Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Service, or a designee, to enter into agreements with Pheenix USH LLC dba Spin and to accept payments from the same relative to the Columbus and Central Ohio Shared Mobility Program.
The Department of Public Service, Office of Support Services previously issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking responses from qualified vendors to potentially manage, operate, and expand a shared micromobility program in the City of Columbus and several other neighboring jurisdictions. The RFP was formally advertised on the Vendor Services and Bonfire website from June 27, 2024, to September 12, 2024, and garnered six (6) responses. All proposals were deemed responsive and were fully evaluated when the Evaluation Committee met on September 19, 2024.
The three highest scoring firms, Neutron Holdings Inc. dba Lime, Spin, and VeoRide Inc. dba Veo, were then invited to interview with the Evaluation Committee between October 10, 2024, and October 21, 2024. Based on those interviews, the Evaluation Committee narrowed the field down to two firms: Spin and Veo. The Evaluation Committee reconvened on October 31, 2024, to consider additional information provided by the two finalists and ultimately selected Veo to oversee the Columbus and Central Ohio Shared Mobility Program.
Following the passage of Ordinance 3366-2024, which authorized the Director of Public Service to enter into a revenue sharing agreement with Veo, Spin initiated legal action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, in Pheenix USH LLC dba Spin v. City of Columbus, et al., Case No. 2:24-cv-04290, challenging the City’s award to Veo (“Litigation”). As a result of a settlement agreement reached between Spin and the City in the Litigation, this legislation seeks to authorize the execution of a revenue sharing agreement, or similar instrument, between the parties as soon as reasonably practicable. The substance of tha...
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