Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Service to enter into rental agreements with Premier Truck Sales and Rental in the amount of up to $300,000.00 for the rental of refuse collection trucks to be used by the Division of Refuse Collection.
The Division of Refuse Collection (Division) is responsible for providing weekly refuse collection service to the 344,000 residential units within the City of Columbus. Prior to the COVID pandemic it took nine to twelve months after placement of order to receive a refuse collection truck. The shutdown of many businesses during the pandemic has caused long delivery delays for these trucks. The projected delivery date of replacement trucks previously on order has been delayed by many months, and delivery times for new orders are now running twelve to eighteen months after receipt of order. The Division is experiencing a shortage of refuse collection trucks due to downtime needed for repairs of an aging fleet and the delays in getting replacement vehicles that have been ordered.
It is necessary to immediately rent refuse collection trucks to continue to provide timely refuse collection to the residents of Columbus. This will also allow the Division to be able to collect refuse during the normal work week hours and to avoid routinely scheduling mandatory overtime. The rental of these vehicles is expected to be needed for at least a year to give time for the trucks that have been on order, and for the trucks that are about to be ordered, to be delivered to the City. An assessment of delivery times of the vehicles on order will be made in the spring of 2022. At that time it may be necessary to rent additional trucks to accommodate further deficiencies in the Division fleet due to the ongoing pandemic related production delays.
Searches in the System for Award Management (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery List (State) produced no findings against Premier Truck Sales and Rental.
2. REQUEST FOR WAIVER OF FORMAL COMPETITIVE BIDDING REQUIREMENTS
A search was made for companies that rented refuse collection trucks. Two companies were found within Ohio that rented the trucks. Of the two companies, Premier Truck Sales and Rental was the only company that had trucks available for rent at this time. The delay associated with the pandemic in getting delivery of new vehicles has caused a shortage of rental vehicles. Taking the time required to do a formal bidding process could result in these vehicles no longer being available and delays in the collection of refuse. A request for waiver of the formal competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 is requested due to the need to quickly secure the needed vehicles to avoid delays in the collection of refuse.
3. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE INFORMATION
Premier Truck Sales and Rental is not currently registered with the City of Columbus. Premier has agreed to register with the City and become contract compliant. A contract will not be executed and the purchase order will not be issued until they become contract compliant.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for this contract will come from the General Fund, Fund 1000. It is necessary to transfer appropriation from Dept-Div 4501 (Financial Management) to Dept-Div 5902 (Refuse Collection).
5. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested so the rental of refuse trucks can occur at the earliest possible time to ensure refuse continues to be collected in a timely manner.
Title
To authorize the transfer of appropriation within the General Fund from Financial Management to the Division of Refuse Collection; to authorize the waiver of the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Code; to authorize the Director of Public Service to enter into agreements to rent refuse collection trucks from Premier Truck Sales and Rental; to authorize the expenditure of up to $300,000.00 to pay for this rental; and to declare an emergency. ($300,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection, is responsible for providing weekly refuse collection service to the 344,000 residential units within the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, the COVID pandemic is causing a delay in the manufacture and delivery of new refuse collection trucks; and
WHEREAS, The Division of Refuse Collection is experiencing a shortage of refuse collection trucks due to downtime needed for repairs of an aging fleet and the delays in getting replacement vehicles that have been ordered; and
WHEREAS, a search was made for companies that rented refuse collection trucks; and
WHEREAS, one company, Premier Truck Sales and Rental, was found in Ohio that had refuse collection trucks immediately available to rent; and
WHEREAS, delivery delays of new vehicles caused by the pandemic is causing a shortage of refuse trucks available for rent; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary for Council to authorize a waiver of the competitive bidding requirements of Columbus City Code to procure these rental trucks while they are still available to rent; and
WHEREAS, appropriation will need to be transferred within the General Fund from Financial Management to the Division of Refuse Collection to provide the funds needed to pay for the rental; and
WHEREAS, rental contracts will need to be executed with Premier Truck Sales and Rental for the rental of the refuse collection trucks; and
WHEREAS, funds in the amount of up to $300,000.00 will need to be expended to pay for the rental; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Public Service to enter into a rental agreement with Premier Truck Sales and Rental to avoid delays in the collection of refuse, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the transfer of appropriation in the amount of $300,000.00 is hereby authorized within Fund 1000 (General Fund) from Dept-Div 4501 (Financial Management), Object Class 10 (Transfer Out Operating) to Dept-Div 5902 (Refuse Collection), Object Class 03 (Purchased Services), per the accounting codes in the attachment to this Ordinance.
SECTION 2. That City Council finds it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to waive the formal competitive bidding requirements of City Code Chapter 329.
SECTION 3. That the Director of Public Service be, and hereby is, authorized to enter into rental agreements with Premier Truck Sales and Rental, Inc., 7700 Wall Street, Cleveland, Ohio, 44125, for the rental of refuse collection trucks in an amount up to $300,000.00.
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $300,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 (General Fund), Dept-Div 5902 (Refuse Collection), in Object Class 03 (Purchased Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 5. 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 6. 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.