Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Chief Innovation Officer to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Central Ohio Transit Authority, hereafter referenced as COTA, in an amount of up to $297,360.00 for the reimbursement of required communication network equipment for the Smart Columbus Connected Vehicle Environment (CVE) project.
On June 23, 2016, the USDOT notified the City of Columbus of its selection as the winner of the Smart City Challenge. As the winner, the City will receive $40 Million in federal funds, $10 million in private funds from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (Vulcan), and a variety of materials, services and equipment from USDOT Smart City Challenge partners. The City of Columbus pursued and won the Smart City grant with the goal of demonstrating how advanced data and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies and applications can be used to reduce congestion, keep travelers safe, protect the environment, respond to climate change, connect underserved communities, and support economic vitality, otherwise known as the Smart Columbus Connected Vehicle Environment project.
As part of the effort to support the Smart Columbus Connected Vehicle Environment (CVE) project, COTA agreed to be part of the City’s connected vehicle environment project. As the sole transit provider for the region, COTA provides a unique opportunity to collect city-wide data that can help the community make better informed decision. One of these valuable data opportunities lie with the CVE. COTA has agreed to equip and capture data from the entirety of its fleet, including fixed-route, paratransit and supervisor vehicles. In order to do so however, additional onboard equipment will be necessary. The additions required by CVE need to follow this same standard in order to maintain compatibility with the COTA and City network environments, and the staff which support this equipment. Doing so will allow for seamless integration of systems whenever the City and COTA are cross-functional partners, with the CVE project.
COTA has competitively procured equipment that would satisfy the requirements of $1,031,879.60. Smart Columbus is funding 98 of the fixed route buses while COTA is funding the remaining 238 buses.
Searches in the Excluded Party List System (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against COTA.
Due to the nature of the USDOT and Vulcan grant reimbursements, professional support for the Smart City Challenge Program will be awarded in annual funding phases. Additional contract modifications may occur throughout the four-year Smart City Challenge grant period. There is no current planned modifications to this contract.
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The contract compliance number for COTA is CC004318 and will be updated prior to execution of the Memorandum of Understanding.
3. FISCAL IMPACT
Funds in the amount of $297,360.00 will be available in Fund 7768 (Smart City Grant Fund), Grant G591610 (USDOT Grant - Smart City).
4. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with COTA authorizing the encumbrance and expenditure of requisite engineering and design funding so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the Smart City Challenge deployment schedule.
Title
To authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with COTA relative to the Smart Columbus - Connected Vehicle Environment project; to authorize the expenditure of up to $297,360.00 from the Smart City Grant Fund to pay said expense; and to declare an emergency. ($297,360.00)
Body
WHEREAS, on December 7, 2015, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) announced the Smart City Challenge, a collaborative effort by the USDOT and Vulcan seeking to “create a fully integrated, first-of-its kind city that uses data, technology and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future”; and
WHEREAS, on June 23, 2016, the City of Columbus bested six other finalists to be named the winner of the Smart City Challenge; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding so the Smart Columbus Program Management Office (PMO) can provide COTA reimbursement funds to install additional onboard equipment that will capture data from the entirety of its fleet, including fixed-route, paratransit and supervisor vehicles with infrastructure to support the city’s goal of consumer and fleet adoption of electric vehicles; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance Number 1901-2017 authorized the Public Service Director to transfer signature authority to the Chief Innovation Officer or the Chief Innovation Officer's designee for all past, present and future Smart Columbus, Smart City Challenge, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation contracts, documents, and projects; and
WHEREAS, as the sole transit provider for the region, COTA provides a unique opportunity to collect city-wide data that can help the community make better informed decisions; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with COTA to provide for the aforementioned services in the amount of up to $297,360.00; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service, Smart Columbus PMO, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with COTA authorizing the expenditure of requisite funding so as to prevent unnecessary delays in the Smart City Challenge deployment schedule, 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 Chief Innovation Officer be and is hereby authorized to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Central Ohio Transit Authority, 1600 McKinley Ave. Columbus, OH 43222, in an amount of up to $297,360.00 related to the Smart Columbus - Connected Vehicle Environment project.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $297,360.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and is hereby authorized in Fund 7768 (Smart City Grant Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Division of Design and Construction), Grant G591610 (Smart City USDOT Grant), in Object Class 03 (Professional Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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.
SECTION 5. That the City Auditor is hereby authorized to transfer the unencumbered balance in a project account to the unallocated balance account within the same fund upon receipt of certification by the Chief Innovation Officer administering said project that the project has been completed and the monies are no longer required for said project.
SECTION 6. 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 10 days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.