of Ohio Number 5154184
Fiscal Impact:
This ordinance authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of $75,000.00 for this contract modification, which is available in Fund 2240, the Development Services Fund.
Original Contract Amount: $49,240.00 PO482741
Modification Amount: $75,000.00
Total Contractor Amount: $124.240.00
Emergency Justification:
The automated benchmarking services offered to building owners through this contract modification will provide them with 24 months of historical data once the building owner has set up the tool. Furthermore, the annual Energy Benchmarking Code deadline to submit reports is June 1. In order to make the tool available to Columbus building owners in time for the June 1 deadline, and in the interest in providing owners with historical data in a timely manner, emergency action is requested to expedite the authorization of this contract modification.
Title
To authorize the Director of Building and Zoning Services to modify an existing service contract with Touchstone IQ LLC to add natural gas automated benchmarking services; to authorize an appropriation in the Development Services Fund; and to authorize an expenditure from the Development Services Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($75,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Building and Zoning Services has an existing contract with Touchstone IQ LLC (PO482741) for energy benchmarking software license, maintenance and support which allows the Department to manage all building and energy use data in addition to tracking owner communications; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director to modify the contract to add natural gas automated benchmarking services for building owners in Columbus in order to track gas usage data from Columbia Gas; and
WHEREAS, the department of Building and Zoning Services collects whole-building energy data and building characteristics per City Code Chapter 4117, Energy Benchmarking; and
WHEREAS: Columbus building owners with multiple natural gas tenants currently have no data aggregation tool and do not have access to whole-building natural gas usage; and
WHEREAS: providing Columbus building owners access to whole-building natural gas data will contribute to the success of the Energy Benchmarking Code and City’s Climate Action Plan; and
WHEREAS: an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Building and Zoning Services in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to modify the Touchstone IQ LLC contract in order to assist Columbus building owners with complying with the June 1st reporting requirements of the Benchmarking Code, and in the interest in providing owners with historical data in a timely manner, all for the preservation of public health, safety and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of the Department of Building and Zoning Services is hereby authorized to modify the contract with Touchstone IQ LLC (PO482741) to add natural gas automated benchmarking services in order to allow building owners to track gas usage data.
SECTION 2. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $75,000.00 in the Development Services Fund, Fund 2240, Subfund 000000, to the Department of Building and Zoning Services per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $75,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed pursuant to the actions authorized in SECTION 1, is hereby authorized in the Development Services fund, fund 2240, subfund 000000, in Object Class 03 - Purchased Services, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
See Attached File: Ord. 0627-2025 Legislation Template.xls
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 funds are hereby appropriated and expenditures authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 6. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is 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.