Explanation
Background: This legislation authorizes the Finance and Management Director to enter into contract for Turnout Gear for the Division of Fire from Lion First Responder PPE, Inc. The Division of Fire has a reoccurring need to replace sets of gear for current personnel that is beyond its useful life and has high maintenance costs. Turnout gear is the very outer layer of a firefighter’s uniform and is their first line of defense. This gear has particulate blocking barriers that are designed to further protect the fire fighter from carcinogenic materials and gases. It is also referred to as personal protective equipment or PPE and includes their jacket and pants.
Bid Information: Request for Proposal, RFQ009448, was advertised and proposals were opened on July 19, 2018. One hundred (100) suppliers were notified of the Request for Proposal. Three (3) responses were received.
An evaluation committee consisted of three (3) representatives from the Division of Fire, one (1) from the Department of Public Safety Director’s Office and one (1) from the Department of Finance and Management. All three vendors that submitted proposals were selected and invited to present their proposals to the committee for scoring. Of the three, two (2) offerors were selected for further evaluation. The evaluation consisted of inspections conforming to the bid specifications and hands-on combative testing of the turnout gear. Both finalists were invited to submit pricing. The scoring was reevaluated/revised to include the pricing. The Department of Finance and Management, Purchasing Division, negotiated with highest scored offeror, Lion First Responder PPE, Inc., and received revised pricing and escalation terms, as well as, a longer contract term that will provide Turnout Gear through September 30, 2022 with the option to extend for two (2) additional one (1) year periods.
An RFP process was used for this purchase and a competitive bid waiver is requested for this purchase. At the time of the Request for Proposal, provision within the City Code exists to award professional service contracts, not commodity contracts.
The Purchasing Office is recommending award to:
Lion First Responder PPE, Inc.; CC0030657, expires 8/28/2021, All Lines, $1.00
Total Estimated Annual Expenditure: $500,000.00
This company is not debarred according to the Excluded Party Listing System of the Federal Government or prohibited from being awarded a contract according to the Auditor of State Unresolved Findings for Recovery Certified Search.
Emergency action is requested as funds are needed immediately to purchase said turnout gear for the Division of Fire. The Purchasing Office, in conjunction with the Fire Division, attempted to procure the new contract in time to avoid emergency legislation. The process did take longer than expected, leading to this emergency request. The current contract is set to expire on 9/30/2019.
FISCAL IMPACT: The expenditure of $1.00 is hereby authorized from General Budget Reservation BRPO001107. 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 contract for the option to purchase Turnout Gear with Lion First Responder PPE, Inc.; to waive the applicable competitive bidding requirements of City Code Chapter 329; to authorize the expenditure of $1.00 from General Budget Reservation BRPO001107; and to declare an emergency. ($1.00).
Body
WHEREAS, the Turnout Gear UTC will provide for the purchase of personal protective jacket and pants used to help protect firefighters against fire and smoke exposure; and
WHEREAS, the Purchasing Office advertised and solicited formal bids on July 19, 2018 and selected the most responsive, responsible and best bidder; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance requests a waiver of applicable competitive bidding requirements of Chapter 329 of the City Code because the City Code at the beginning of this RFP process does not provide for a RFP process for the purchase of goods; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire in that it is necessary to authorize the Finance and Management Director to immediately enter into a Universal Term Contract for the option to purchase Turnout Gear, 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 contract for the option to purchase Turnout Gear in accordance with Request for Quotation RFQ009948 for a term of approximately three (3) years, expiring September 30, 2022, with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year periods, as follows:
Lion First Responder PPE, Inc., All Items, $1.00
SECTION 2. This Council finds it is in the best interest of the City to waive the applicable competitive bidding requirements of Chapter 329 of the City Code.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $1.00 is hereby authorized from General Budget Reservation BRPO001107 of this ordinance to pay the cost thereof.
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.