Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Office of CelebrateOne embarked upon two housing programs for pregnant families that were originally funded by the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) for the Healthy Beginnings At Home (HBAH) 2.0 Program; and the Housing Pregnant Women (HPW) Program, funded privately through a grant from Anthem/Elevance in April 2022. As both funding sources have been exhausted, and the sixty (60) housing participating families continue to require both housing and housing support services, it is necessary to add funding to the program.
Through funding provided by the Department of Finance & Management, CelebrateOne will consolidate the two housing programs into one program for all sixty (60) families.
Both HBAH and HPW were intended to reduce the infant mortality of high-risk pregnant women by providing affordable housing intervention to those living in unstable housing. These programs provided rental assistance, housing stabilization services, as well as prenatal and postnatal support to promote the health of a mother, infant and family as early as possible in pregnancy and to minimize the impact of unstable housing on pregnant women living in the CelebrateOne high-risk target zip codes within Columbus. The term of the original contract was April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2024. However, due to rental market conditions, the 24 months of housing assistance did not begin until the end of 2022 for some client families, and into to the middle of 2023 for other client families within the program. This ordinance provides the current housing and housing stabilization services provider, Physicians Care Connection with $1,300,000.00 in order to continue to provide safe housing, housing support services, career skills training, home visiting services, throughout the 24 months for client families, ending by December 31, 2025.
VENDOR: Physicians Care Connection D365# 005206, non-profit
EMERGENCY ACTION: This ordinance is submitted as an emergency as to not delay continued housing program services as there are monthly rental payments that may possibly be delayed and causing negative impacts for vulnerable families such as additional late fees and/or eviction notices.
WAIVER OF COMPETITIVE BIDDING: A new contract with Physicians CareConnection (PCC) is necessary to continue the work already underway with up to sixty (60) client families. Physicians CareConnection is a non-profit entity already providing the same housing services for pregnant and homeless families in the Columbus area. Advertising for a new vendor to provide these services is manifestly impractical as the housing and housing stabilization services are already underway and clients are presently enrolled in the programs. Advertising and selecting a new vendor would unnecessarily cause delays in housing the clients and would likely exceed the costs negotiated with Physicians CareConnection. PCC has the necessary skills and experience to continue the work. A contract with Physicians CareConnection was negotiated by CelebrateOne. This new contract with Physicians CareConnection requires the waiving of the City's Code Section 329 as it pertains to advertising, evaluating, and awarding professional services contracts due to the urgency of getting a qualified housing assistance firm to oversee the program as it relates to homelessness in Central Ohio.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance will transfer within and expend up to $1,300,000.00 from the General Fund 1000.
Title
To authorize the Executive Director of CelebrateOne to enter into a service contract with Physicians CareConnection for an amount of up to $1,300,000.00 for housing administration and housing support services; to transfer within and expend up to $1,300,000.00 from the General Fund; to waive the competitive bidding requirements of the Columbus City Codes; and to declare an emergency. ($1,300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, two housing programs for pregnant families were initiated in 2022 in order to reduce maternal and infant mortality in unstably-housed pregnant individuals; and
WHEREAS, private and government grant funding has been exhausted while sixty (60) families remain in the programs and will continue to require both housing and housing support services through the end of 2025; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the Executive Director of CelebrateOne to execute a not-for-profit service agreement with Physicians CareConnection for an amount up to $1,300,000.00; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance authorizes the Executive Director of CelebrateOne to waive the competitive bidding requirement of Columbus City Code Section 329 in order to award the non-profit service agreement to Physicians Care Connection as they are already providing housing administration for pregnant families within the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the transfer within and expenditure of up to $1,300,000.00 from the City's General Fund 1000; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Office of CelebrateOne in that it is immediately necessary to execute a contract with Physicians Care Connection as there are monthly rental payments so that the payments may not be delayed, adversely impacting vulnerable families causing late fees and possibly eviction notices for renters in the program without immediate action, for the immediate preservation of the public health, safety, property, and peace; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Office of CelebrateOne is hereby authorized to enter into a not-for-profit service agreement with Physicians CareConnection for an amount up to $1,300,00.00.
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $1,300,000.00 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund) from Dept-Div 45-01 (Financial Management), Object Class 10 (Transfer Out Operating) to Dept-Div 40-05 (Office of CelebrateOne), Object Class 03 (Contractual Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of up to $1,300,000.00 is authorized within Fund 1000 per the accounting codes in the attachment to his ordinance.
SECTION 4. That this Council finds it in the City's best interests to waive the competitive bidding requirement of Columbus City Code Section 329 and does hereby waive the same.
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 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.