Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Chief Innovation Officer to enter into a professional services contract with GreenSpot JC, LLC., hereafter referenced as Greenspot, in an amount of up to $80,800.00 to install, own, and maintain two (2) DCFC charging units at one of two (2) “charger ready” sites in Downtown Columbus, Ohio, and to make the site entirely “EV ready”, as a pilot project for the Smart Columbus Public Access Charging Initiative.
The City of Columbus pursued and won a grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (the “Foundation”) (PGAPh) with the goal of laying a practical path to replacing carbon-based fuel consumption and inspiring action across the region to protect and sustain the environment through decarbonization and electrification. With the cooperation of partners such as American Electric Power (AEP), The Ohio State University (OSU) and The Columbus Partnership, Columbus endeavors to use this grant as the catalyst to change the long-term trajectory of carbon emissions in the 7-county Columbus region (Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Licking, Pickaway, Madison, Union) and demonstrate the rewards of using clean energy sources in lieu of fossil fuel based sources.
The City of Columbus, along with an extensive network of public and private partners, has aligned around this vision to reduce the region’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through decarbonization of the electric supply and transportation sectors. The City was also awarded the $40 million Smart City Challenge grant from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), which has the potential to greatly amplify the results from the Foundation grant and vice-versa.
As part of the effort to support electrification, the PMO solicited Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the Smart Columbus - Public Access Charging project, which advertised on <https://columbus.bonfirehub.com/projects> and the City of Columbus Vendor Services website from November 14, 2018 to December 17, 2018, then reposted December 18, 2018 to December 26, 2018. The PMO received three (3) responses. Of those, all were deemed responsive and fully evaluated when the Evaluation Committee met on January 10, 2019.
The responsive responding firms were:
|
Company Name |
City/State |
Maj/MBE/MBR/F1/AS1/PHC |
|
GreenSpot JC, LLC |
Dublin, OH |
UNK |
|
Columbus Yellow Cab |
Chicago, IL |
EBO |
|
ChargePointe |
Indianapolis, IN |
UNK |
GREENSPOT received the highest score given by the Consultant Selection Committee and will be awarded the Smart Columbus - Smart Columbus Public Access Charging project contract.
Searches in the Excluded Party List System (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against GreenSpot.
Due to the nature of the USDOT and Vulcan grant reimbursements, professional support for the Smart City Challenge Program will be awarded in annual funding phases. Additional contract modifications may occur throughout the four-year Smart City Challenge grant period. There is no current planned modifications to this contract.
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The contract compliance number for GreenSpot is CC026781 and expires 08/30/2021.
3. FISCAL IMPACT
Funding in the amount of $80,800.00 is available for this project in the Smart City Grant Fund.
4. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to execute a contract with GreenSpot authorizing the encumbrance and expenditure of requisite engineering and design funding so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the Smart City Challenge deployment schedule.
Title
To authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to execute a professional services contract with GreenSpot, LLC relative to the Smart Columbus - Public Access Charging project; to authorize the expenditure of up to $80,800.00 from the Smart City Grant Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($80,800.00)
Body
WHEREAS, on December 7, 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the Smart City Challenge, a collaborative effort by the USDOT and Vulcan seeking to “create a fully integrated, first-of-its kind city that uses data, technology and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future”; and
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2016, the City of Columbus bested six other finalists to be named the winner of the Smart City Challenge; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to enter into a professional services contract to provide the Smart Columbus Program Management Office (PMO) with infrastructure to support the city’s goal of consumer and fleet adoption of electric vehicles; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance Number 1901-2017 authorized the Public Service Director to transfer signature authority to the Chief Innovation Officer or the Chief Innovation Officer's designee for all past, present and future Smart Columbus, Smart City Challenge, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation contracts, documents, and projects; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Service, Office of Support Services, on behalf of the PMO solicited Requests for Proposals for the Smart Columbus - Public Access Charging project for this purpose; and
WHEREAS, the Consultant Selection Committee evaluated the proposals deemed responsive and selected GreenSpot, LLC on the basis the firm submitted the best overall proposal for this project; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to enter into a professional services contract with GreenSpot to provide for the aforementioned services in the amount of up to $80,800.00; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Smart Columbus PMO in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to execute a contract with GreenSpot authorizing the expenditure of requisite funding so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the Smart City Challenge deployment schedule, 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 Chief Innovation Officer be and is hereby authorized to execute a contract with GreenSpot, LLC, 155 2nd Street, Jersey City, NJ 07302, in an amount of up to $80,800.00 related to the Smart Columbus - Public Access Charging project.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $80,800.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized in Fund 7768 (Smart City Grant Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Division of Design and Construction), Grant G591611 (Smart City Private Grant), in Object Class 06 (Capital Outlay) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. 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 4. 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 5. 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 Chief Innovation Officer administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.