Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a construction contract through the City’s Invitation for Bid process with Danbert, Inc., for the CIP #650870 -115153 & 690236-100158 Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions & South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements in an amount up to $12,625,093.40; and to encumber funds with the Department of Public Service for prevailing wage services in an amount up to $2,000.00; for a total expenditure of up to $12,627,093.40.
This project is being completed as part of the City’s Blueprint Columbus program. The goal of this project is to provide detention and water quality improvement to rain water that will be redirected from the sanitary sewer system by future phases of the Blueprint projects. The project will construct various landscape depressions that treat on-site stormwater discharge from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots and compacted lawns including: bioretention basins within the Hilltop neighborhood area; regional basins on land bank parcels; and two permeable paver streets.
The Community Area for this ordinance will be 53, Greater Hilltop.
TIMELINE: Work can begin on the date listed on the Notice To Proceed and will continue until the project is completed and accepted by the City. Listed below are the anticipated key milestone dates for the work:
Milestone Activity Date/Duration
No. 1 Substantial Completion of all Work, 540 days
Excluding Final Plantings
No. 2 Installation of Final Plantings May 31, 2027
No. 3 Final Completion October 1, 2028
(2nd Establishment Period)
ESTIMATED COST OF PROJECT: The bid amount and proposed award amount is $12,625,093.40, including a 10% construction contingency amount that will be utilized to fund needed and approved changes in the work. No contract modifications are anticipated at this time; however, construction exigency might later compel modification of this contract, if unforeseen difficulties are encountered.
Cost summary:
Original Contract $12,625,093.40
Prevailing Wage Services $ 2,000.00
CONTRACT TOTAL $12,627,093.40
2. ECONOMIC IMPACT/ADVANTAGES; COMMUNITY OUTREACH; PROJECT DEVELOPMENT; ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS/ADVANTAGES OF PROJECT
This project is being completed as part of the City’s Blueprint Columbus program. The project will construct various landscape depressions that treat on-site stormwater discharge from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots and compacted lawns. The project will provide detention and water quality improvement to rainwater that will be redirected from the sanitary sewer system.
3. CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT AWARD
An Invitation for Bids for Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions and South Eureka Ave projects was advertised on the Vendor Services and Bid Express websites from 11/21/2025 through 12/17/2025. Three bids were received for the project and were opened on 12/17/2025. The following companies submitted a bid:
Company Bid Amount Compliance Number ODI Status
Danbert, Inc. $12,625,093.40 CC004618 MAJ
Complete General Construction $13,237,063.55 CC006056 MAJ
Trucco Construction Co., Inc. $14,506,396.86 CC004988 MAJ
The Danbert, Inc. bid was deemed the lowest, best, most responsive and responsible bid in the amount of $12,625,093.40.
4. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
Danbert, Inc.’s contract compliance number is CC004618 and expired 1/18/26.
Searches in the Excluded Party List System (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against Danbert, Inc.
Danbert, Inc., listed the following companies as subcontractors for this project:
Company Name City/State ODI Certification Status
Strawser Paving Columbus, Ohio MAJ
Decker Construction Columbus, Ohio MAJ
4K Landscape Dublin, Ohio MAJ
Proshot Concrete Florence, Alabama MAJ
Decorative Paving Loveland, Ohio MAJ
Chuck’s Septic Tank, Sewer & Drain Grove City, Ohio MAJ
Garica Surveyors Columbus, Ohio MBE
The certification of Danbert, Inc., is not in good standing to expired contract compliance. The contract compliance must be renewed before the contract can be executed.
The certification of the proposed subcontractors is in good standing at the time of the bid award.
5. PRE-QUALIFICATION STATUS
Danbert, Inc., and all subcontractors have met code requirements with respect to pre-qualification, pursuant to relevant sections of Columbus City Code Chapter 329.
6. FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the 650870-115153 Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions portion of this contract will be obtained through a loan from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF), jointly administered by the Ohio EPA's Division of Environmental and Financial Assistance and the Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA). City Council authorized this loan application and acceptance of funding via Ordinance 3119-2025 passed by Council on 12/15/25. This loan is expected to be approved at the March 2026 OWDA Board meeting.
Funding for the 690236-100158 South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements portion of this contract will be obtained through a loan from the OWDA Fresh Water Program (OWDA Direct). City Council authorized this loan application and acceptance of funding via Ordinance 0700-2025 passed by Council on 3/31/25. This loan is expected to be approved at the March 2026 OWDA Board meeting.
This ordinance is contingent upon both of these these loans being approved by the OWDA Board. Public Utilities will inform the Auditor’s Office when the loans are approved.
An amendment to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget is needed to reflect the loan funding. Funds will need to be appropriated in the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund, Fund 6111, and the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund, Fund 6014.
Funding for the Department of Public Service to perform prevailing wage services in the amount of $2,000.00 is available and appropriated in the Sanitary Bond Fund, Fund 6109. An amendment to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget is needed to align budget authority with the proper project.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a construction contract with Danbert, Inc. for the Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions and South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements projects; to authorize amendments to the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget; to authorize the appropriation and expenditure of up to $12,625,093.40 from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund and the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund for the contract; to make this ordinance contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority approving loans for the project; and to authorize the expenditure of up to $2,000.00 from the Sanitary Bond Fund to pay for prevailing wage services. ($12,627,093.40)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Utilities is engaged in Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions and South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements; and
WHEREAS, three bids were received and opened for this project on 11/21/25; and
WHEREAS, the lowest, best, most responsive and responsible bid was from Danbert, Inc.; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 3119-2025, passed by City Council on 12/15/25, approved the Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions project to be funded by a loan obtained through the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund (WPCLF); and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 0700-2025, passed by City Council on 3/31/25, approved the South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements project to be funded by a loan obtained through the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund; and
WHEREAS, both of these loans are expected to be approved at the March OWDA Board meeting; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is contingent upon these loans being approved; and
WHEREAS, the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget must be modified to align budget authority with the proper projects; and
WHEREAS, funds must be appropriated within the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund, Fund 6111, and the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund, Fund 6014; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize an expenditure of funds from the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund, Fund 6111, the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund, Fund 6014, and the Sanitary Bond Fund, Fund 6109, to pay for the projects; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Utilities to enter a construction contract with Danbert, Inc., for the Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions and South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements, and to provide payment of prevailing wage services associated with said projects; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the 2025 Capital Improvement Budget authorized by Ordinance 1790-2025 be amended as follows to establish sufficient budget authority for this project:
Fund / Project Number / Project Name (Funding Source) / Current Authority / Revised Authority / Change
6111 / 650870-115153 / Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions (WPCLF Loan) / $9,245,000.00 / $11,946,499.00 / 2,701,499.00 (To match the loan amount)
6014 / 690236-100158 / South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements (OWDA Direct Loan) / $287,500.00 / $678,595.00 / 391,095.00 (To match the loan amount)
6109 / 650870-110164 / Blueprint Tulane / Findley Area Integrated Solutions (Voted Sanitary Carryover) / $20,770.00 / $18,770.00 / ($2,000.00)
6109 / 650870-115153 / Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions (Voted Sanitary Carryover) / $0.00 / $2,000.00 / $2,000.00
SECTION 2. That the appropriation of $11,946,498.60, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in the Sanitary Revolving Loan Fund, Fund 6111, and the appropriation of $678,594.80, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in the Water - Fresh Water Market Rate Loan Fund, Fund 6014, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. This ordinance is contingent upon the Ohio Water Development Authority's Board approving the loans for this project.
SECTION 4. That the Director of Public Utilities is hereby authorized to enter into a construction contract for the Blueprint Hilltop 4 - Highland/Harris Integrated Solutions & South Eureka Ave. Water Line Improvements projects with Danbert, Inc., 8077 Memorial Drive, Plain City, OH 43064, in an amount up to $12,625,093.40 in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract on file in the Department of Public Utilities; and to obtain the necessary prevailing wage services for this project from the Department of Public Service in an amount up to $2,000.00.
SECTION 5. That the expenditure of $12,627,093.40, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized to pay for this contract per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 6. 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 7. 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 8. 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 9. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.