City of Columbus - File #: 1561-2025

• File #: 1561-2025
• Version: 1
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Council Office for Signature
• File created: 5/29/2025
• In control: Health, Human Services, & Equity Committee
• On agenda: 6/23/2025
• Title: To authorize the Board of Health to enter into contracts with (4) qualified vendors: AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Equitas Health, Columbus Neighborhood Health Center, Inc., dba Primary One Health and Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio for EHE services for the period June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026; to authorize the Board of Health to modify those contracts if portions of previously appropriated and encumbered funds are unused, and reallocate unused funds amongst the initial vendors without the need for additional legislation for Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio grant program for the provision of services allowable under the grant; to authorize the expenditure of $492,272.00 from the Health Department Grants Fund to pay the costs thereof; and to declare an emergency. ($492,272.00)

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
6/23/2025	1	Columbus City Council	Approved	Pass

...Explanation

BACKGROUND: Columbus Public Health (CPH) has been awarded grant funding for the Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio grant program (EHE), from pass through agency, The Ohio Department of Health via Ordinance 1386-2025. This ordinance is needed to authorize four (4) contracts under the Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio grant program. All contract terms included in this ordinance are from June 1, 2025 through May 31, 2026, with the following qualified vendors: AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Equitas Health, Columbus Neighborhood Health Center, Inc., dba Primary One Health and Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio.

The vendors included in this ordinance are not for profit agencies and are exempt from bidding according to bidding requirements of the City Code 329.30. The EHE services incorporated in the contracts include, but not limited to, housing services, emergency financial assistance, resource navigation, and Counseling, Testing & Referral services. Contract price points are based on agency staffing projections and individual client counts for services based on enrolled clients in the program, and other estimated direct costs ancillary to EHE program initiatives.

Under the terms of the grant, this grant period is a twelve-month grant cycle, and funds must be used during the grant period or they are forfeited. Previously, CPH has reallocated unused funds from vendors through appropriate contract modifications. These modifications oftentimes required additional legislation. The listed vendors operate based on program staffing, varying client counts, and thus often leaving unspent funds. The Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio grant program is an ancillary grant with five specific pillars: Diagnose, Treat, Prevent, Outbreak Respon...