Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Columbus Water & Power to enter into professional engineering contracts with Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., in an amount up to $375,000.00, and G-A-I Consultants, Inc., in an amount up to $375,000.00, for General Engineering Services 2024-2026, CIP #670868-100002, for the Division of Power.
This contract was awarded through the City’s Request for Proposal process to provide support to The Division of Power (DOP), has lost several staff members in recent years. Our General Engineering Services contract has been used to supplement DOP design resources to ensure projects stay on track. Engineering staff need to utilize this contract for technical engineering support. Recent weather impacts are quickly reducing remaining balances on the existing contract, and we need emergency legislation to have no gap in engineering support.
The Division of Power requires professional engineering services to assist Division personnel on a myriad of issues which cannot be provided exclusively by City personnel. Services to be performed under this contract include providing designs to connect new customers, reviewing applications for Joint Use and plan reviews. Other work that may be performed on this or subsequent renewals of this General Engineering Services contract include, but may not be limited to, Substation Design, Transmission Line Design, Distribution Line Design, Underground Distribution Design, Equipment Upgrade Program, Grounding Studies, SCADA, Streetlight Design, Power Quality Issues, Development of Bid Packages, Bid Analysis/Technical Reviews, Technical Submittal and request for Information Reviews, Easement Acquisition Services, AutoCAD Drafting, Surveying, Easement Legal Descriptions, Trouble Shooting, Maintenance and Testing Specifications, and Fiber Optic Cable System Design.
It is necessary to award this contract to two firms. Plan reviews and other such work cannot be performed by the firm that developed the plans as that is a conflict of interest. Awarding two firms gives a contracted firm to perform work that would be a conflict of interest for the primary firm.
This work will be performed in Columbus Community “99 - Citywide.”
1.1 Amount of additional funds to be expended: $750,000.00
Original Contract $ 750,000.00 (ORD 2896-2025; PO546857, PO544862)
Modification 1 $ 750,000.00 (Current)
Future Anticipated Needs $ 750,000.00
CONTRACT TOTAL $2,250,000.00
1.2. Reason other procurement processes are not used:
This contract was awarded through the City’s Request for Proposal process; therefore, another procurement process is not required.
1.3. How cost of modification was determined:
The cost of this modification was determined by negotiations between Department of Columbus Water & Power project staff, Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., and G-A-I Consultants, Inc. based upon the existing contract labor titles, maximum labor rates, allowable contract expenses, and the time estimated to be needed to perform contract tasks.
1.4 Timeline: Both contracts have a three-year project assignment window starting upon the date the Notice to Proceed was issued. Work will be assigned during this three-year window, and no new projects will be assigned after the three-year window expires in the last quarter of 2028.
2 . ECONOMIC IMPACT/ADVANTAGES; COMMUNITY OUTREACH; PROJECT DEVELOPMENT; ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS/ADVANTAGES OF PROJECT
This is a contract for needed supplemental engineering for the Division of Power’s various CIP projects, studies required by OSHA and PERRP i.e. Arc Flash Hazard Analysis, and possibly to reduce backlog of DOP’s routine engineering that may arise from unexpected work force reduction and/or greater than normal workload volume. As such, it will not have any economic impact, but it will include community outreach if it is used for projects that typically solicit input from the community.
3. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc.’s contract compliance number is CC006560 and expires 6/23/27. G-A-I Consultants, Inc.’s contract compliance number is CC046598 and expires 9/16/27.
As part of their proposal, Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., proposed using the following sub-consultant to perform contract work:
Company Name City/State ODI Cert. Status
Dynotec, Inc. Columbus, Ohio MBE
As part of their proposal, G-A-I Consultants, Inc. proposed no sub-consultants will be used to perform contract work:
The certification of Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., G-A-I Consultants, Inc., and the above companies was in good standing at the time of the contract award.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
A transfer of cash and appropriation up to $750,000.00 within the Electricity Bond Fund, Fund 6303, is needed to pay for the project.
5. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency designation is requested to utilize these contracts to supplement DOP staff to meet project deadlines for public and private utility projects and to restart work on needed utility improvements put on hold that will increase power reliability and reduce power failures.
Title
To authorize the Director of Columbus Water & Power to enter into professional services contracts with Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., and G-A-I Consultants, Inc., for Power General Engineering Services 2024-2026; to authorize a transfer of cash and appropriation within the Electricity Bond Fund; to authorize the expenditure of up to $750,000.00 for the contracts; and to declare an emergency. ($750,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Columbus Water & Power is engaged in the General Engineering Services 2024-2026 project; and
WHEREAS, Contracts No. PO544862 and PO 546857 were authorized by Ordinance 2896-2025 for Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., and G-A-I Consultants, Inc., to provide technical engineering support for Power General Engineering Services 2024-2026.; and
WHEREAS, planned contract modifications to add funding for Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., and G-A-I Consultants, Inc., to provide continued support and analysis in providing engineering services for the Power General Engineering Services 2024-2026 are needed; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Columbus Water & Power to enter into a professional services contract for General Engineering Services 2024-2026 with Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc. and G-A-I Consultants, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, a transfer of cash and appropriation between projects within the Electricity Bond Fund, Fund 6303, is needed to align cash and appropriation with the proper project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize an expenditure of funds from the Electricity Bond Fund, Fund 6303, to pay for the contracted services for the project; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Columbus Water & Power in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Columbus Water & Power to enter into professional engineering services contracts with Glaus, Pyle, Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc. and GAI Consultants, Inc, in order to utilize these contracts to supplement DOP staff to meet project deadlines for public and private utility projects and to restart work on needed utility improvements put on hold that will increase power reliability and reduce power failures, for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, welfare, and safety; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That a transfer of cash and appropriation within the Electricity Bond Fund, Fund 6303, of up to $750,000.00 is authorized per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2. That the Director of Columbus Water & Power is hereby authorized to enter into a professional services contract for General Engineering Services 2024-2026 with Glaus, Pyle Schomer, Burns & Dehaven, Inc., 1801 Watermark Drive, Suite 210, Columbus, OH 43215, in the amount of up to $375,000.00; and G-A-I Consultants, Inc., 100 East Campus View Boulevard, Suite 205, Columbus OH 43235, in the amount up to $375,000.00; in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract on file in the Office of the Division of Power.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of up to $750,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from the Electricity Bond Fund, Fund 6303, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. That 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 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 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 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 passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.