Explanation
This legislation authorizes the City Attorney, on behalf of the Director of the Department of Public Utilities, to enter into a contract with Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP for special legal counsel and professional services related to operational review and strategic planning.
The law firm will provide legal guidance related to the comprehensive operational review and assessment of different strategies for achieving the Department’s goals conducted by Raftelis Financial Consultants as authorized by Ordinance 1989-2025. During their review, Raftelis required legal guidance and consulted with Squire on this project. It is in the City’s best interest, therefore, to waive competitive bidding provisions to assure continuity in the provision of these legal services. Raftelis will continue providing professional consulting services and will serve as a subcontractor to Squire as the project moves into its final stage.
The Department of Public Utilities (DPU aka Columbus Water and Power) consists of its Director’s Office, which houses sections such as human resources, information technology and fiscal, among others, as well as the Divisions of Water, Sewerage and Drainage, Power and Stormwater. In total, DPU employs just over 1,400 full-time equivalent employees. The Department serves a population of approximately 1.2 million through the operation of three water and two wastewater treatment plants and maintenance of approximately 3,600 miles of waterline and 4,600 miles of sewers. The Division of Power purchases and distributes power to approximately 18,500 customers and maintains approximately 59,000 streetlights. The Department’s 2025 operating budget, comprised of the enterprise funds for each of the four divisions, is over $850 million and it also has a 6-year capital improvement plan of over $3 billion.
The term of this agreement is from the date of execution until completion of the project.
VENDOR:
Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP | EIN on file | D36...
Click here for full text