Explanation
BACKGROUND: This legislation authorizes the Finance and Management Director to establish a Universal Term Contract (UTC) for the option to purchase Long Distance Communications Services with AT&T. All City agencies are users of Long Distance Communications Services. These services are used to communicate over the telephone with organizations or individuals outside of the local area. The term of the proposed option contract would be approximately one (1) year, expiring August 4, 2019.
The Purchasing Office did not advertise or solicit competitive bids in accordance with the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 relating to competitive bidding. The Purchasing Office would like to waive the provisions of competitive bidding because the Department of Technology (DOT) is working with AT&T on their Voice over IP (VOIP) migration project. The project is scheduled to be complete in 2019.
The Purchasing Office is recommending award to the vendor currently used for long distance as follows:
AT&T CC# CC006413 (Working with vendor on updating their contract compliance), All Items,$1.00
Total Estimated Annual Expenditure: $35,000.00, Citywide.
Emergency Designation: The Finance and Management Department respectfully requests this legislation be considered an emergency ordinance to ensure uninterrupted Long Distance Communications Services for all City agencies.
This company is not debarred according to the Excluded Parties listing of the Federal Government and are not listed in the Auditor of States database for Findings for Recovery.
FISCAL IMPACT: The expenditure of $1.00 is hereby authorized from General Budget Reservation BRPO000978. City Agencies will be required to obtain approval to expend from their own appropriations for their estimated annual expenditures.
Title
To authorize the Finance and Management Director to enter into a Universal Term Contract for the option to purchase Long Distance Communication Services with AT&T; to authorize the expenditure of $1.00 from General Budget Reservation BRPO000978, to waive the competitive bidding provisions of City Code; and to declare an emergency. ($1.00).
Body
WHEREAS, the Long Distance Communications Services UTC will provide for the purchase of Long Distance Services in conjunction with various other City projects; and
WHEREAS, a waiver is required because the Department of Technology (DOT) is working with AT&T on their Voice over IP (VOIP) migration project; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Finance and Management Director to enter into a Universal Term Contract for the option to purchase Long Distance Services, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; now, therefore
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Finance and Management Director is hereby authorized to enter into the following Universal Term Contract for the option to purchase Long Distance Communications Services for a term of approximately one (1) year, expiring August 4, 2019 as follows:
AT&T, All Items, $1.00
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $1.00 is hereby authorized from General Budget Reservation BRPO000978 of this ordinance to pay the cost thereof.
SECTION 3. That this Council finds it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to waive the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 to permit the aforementioned purchase.
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 for the reason 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.