Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Buckeye Innovation LLC, in an amount up to $126,000.00 for the purpose of assisting the Department of Development to administer the Accelerate Columbus program.
Through Accelerate Columbus, the City seeks to nurture a pipeline of entrepreneurs and small businesses that reflects the talent and diversity of Columbus. The ultimate objective of Accelerate Columbus is to provide structured, qualitatively, and quantitatively measurable programs for Columbus entrepreneurs and small businesses that strengthen the City’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. In alignment with the Columbus Small Business Agenda, Accelerate Columbus seeks to further assist businesses in low- to moderate-income areas as well as minority and women-owned businesses.
In 2019, the City of Columbus launched the Accelerate Columbus program as part of a branded set of small business training, technical assistance, mentoring, and advisement programs targeting aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small business owners. Initially offered as a pilot program, the purpose of the program was to provide structured, as well as on-demand training, one-on-one advisement, and technical assistance to both aspiring and existing entrepreneurs and small businesses by meeting gaps identified in the City’s Small Business Ecosystem Assessment and resulting Columbus Small Business Agenda.
The Department of Development advertised a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)/Request for Proposal (RFP) from July 1, 2024, through July 25, 2024, on the City’s Vendor Services and Bonfire websites. The City received sixteen (16) proposals. Proposals were evaluated and scored in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes. The Director of Development desires to enter into a service contract with 10 of the 16 offerors. Of these 10, four are non-profit agencies and six are for-profit companies. All contractors shall provide different small business training and technical assistance programs under Accelerate Columbus. Additional legislation concerning the other nine organizations will be submitted concurrently with this piece of legislation.
Emergency action is requested to avoid any delay in administering the Accelerate Columbus 2025 program service.
FISCAL IMPACT: $126,000.00 will be available in the 2024 Economic Development Division’s General Fund budget, contingent upon the passage Ordinance 2998-2024 for the third quarter financial review transfer.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: The vendor’s contract compliance 043613 expires 11/10/2024.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to enter into a service contract with Buckeye Innovation LLC in an amount up to $126,000.00 for the purpose of assisting the Department of Development to administer the Accelerate Columbus program; to authorize the expenditure of $126,000.00 from the General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($126,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, in 2019, the City of Columbus launched the Accelerate Columbus program as part of a branded set of small business training, technical assistance, and mentoring programs targeting aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small business owners; and
WHEREAS, the goal of the program is to provide structured training and technical assistance to both aspiring and existing entrepreneurs and small businesses; and
WHEREAS, programs and services to be offered under Accelerate Columbus are aimed at nurturing a pipeline of entrepreneurs and small businesses that reflects the talent and diversity of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, for the 2025 program, the Department advertised a NOFA/RFP and received 16 responses, of which the Director of the Department of Development desires to enter into a service contract with 10 offerors; and
WHEREAS, all contractors shall provide different small business training and technical assistance programs under Accelerate Columbus; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is contingent on passage of Ordinance 2998-2024, which authorizes a transfer within the General Fund, reflective of the 2024 third quarter financial review; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Development in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a service contract with Buckeye Innovation LLC to avoid any delay in administering the Accelerate Columbus 2025 program, 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 Director of the Department of Development is authorized to enter into a service contract with Buckeye Innovation in an amount up to $126,000.00 for the purpose of assisting the Department of Development to administer the Accelerate Columbus program.
SECTION 2. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $126,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 44-02 (Economic Development), object class 03 (Services) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That this ordinance is contingent on passage of Ordinance 2998-2024 which authorizes a transfer within the General Fund, reflective of the 2024 third quarter financial review.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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.