Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the Director of the Department of Public Safety to enter into contract with Intrado Life & Safety Solutions for the purchase and maintenance of a portable wireless call taking system that seamlessly connects to the City of Columbus current 911 Viper System.
The outbreak of the COVID19 pandemic has brought many new challenges to the 911 community. Issues such as protection of personnel in a 911 center, involving infection, sustainability of a closed environment over an extended period of time and other challenges have been identified. The ability to have work conducted remotely is a necessity moving forward. Recent public safety developments, including the COVID pandemic and the flooding of a suburban communications center have identified the need for the purchase of a portable or back up system for 911 call taking. The City of Columbus and 911 partners have identified a portable wireless call taking solution that will enhance the city's current system. The solution, Viper Remote 911 Workstation, has been identified that will clearly enhance existing services which many of our Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) deliver to our residents daily. Viper Remote 911 Workstations will allow 911 call takers to perform their duties from a multitude of locations, including home, either in a group or individually. The unit also referred to as “footballs” or “brief cases”, allow 911 operators to connect to public/private networks, wire line or wireless and process 911 and administration calls from the public. This solution will help mitigate the spread of COVID by allowing 911 call takers the ability to work remotely.
Bid Information: This purchase is being executed in accordance with the sole source provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code; Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corporation is the proprietary software licensing and maintenance contractor for the City's current 911 System. The Remote Viper System gives the city the ability to use the City’s 911 system remotely. No other company can provide this proprietary software to work with our current 911 system.
Contract Compliance: Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corporation 58-2381670, V#009511 expires April 24, 2020 (vendor working on updating)
Emergency Designation: Emergency legislation is necessary to ensure that the 911 system is being maintained in the shortest possible time in order to ensure the optimum level of this critical service to the citizens of Columbus.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $380,888.72 from the CARES Act Fund and appropriation and expenditure of $126,962.91 from the Wireless E911 fund for the purchase and maintenance of a Wireless Remote 911 Workstation system from Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corp. The total initial cost of the system and maintenance is $507,851.63. Franklin County will either: (1) reimburse the City for 25% ($126,962.91) of the total cost in which case this amount will be deposited back into the Wireless E911 fund, or (2) pay the vendor directly for their share.
Title
To authorize an appropriation of $126,962.91 within the Wireless E911 Fund; to authorize the Director of Public Safety to enter into contract with Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corporation for the purchase and maintenance of a Viper Remote 911 Workstation system for the city's current 911 system pursuant to the sole source provisions of the Columbus City Code; to authorize an expenditure of $380,888.72 from the CARES Act Fund and $126,962.91 from the Wireless E911 Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($507,851.63)
Body
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the need to purchase a remote 911 call taking system to protect 911 call takers and allow 911 call takers to perform their duties from a multitude of locations, including home, either in a group or individually; and,
WHEREAS, expenditure of CARES Act funding is necessary to cover this unforeseen purchase in order to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus; and,
WHEREAS, Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corporation is the current vendor and sole source provider of the City's current 911Viper system; and,
WHEREAS, Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corporation is the only vendor who can provide and maintain this system; therefore, this acquisition is being submitted in accordance with the sole source provisions of the Columbus City Code Chapter 329; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the City Auditor to appropriate $126,962.91 within the unappropriated balance of the Wireless E911 Fund; and,
WHEREAS, such expenditure of funds has not been previously accounted for in the 2020 Budget; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual and daily operation of the Department of Public Safety in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to enter into contract with Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corporation to ensure the safety of personnel in the operation of the City's 911 system for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, property, safety, and welfare, now, therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That from the unappropriated monies and from all monies estimated to come into said fund from any and all sources and unappropriated for any other purpose during the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020, the sum of $126,962.91 is appropriated in Fund 2270, Object Class 03 Contractual Services per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance
SECTION 2. That the Director of Public Safety is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Intrado Life & Safety Solutions Corporation for the purchase and maintenance of the Viper Remote 911 Workstation system for the 911 system.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $507,851.63, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for the purchase of this simulation equipment be and is hereby authorized from the CARES Act Fund and the Wireless E911 Funds, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
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 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 6. That this agreement is entered into pursuant to the sole source provisions of Chapter 329 of the Columbus City Code.
SECTION 7. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part thereof, 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.