Explanation
1. BACKGROUND: In June 2016, the City of Columbus, Ohio won the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Smart City Challenge. With a portion of this funding, Columbus intends to address the most pressing community-centric transportation problems by integrating an ecosystem of advanced and innovative technologies, applications, and services to bridge the sociotechnical gap and meet the needs of residents of all ages and abilities. Columbus is acting as a laboratory for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and disseminating lessons learned and best practices to cities across the United States in an effort known as Smart Columbus. The goal of the Smart Columbus program is to connect people by creating opportunity for city residents to better access jobs and services while improving the overall safety and efficiency of the transportation network.
The Smart Columbus Program Management Office sought a marketing firm to develop and execute a marketing and communications campaign aimed at consumer adoption of a new multi-modal trip planning app (MMTPA) and use of smart mobility hubs (SMH). The goals of the campaign include shifting transportation habits of Central Ohioans from single occupancy car usage to multi-modal mobility options and expanding mobility access for Central Ohioans who lack access to a personal vehicle.
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.
This ordinance is needed to authorize the City’s Chief Innovation Officer to contract with Paul Werth and Futurety (Vendors) to require said vendors to develop and execute a marketing and communications campaign aimed at consumer adoption of a new multi-modal trip planning app and use of smart mobility hubs. The term of each contract is from date of execution, through December 2020.
The purpose of the Mobility Solutions Marketing and Communication Support project is to shift transportation habits of Central Ohioans from single occupancy car usage to multi-modal mobility options and expand mobility access for Central Ohioans who lack access to a personal vehicle through Smart Columbus’ Multimodal Trip Planning App and Smart Mobility Hubs projects. Goals of the project include: creating awareness of MMTPA and SMH, driving downloads and trial of MMTPA, driving foot traffic to SMHs, driving new and repeat transactions within MMTPA, and driving usage of services at SMHs.
To that end, the Smart Columbus Program Management Office (PMO) solicited Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the Smart Columbus - Mobility Solutions Marketing & Communications Support, which was advertised on <https://columbus.bonfirehub.com/projects> and the City of Columbus’ vendor services website from November 26, 2018 to December 17, 2018, according to bidding requirements of the City Code. The PMO received thirteen (13) responses. Of those, all were deemed responsive and fully evaluated when the Evaluation Committee met on January 14, 2019.
The responsive firms were:
|
Company Name |
City/State |
Status |
|
Approach Marketing |
Columbus, OH |
UNK |
|
Beyond Spots & Dots |
Columbus, OH |
FBE/MBR |
|
Digital Genie |
Reynoldsburg, OH |
UNK |
|
Fahlgren Mortine |
Columbus, OH |
EBO |
|
Futurety |
Columbus, OH |
EBO |
|
Holden Ellis |
Columbus, OH |
EBO |
|
Lloyds of Columbus |
Columbus, OH |
UNK |
|
McGann Media Group |
Columbus, OH |
EBO |
|
Nativa, Inc. |
Columbus, OH |
UNK |
|
Origo Branding |
Columbus, OH |
EBO |
|
Paul Werth Associates |
Columbus, OH |
FBE |
|
Revel Branding |
Dublin, OH |
UNK |
|
WeUsThem Inc. |
Halifax, NS, Can |
UNK |
Paul Werth received the highest score and Futurety received the second highest score given by the Selection Committee. Both will be awarded the Mobility Solutions Marketing and Communications Support contract.
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 are no current planned modifications to this contract.
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The contract compliance number for Paul Werth is WBE004255, which expires March 31, 2021. The contract compliance number for Futurety is CC025972, which expires December 12, 2020.
3. FISCAL IMPACT: Smart Columbus PMO is requesting one ACPO in the amount of $500,000.00 to encumber funds using available grant appropriations for the above contracts. Smart Columbus PMO intends to issue each vendor a purchase order for half of the total contract. Funding in the amount of $500,000.00 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 contract with partnering vendors 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 City’s Chief Innovation Officer to enter into contracts with Futurety and Paul Werth to develop and execute a marketing and communications campaign aimed at consumer adoption of a new multi-modal trip planning app (MMTPA) and use of smart mobility hubs (SMH); to authorize the expenditure of $500,000.00 from Fund 7768 (Smart City Grant Fund), to pay the costs thereof; and to declare an emergency ($500,000.00) (AMENDED BY ORD. 2368-2019; PASSED 10/7/19)
Body
WHEREAS, $500,000.00 in funds are needed to enter into two contracts for the development and execution of a marketing and communications campaign aimed at consumer adoption of a new multi-modal trip planning app (MMTPA) and use of smart mobility hubs (SMH) for a sum total of contracts not to exceed $500,000.00; and
WHEREAS, Futurety and Paul Werth will provide marketing and communication support; and
WHEREAS, the contract period for these contracts is from the date of execution, through December 2020; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service, Smart City Program, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to enter into contracts with Futurety and Paul Werth for the Mobility Solutions Marketing and Communications Support project to provide marketing and communication support in order to prevent unnecessary delays in the Smart City Challenge deployment schedule; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the City’s Chief Innovation Officer, on behalf of the Department of Public Service, is hereby authorized to enter into contracts for total amount not to exceed $500,000.00 for Mobility Solutions Marketing and Communications Support from the date of execution, through December 2020 with the following vendors: Futurety and Paul Werth.
SECTION 2. That to pay the cost of said contracts, the expenditure of $500,000.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from the Fund 7768 (Smart City Grant Fund), Dept-Div 5912 (Division of Design and Construction), Grant G591610 (Smart City USDOT Grant), in Object Class 03 (Contractual Services), per the attached accounting document.
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 for 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.