Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Chief Innovation Officer to enter into a professional services contract with EasyMile, Inc., hereafter referenced as EasyMile, in an amount of up to $1,125,000.00 for the turn-key deployment of automated vehicle shuttle services in the Linden neighborhood.
The Smart City Challenge is a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) grant program 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.” In 2016, the City of Columbus, acting through the Department of Public Service, applied for and won the Smart City Challenge, receiving a $40 million dollar grant from USDOT and a $10 million grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (Vulcan).
As part of Columbus’ overall response to the Smart City Challenge, The City of Columbus’ Smart Columbus Program Management Office (PMO) intends to identify challenges currently associated with conventional transportation options and propose AV technology as an option to promote safer and more efficient access to health care, education, and family-related services in a “smart city”. The PMO intends to procure a turn-key AV shuttle service that operates on public roadways at a frequency deemed necessary to address first-mile/last-mile/only-mile challenges. Human operators will be available on board each vehicle during operations to monitor the vehicle, explain the technology to passengers, assist those with mobility needs, and take control of the operation of the vehicle should the need arise.
To that end, the PMO solicited Requests for Proposals (RFP) for the Smart City Challenge - Connected Electric Autonomous Vehicle project, which was advertised on https://columbus.bonfirehub.com/projects and the City of Columbus Vendor Services website from January 17, 2019 to February 14, 2019. The PMO received three (3) responses. Of those, all were deemed responsive and full...
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