Explanation
BACKGROUND: This ordinance authorizes the Director of Public Safety to enter into a contract with Pro-Tow, Inc. in the amount of $1,000,000.00 to provide towing management services and software as needed for the Division of Police. The Division of Police is responsible for the safety and welfare of the traveling public on all public streets, state routes, interstates, and waterways, as well as those endangered by parking violations, accidents, and/or abandoned vehicles and watercrafts within the Metropolitan Columbus Area as well as on City-owned land. In an effort to improve the transportation network and access innovative technology, the City sought a smart solution to towing management services.
In 2017, a committee was convened to investigate the use of Towing Management Services as a way to streamline the towing of vehicles in response to clearing accident scenes, violations of the parking codes, and improve the landscape of the city by towing abandoned vehicles. As a result, the Department of Public Safety issued a Request for Proposals for a Towing Management System. The scope of services outlined in the City’s Request for Proposals included: managing software, towing, and/or impounding of motor vehicles and watercraft for a period of three years with three one-year renewal options.
Four proposals were received and the evaluation committee determined that Pro-Tow, Inc. was the highest qualified offeror. It is now necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into a contract with Pro-Tow Inc. for towing management services and software, effective August 1, 2018 until July 31, 2021, subject to annual authorization and approval, with the option to renew for three additional one-year terms.
BID INFORMATION: An evaluation committee comprised of representatives from the Division of Police, Division of Support Services, and the Department of Technology completed a review of the proposals submitted by Pro-Tow, Inc., Tow Logic, Bosch, and Auto Return. The committee asked for presentations and ultimately decided that Pro-Tow, Inc. was the highest qualified offeror and should be awarded the contract.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE: CC25828-95159, expired 12/15/17. Pro-Tow, Inc. will need to update their contract compliance information before this contract can be executed.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $1,000,000.00 or so much thereof from the 2018 General Fund Budget for towing services for the Division of Police. Funds are available in the Division's 2018 General Fund Budget.
Ordinance Number 1378-2018 was approved by Council on May 21, 2018 to extend the current contract with Columbus Towing and Recovery to continue towing services without interruption while RFQ007048 was being decided. From that ordinance, ACPO003109 was created and authorized for $1.45 million; therefore, it is necessary to use the same Auditor’s Certificate number to fund the first year of this contract.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency legislation is necessary in order to continue towing services from August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2021.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Safety, on behalf of the Division of Police, to enter into a contract with Pro-Tow, Inc. for towing management services and software; to authorize the expenditure of $1,000,000.00 or so much thereof as is necessary from the Division of Police General Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($1,000,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, is responsible for the safety and welfare of the traveling public on all public streets, state routes, interstates, and waterways, as well as those endangered by parking violations, accidents, and/or abandoned vehicles and watercrafts within the Metropolitan Columbus Area as well as on City owned land; and,
WHEREAS, in an effort to assist in improving the transportation network and accessing innovative technology, the City sought a smart solution to towing management services; and,
WHEREAS, in 2017, a committee was convened to investigate the use of Towing Management Services as a way to streamline the towing of vehicles in response to clearing accident scenes, violations of the parking codes, and improving the landscape of the city by towing abandoned vehicles; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Public Safety issued a Request for Proposals for a Towing Management System; and,
WHEREAS, four proposals were received and the evaluation committee determined that Pro-Tow, Inc. was the highest qualified offeror; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into a contract with Pro-Tow Inc. for towing management services and software, effective August 1, 2018 until July 31, 2021, subject to annual authorization and approval, with the option to renew for three additional one-year terms; and,
WHEREAS, funds are budgeted in the Division of Police 2018 General Fund budget; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into a contract with Pro-Tow, Inc. for towing management services and towing of vehicles from the city streets, thereby preserving the public peace, property, health, safety, and welfare; now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Safety be and is hereby authorized to enter into a contract with Pro-Tow, Inc. for a three-year period from August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2021, subject to annual authorization and approval, with the option to renew for three additional one-year terms, for the purpose of utilizing towing management services and software. The first year term shall be from August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2019.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $1,000,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, be and the same is hereby authorized in the General Fund in Object Class 03 Contractual Services, and is available via ACPO003109, previously legislated under ordinance 1378-2018.
SECTION 3. 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 4. That the City Auditor is authorized to make any accounting changes to revise the funding source for all contracts or contract modifications associated with this ordinance and to make any accounting changes necessary to ensure that this contract is properly accounted for and recorded accurately on the City's financial records.
SECTION 5. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.