Explanation
The purpose of this legislation is to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a contract with Watershed Organic Lawn Care for the Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project. The City of Columbus is committed to investing in green infrastructure. As part of this commitment, the City has built a number of bio-retention basins in the right-of-way and/or on City owned property.
Bio-retention basins are engineered, shallow depressions that treat stormwater runoff using pollutant removal mechanisms that function in natural ecosystems: settling, filtration, absorption, microbial breakdown and nutrient assimilation. Surface runoff is directed into the bio-retention area where it temporarily ponds before infiltrating through mulch and a soil media planted with vegetation. The infiltrated water percolates into soils and, if necessary, enters a perforated underdrain that discharges into a water body or storm drain system.
The City is currently responsible for the maintenance of 6 sites with 98 basins located in or around the Riversouth area of downtown, W. Broad St. at Starling called Group A. There are 28 sites with 51 basins/wetlands and 19 swales located at Griggs, O’Shaughnessy, Hoover Reservoirs, Idlewild Drive, American Addition, Crawford Farms, Watershed Roadway Improvements Part 2 at Hoover Reservoir and Watershed Roadway Improvements Part 3 at Griggs Reservoir, Smokey Row Booster Station Drainage Project, Dublin Road Water Plant Treatment Capacity No. 3 and Dublin Road Water Plant Treatment Capacity Increase, called Group B. Each site may have multiple basins, swales, or other types of green infrastructures. Additional sites may be added in the future. All facilities are located in Franklin, Fairfield, and Delaware Counties, as shown on Attachments A and B which indicate the location of those basin sites. The primary requirements are to inspect the green infrastructure components and repair or replace them if necessary, and to provide general maintenance. All of the green components were built pursuant to plans, and will be maintained according to those plans. The City reserves the right to make changes to the plan in the event plants do not perform to plan due to unforeseen conditions. The contractor will work with Watershed Maintenance staff when performing maintenance at the basins located at the reservoirs.
The Department of Public Utilities advertised Request for Proposals (RFP’s) for the subject services in the City Bulletin in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code. One hundred fifty-four (154) vendors were solicited (RFQ-004111), and four (4) proposals (4 MAJ) were received and opened on January 9, 2017. The evaluation and final ranking of the firm was based upon the criteria specified in the RFQ and Watershed Organic Lawn Care was determined to be the most qualified responder to provide the services for the Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project. The current contract expires on August 31, 2017 and it is the intent of the Division of Sewerage and Drainage and the Division of Water that this contract be for a period of one (1) year beginning September 1, 2017 through and including August 31, 2018. The contract language allows for the option to renew annually for two (2) additional years on a year to year basis. Future modifications will be required to incorporate additional green infrastructures into this contract as facilities are constructed and turned over to the City for maintenance. At this time, there is knowledge of several other basins coming online in 2018, with other sites coming on line over the next several years. With the introduction of Blueprint Columbus there will be two Blueprint sites picked up in 2018 and one other site that is a retrofit requirement with the Ohio EPA MS4 permit. The Clintonville area is slated for 600 Rain Gardens under several Blueprint plans, we may pick up several of these Rain Gardens toward the tail end of the contract. The Division of Water has added several sites to this contract and is planning to add another in the next year. The Division of Transportation had added the West Broad Street site at Starling and may add more sites in the future. All Transportation projects that have storm sewer features such as bio-basins will be maintained by the Division of Sewerage and Drainage.
The Division of Water owns several of the sites listed in this contract. The Division of Water decided it was more cost effective for them to provide funding and have the Division of Sewerage and Drainage manage the contract instead of hiring more personnel to manage their portion.
SUPPLIER: Watershed Organic Lawn Care (31-1653866) (DAX Vendor #001519), Expires November 3, 2018
The company is not debarred according to the Excluded Party Listing System of the Federal Government or prohibited from being awarded a contract according to the Auditor of State Unresolved Findings for Recovery Certified Search.
FISCAL IMPACT: $120,000.00 is budgeted and needed for this purchase within the Division of Water Operating Fund. $217,327.86 is budgeted and needed for this purchase within the Division of Sewerage and Drainage - Stormwater Operating Fund. This funding is estimated to cover the necessary work during the time period of 9/1/17 - 8/31/18.
$81,668.52 was spent in 2016
$71,793.27 was spent in 2015
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into a contract with Watershed Organic Lawn Care for the Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project for the Department of Public Utilities; and to authorize the expenditure of $120,000.00 from the Water Operating Fund and $217,327.86 from the Stormwater Operating Fund. ($337,327.86)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is committed to investing in green infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, as part of this commitment, the City has built a number of bio-retention basins in the right-of-way and/or on city owned property; and
WHEREAS, the City is currently responsible for the maintenance of 6 sites with 98 basins located in or around the Riversouth area of downtown, W. Broad St. at Starling called Group A. There are 28 sites with 51 basins/wetlands and 19 swales located at Griggs, O’Shaughnessy, Hoover Reservoirs, Idlewild Drive, American Addition, Crawford Farms, Watershed Roadway Improvements Part 2 at Hoover Reservoir and Watershed Roadway Improvements Part 3 at Griggs Reservoir, Smokey Row Booster Station Drainage Project, Dublin Road Water Plant Treatment Capacity No. 3 and Dublin Road Water Plant Treatment Capacity Increase, called Group B. Each site may have multiple basins, swales, or other types of green infrastructures; and
WHEREAS, a need exists in the Department of Public Utilities for Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project services; and
WHEREAS, the procurement was conducted in accordance with the Request For Proposals (RFP) process set forth in the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code; and
WHEREAS, four (4) proposals were received and reviewed by the Department of Public Utilities on January 9, 2017, Solicitation RFQ-004111 for the Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project; and
WHEREAS, a contract is being established with Watershed Organic Lawn Care based upon the proposal received; and
WHEREAS, this original contract language allows for a one (1) year contract with the option to renew the agreement for two (2) additional years on a year to year basis. The first year of the contract will be in effect for one year beginning September 1, 2017 through and including August 31, 2018; and
WHEREAS, additional modifications will be required to incorporate additional green infrastructures into this contract as facilities are constructed and turned over to the City for maintenance; and
WHEREAS, it has become necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Utilities, Division of Water, and Division of Sewerage & Drainage - Stormwater Section, to authorize the Director of Public Utilities to enter into contract for the Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project with Watershed Organic Lawn Care; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Utilities be, and is hereby, authorized to enter into a contract with Watershed Organic Lawn Care, 5332 Sharon Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43214, for the Green Infrastructure Inspection and Maintenance Project for the Department of Public Utilities, in accordance with the terms and conditions as shown in the contract on file in the Office of the Division of Sewerage and Drainage - Stormwater Section and the Division of Water.
SECTION 2. That said firm shall conduct the work to the satisfaction of the Director of Public Utilities and the Administrators of the Division of Sewerage and Drainage and the Division of Water.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $337,327.85 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 6000 Water Operating Fund in object class 03 Services, in the amount of $120,000.00; and in Fund 6200 Stormwater Operating Fund in object class 03 Services, in the amount of $217,327.85, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 4. 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 5. That this Ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.