Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into initial contract with qualified vendor, Knupp & Watson & Wallman Inc (KW2), allowable under the 2026-2027 Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio grant program (ODH EHE), from pass through agency, The Ohio Department of Health (approved via ORD 1479-2026). All contract terms included in this ordinance are from September 15, 2026 through May 31, 2027.
KW2 was competitively bid through vendor services (RFQ029075) and Bonfire (Sexual Health Outreach Campaigns) in October 2024, according to bidding requirements of the City Code. The RFP covers a 36-month period from March 1, 2025 to February 28, 2028.
The services in this contract are for providing sexual health outreach campaign services relevant to the 2026-2027 ODH EHE grant.
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 Response, and Community Engagement, to the Ending the HIV Epidemic grant program federally funded with HRSA. These pillars, specifically the prevention pillar can supplement HIV services for individuals within the priority population and allow needed services to be delivered to individuals at an elevated risk of acquiring HIV. As a result, this ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into initial contracts with qualified vendors, modify those ...
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