Explanation
BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Development to waive the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Codes Chapter 329 and to establish contracts for Property Maintenance and Lawn Mowing services for properties held by the Division of Land Redevelopment and to authorize the expenditure of $340,000.00. Services include trash and debris removal from structures, cleaning and abatement of vacant lots, lawn mowing, tree services, brush clearing, trash pickup, and similar work. Approval is also requested for reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to execution of the purchase orders, starting March 1, 2024.
The Department of Development advertised RFQ026253 through the Vendor Services portal on November 17, 2023, and accepted proposals for property and lawn maintenance services through the Bonfire portal on December 15, 2023. A total of nineteen (19) responses were received. A total of 13 contractors were selected by an evaluation committee consisting of Staff from the Department of Development and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The qualifications were based on prior experience, equipment, staffing, and other factors. The resulting contracts will be established for one year with an option to extend an additional year.
The Department will establish 10 contracts for property maintenance services and 8 contracts for lawn maintenance, with a total of 13 contractors being selected, with some contractors performing both property and lawn maintenance services. Of the total contracts, 50% will be issued to MBE or WBE contractors. If all contractors who qualify for the MBE/WBE certification obtain the certification, the percentage could increase to 89%. The Division will encourage the contractors to obtain/renew their certifications.
At the time of ordinance 0681-2024, the Department of Development was able to move forward with awarding ten (10) contractors a total of fourteen (14) contracts. The three (3) remaining vendors have updated their vendor accounts, allowing the Department of Development to award those contractors for establishing four (4) contracts.
The new prices will require an additional appropriation to the current budget as authorized by Ordinance 3344-2023. Current property maintenance contracts expire at the end of February; this legislation will also allow the payment of services on an emergency basis between the expiration of current contracts and the establishment of new purchase orders.
|
Vendor |
Cert Date |
Vendor |
Lawn |
Property |
|
Number |
Expiration |
|
Maintenance |
Maintenance |
|
024383 |
2/16/2026 |
Lawn Appeal Ohio LLC |
$80,000 |
$80,000 |
|
042786 |
8/22/2024 |
Wj3enterprises LTD |
|
$90,000 |
|
008791 |
6/23/2024 |
Thomas Mundell |
$90,000 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$170,000 |
$170,000 |
Bid Waiver Justification: City Code 329 was modified to require all service contractors to pay a responsible wage and provide a health insurance benefit. Land Redevelopment and Fiscal found the Invitation to Bid (ITB) process does not allow a City agency to negotiate pricing to ensure awarded bidders account for responsible wage requirements. In addition, the ITB process is limited to the lowest bid rather than weighing the contractor’s ability and capacity to perform the demand of the contract.
By processing the procurement project as a Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ) and scoring each offeror on their experience, equipment, and personnel allowed the evaluation committee to determine the most qualified contractors to perform the services on city-owned parcels.
The Division of Land Redevelopment published and notified registered vendors of the procurement project through the City’s Vendor Services portal and bulletin.
The RFQ provided instructions to submit supporting documentation on the City’s Bonfire portal.
A bid waiver is required to enter into contracts because the Request for Statement of Qualifications (City Code 329.27) process allows agencies to award only professional service contracts, and technical proposals were not requested from offers since we provided technical specification requirements to follow.
Emergency action is requested in order to start mowing services this spring and to decrease the amount of time the Land Bank will be without property maintenance contractors.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is available within the Land Management Fund, fund 2206.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Development to establish contracts with various contractors for the maintenance of properties maintained by the Division of Land Redevelopment; to waive competitive bid requirements of the Columbus City Code; to allow expenditures prior to the establishment of Purchase Orders; to authorize the expenditure of up to $340,000.00 from the Land Management Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($340,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Development advertised RFQ026253 on Vendor Services and accepted proposals for property and lawn maintenance in December 2023, a total of nineteen (19) responses were received; and
WHEREAS, the RFSQ process was used to ensure contract prices are consistent with the new wage and benefit requirements and to allow the City to pay one price list for all services under the resulting contracts; and
WHEREAS, a waiver to competitive bids is required to enter into contracts because the Request for Statement of Qualifications (City Code 329.27) process allows agencies to award only professional service contracts, and technical proposals were not requested from offers since we provided technical specification requirements to follow ; 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 these contracts to continue program services without interruption and to start mowing services this spring and to decrease the amount of time the Land Bank will be without property maintenance contractors, 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 the Director of Development be and is hereby authorized to establish lawn care and property management contracts for one year, with an option to modify and renew for one additional year, for the following contractors and amounts:
|
Vendor |
Cert Date |
Vendor |
Lawn |
Property |
|
Number |
Expiration |
|
Maintenance |
Maintenance |
|
024383 |
2/16/2026 |
Lawn Appeal Ohio LLC |
$80,000 |
$80,000 |
|
042786 |
8/22/2024 |
Wj3enterprises LTD |
|
$90,000 |
|
008791 |
6/23/2024 |
Thomas Mundell |
$90,000 |
|
|
|
|
Total |
$170,000 |
$170,000 |
SECTION 2. That Council finds that it is in the best interest of the City to waive the competitive bidding provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Codes to enter into these contracts.
SECTION 3. That reimbursement of expenses incurred prior to execution of the purchase orders, starting January 1, 2024, is also authorized.
SECTION 4. That for the purpose as stated in Section 1, the expenditure of $340,000.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized in fund 2206 (Land Management Fund), Dept. 44-11 (Land Redevelopment), in Object Class 03 (Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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 7. 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.