Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Chief Innovation Officer to establish a purchase order with Physicians CareConnection, in an amount of up to $26,540.00 to pay for services provided without a City contract for the recruitment, screening, and reporting for the Rides4Baby program for the Smart City Challenge project and to waive the requirements of competitive bidding per Columbus City Code Section 329.27.
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, and Paul G Allen Family Foundation contracts, documents, and projects.
In 2016, the City of Columbus bested six other finalists to be named the winner of the Smart City Challenge, a nationwide competition administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, which seeks 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.” The receipt of federal and private grants totaling $50 million will support the implementation of the City’s proposal to demonstrate 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.
To assist with the execution of Smart City tasks, the Smart City Project Management Office (PMO) identified the need to contract a vendor to assist with recruitment screening and reporting services for the Rides4Baby program. Under the direction of CelebrateOne, Smart Columbus was directed to work with Physicians CareConnection, and their StepOne program as they are an existing service provider to CelebrateOne. The services provided under the StepOne program were for the Rides4Baby program and were completed without a contract with the City in place. Originally it was thought the services provided would be paid by CelebrateOne and not by the City so a contract with the City was not necessary, but that ended up not being the case. Physicians CareConnection is now requesting payment from the City for the services provided.
Physicians CareConnection operates StepOne for Healthy Pregnancy. StepOne is the centralized intake and referral for women who need assistance with prenatal appointments and resources. StepOne screens pregnant women callers who may be eligible to participate in the study, regardless of the need for prenatal care, provide weekly reports on the number of referrals made to OSU and StepOne, contact clients who were previously deemed ineligible for the Rides4Baby program because they did not live in a CelebrateOne zip code, contact previously deemed ineligible for the Rides4Baby program because they had not chosen an MCO plan, add a message and direct link to the StepOne phone line to direct women calling specifically about the Rides4Baby program.
Searches in the System for Award Management (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against Physicians CareConnection.
2. CONTRACT COMPLIANCE
The contract compliance number for Physicians CareConnection is CC005206 and expires 4/20/2022.
3. FISCAL IMPACT
The grant requires a City cost share participation. This unbudgeted expense will be paid for with the available funds in the Street Construction and Repair Fund, Fund 2265 in the amount of $26,540.00.
4. EMERGENCY DESIGNATION
Emergency action is requested in order to pay Physicians CareConnection for work already performed as soon as possible.
Title
To authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to establish a purchase order with Physicians CareConnection relative to the Smart Columbus Prenatal Trip Assistance project for services provided; to waive the provisions of competitive bidding in Columbus City Code; to authorize the expenditure of up to $26,540.00 from the Street Construction Maintenance and Repair Fund for the project; and to declare an emergency. ($26,540.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Smart Columbus Program Management Office is engaged in the Smart Columbus Connected Prenatal Trip Assistance project; and
WHEREAS, the Smart City PMO identified the need to procure a vendor to provide recruitment screening and reporting services for the Rides4Baby program; 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, the Smart City PMO will need to establish a purchase order with Physicians CareConnection to pay for services provided prior to an executed contract; and
WHEREAS, this ordinance is being submitted in accordance with Columbus City Code Section 329.27 to waive the provision of competitive bidding; and
WHEREAS, funding in the amount of $26,540.00 is available in Fund 2265 (Street Construction Maintenance and Repair Fund) for this project expenditure; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Service, Smart Columbus Program Office, in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Chief Innovation Officer to pay Physicians CareConnection for work already performed as soon as possible, 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 City’s Chief Innovation Officer, on behalf of the Department of Public Service, be and is hereby authorized to establish a purchase order with Physicians CareConnect, 1390 Dublin Rd. Columbus, OH 43215, for services provided related to the recruitment, screening, and reporting for the Rides4Baby program.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $26,540.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized in Fund 2265 (Street Construction Maintenance and Repair Fund), Dept-Div 5901 (Director), in Object Class 03 (Purchased Services) per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That in accordance with Section 329.27 of the Columbus City Codes, the Columbus City Council finds it in the best interest of the City of Columbus to waive formal competitive bidding requirements and that 329 of the Columbus City Code is hereby waived.
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 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.