Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes expenditures of $300,000.00 from the Auditor Bond fund for technical and development work to the Azure and Power platform, and expanded licensing, processing, and storage costs for related Microsoft products. It authorizes $54,000.00 from the General fund for ongoing maintenance, support, and operational needs for the Auditor’s Office Transparency Portal. The current contract modification was last authorized by ordinance 1506-2025 and expires June 30, 2026.
Ordinance No. 1352-2022, passed by Columbus City Council on May 23, 2022, authorized the contract with OnActuate for professional, technical, and consulting services for Azure and Power platform development. The contract contains the option to renew annually, subject to approval and appropriation of Columbus City Council. Costs were established and defined for the ongoing maintenance and support of the Transparency Portal as well as expanding and enhancing the use of Azure and power platforms. It also allowed the purchase of licenses from existing Microsoft Enterprise Agreements through Dell.
This legislation authorizes the City Auditor to modify its contract with OnActuate Consulting for professional services in the amount of $279,000.00 and modify existing contracts with Microsoft Corporation and Dell Marketing LP to expand its Azure and Power platform licensing, storage, and related services to accommodate expanded functionality in the amount of $75,000.00.
The services under the initial contract created the Auditor’s Transparency portal. Common public records requests for expenses, revenue, payment information, and other city financial information can be viewed and downloaded directly from the site. There is a need to keep the site technologically current with software updates and to maintain functionality through a maintenance and support services agreement with OnActuate.
Additionally, the City Auditor’ Office desires to leverage the Azure and Power platform to further automate processes and provide more transparency functionality with new data visualizations, to create new dataverse elements for displaying from other financial system sources, and to improve and update end user interactions with its websites.
Microsoft is the software manufacturer of D365 and the Azure platform used by the City for its financials and operations. Agreements for the infrastructure items are to be acquired through existing Volume Agreements established for D365 and Azure. Dell Marketing, LP is the current State of Ohio Microsoft Enterprise Agreement and City of Columbus provider for Microsoft licensing. Additional licensing, storage, and services related to expanding and enhancing the use of the Azure and power platforms are to be procured through these previously established EA agreements. The Microsoft and Dell volume agreement was originally approved by City Council when Dynamics was purchased in Ordinance No. 1077-2013 and modified in 0718-2020 to move from AX 2012 to D365. The agreement was modified to include the addition of cloud subscription, power platform licensing, and Azure fees in ordinance 1051-2021, then modified and annually funded each year thereafter in ordinances 0820-2022, 1381-2023, 1215-2024, 1214-2025
The amount of additional funds requested for this modification of Microsoft products and services through Dell is $75,000.00 for enhancements related to the Transparency Portal to be housed in the same Azure tenant as D365. The amount of data storage to be used, licensing for transparency portal and data factory services are estimated annually based upon prior year usage and pricing is determined based upon discounts provided in the Volume agreement. It is in the City’s best interest to optimizie costs by consolidating the Transparency Portal in the same Azure tenant used to support D365 for reducing administrative burden, streamlining maintenance, and avoiding duplicative licensing.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ordinance utilizes existing appropriation in the Auditor’s Bond fund in the amount of $300,000.00 for project work as follows:
Amount Project Work Description
$75,000.00 Azure storage, Database, Data factory, Microsoft Licensing
$225,000.00 Expand and enhance Azure Data Lake, power platform, data visualizations, transparency portal, infrastructure development, intellectual property ownership. Additional development including report writing, process automations, data exchanges, existing interface rework after data lake established
$300,000.00 Total from Auditor’s Bond Fund
$54,000.00 Budgeted in the General Fund for maintenance, support and operational services
$354,000.00 Total fiscal impact from both operating and capital funds
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE:
OnActuate Consulting Inc., CC#CC048102, expires May 29, 2027
Principal place of business: 10900 NE 4th St, Bellevue, WA
Dell Marketing LP, CC#010030, expires 10/31/2027
Principal place of business: 1 Dell Way, Round Rock, Texas
Title
To authorize the City Auditor to make expenditures of $300,000.00 from the Auditor Bond Fund; to authorize the City Auditor to expend $54,000.00 from the General Fund; to authorize the City Auditor to modify a contract with OnActuate Consulting US Inc, and to modify contracts with Microsoft Corporation, and Dell Marketing LP for expanded licensing, processing and storage costs. ($354,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City Auditor’s Office seeks to modify its contract with OnActuate Consulting for continued support and development of D365 and the Transparency Portal and to modify existing agreements with Dell Marketing LP for expanded Microsoft Azure and Power platform licensing and services; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1352-2022 authorized the city to engage OnActuate for technical consulting services and Dell Marketing LP for Microsoft Azure and Power Platform licensing and related services, and included provisions for annual renewal subject to Council approval and appropriation; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 1506-2025 authorized the last modification of the existing agreement with OnActuate Consulting, expiring June 30, 2026, and modification of the existing agreement for Microsoft Corporation through Dell Marketing LP; and
WHEREAS, continued maintenance and support services are needed by City Auditor’s Office for its Transparency Portal; and
WHEREAS, continued development work is necessary to expand the use of Azure, Power platform and extend data sharing and visualization capabilities of D365; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City Auditor be and is hereby authorized to modify its contract with OnActuate Consulting US, Inc and modify an existing contracts for Microsoft licensing and services through Dell Marketing LP for professional services, licensing, and other services to upgrade platform assets related to D365 and financial systems supported in Azure.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $300,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized from fund 7783 (Auditor Bond Fund) Dept./Div. No. 22-01, Object Class 06, Main account 66530, Project P783002-100002 per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $54,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed is hereby authorized from fund 1000 (General Fund) Dept./Div. No. 22-01, Object Class 03, Main account 63040, per the account 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 when said project has been completed and the monies are no longer needed.
SECTION 7. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.