Explanation
Background: This ordinance authorizes the Finance and Management Director, on behalf of the Fleet Management Division, to establish purchase orders with Buckeye Mountain Inc. for the purchase of fifty-five (55) sets of mobile data equipment, computer mounting hardware, and necessary installation/accessories to be installed in Department of Development Code Enforcement vehicles. This bid was processed in accordance with the competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Code. Three bids were received and opened for RFQ016460 on September 24, 2020 as follows:
Buckeye Mountain Inc., (CC#: 26-3246190, exp. 6/4/22, MAJ - vendor#: 032828) $168,321.00
Parr Public Safety, (CC#: 20-1619573, exp. 12/31/2020, MAJ - vendor#: 001060) $196,204.83
Upstate Wholesale Supply (CC#: 16-1382350, exp. 11/2/20, MAJ - vendor#: 000826) $60,500.00*
*vendor bid on Line Item 1 only; submitted no bids for items 20 - 100
As the Division of Code Enforcement supports Mayor Ginther’s mission to ensure that we have vibrant, thriving neighborhoods to reinforce our Opportunity City, Code Enforcement Officers (“Officers”) do their part by responding to complaints and implementing the city’s housing, zoning, graphics, health sanitation, and safety codes. Officers are assigned city vehicles to travel to the inspection site. Currently, once the inspection is conducted, the Officer returns to the office, performs the necessary records search, and inputs the information into the local database. The Officer then creates a notice of violation, returns to the location, and serves the notice of violation.
COVID-19, and the safety precautions necessary to prevent its spread, have made it unsafe for all Code Enforcement Officers to process and complete inspections in the office because the floor plan was not designed, nor can be reconfigured, for social distancing. Using CARES Act funding, this legislation will provide for computers to be installed in each vehicle, which, along with concurrent purchases of mobile data equipment, printers, and computer mounting hardware for their vehicles, will eliminate the need of returning to the office to process their inspections. Officers will be able to catch up on the backlog of inspections that have accumulated since March 2020 and will be able to do their jobs more safely and efficiently going forward.
The Finance and Management Department recommends awarding the bid as follows:
Buckeye Mountain Inc., (CC#: 26-3246190, exp. 6/4/22, MAJ - vendor#: 032828) $168,321.00
These companies are not debarred according to the Excluded Parties listing of the Federal Government and are not listed in the Auditor of States database for Findings for Recovery.
Emergency Designation: The Finance and Management Department respectfully requests this legislation be considered an emergency in order to allow for ordering and installation of the mobile data equipment and computer mounting hardware by the CARES Act deadline of December 31, 2020.
Fiscal Impact: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of up to $168,321.00 from the CARES Act Fund with Buckeye Mountain Inc., for the purchase of fifty-five (55) sets of mobile data equipment, computer mounting hardware, and necessary installation/accessories to be installed in Code Enforcement vehicles. Funding is available in the Department of Development’s CARES Act Fund budget, however funds will need to be transferred within the Department of Development’s CARES Act budget in order to accommodate this purchase. As such, this legislation will authorized the transfer of $47,760.40 from Object Class 03-Services to Object Class 02-Supplies within the CARES Act Fund 2207, Sub-fund 220701.
Title
To authorize the Finance and Management Director to establish purchase orders with Buckeye Mountain Inc. for the purchase of fifty-five (55) sets of mobile data equipment, computer mounting hardware, and necessary installation/accessories to be installed in Code Enforcement vehicles; to authorize the expenditure of up to $168,321.00 from the CARES Act Fund; to authorize the transfer of $47,670.40 within the Department of Development’s CARES Act Fund; and to declare an emergency. ($168,321.00)
Body
WHEREAS, there is a need to purchase fifty-five (55) sets of mobile data equipment, computer mounting hardware, and necessary installation/accessories to be installed in Code Enforcement vehicles; and
WHEREAS, the Purchasing Office advertised and opened formal bid (RFQ016460) on September 24, 2020, and
WHEREAS, the Finance and Management Department recommends a bid award to Buckeye Mountain Inc., as the lowest, most responsive, and responsible bidder, and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a delay in the processing and completion of Code Enforcement inspections; and
WHEREAS, the transfer of funds within the Department of Development’s CARES Act budget is necessary to accommodate this purchase; and
WHEREAS, expenditure of CARES Act funding to purchase computers for installation in Code Enforcement vehicles is necessary to address a delay in the processing and completion of inspections due to social distancing requirements in the workplace caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to establish purchase orders with Buckeye Mountain Inc. to allow for ordering and installation of the mobile data equipment and computer mounting hardware by the CARES Act deadline of December 31, 2020; 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, on behalf of the Fleet Management Division, is hereby authorized to establish purchase orders, pursuant to competitive bid RFQ016460, with Buckeye Mountain Inc., for the purchase of fifty-five (55) sets of mobile data equipment, computer mounting hardware, and necessary installation/accessories.
Buckeye Mountain Inc., (CC#: 26-3246190, exp. 6/4/22, MAJ - vendor#: 032828) $168,321.00
SECTION 2. That the transfer of $47,670.40 or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized within Fund 2207 (CARES Act), Subfund 220701, from Dept-Div 4403 (Code Enforcement), object class 03 (Services) to Dept-Div 4403 (Code Enforcement), object class 02 (Goods) per the account codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the expenditure of $138,213.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary in regard to the actions authorized in Sections1, be and is hereby authorized and approved from CARES Act Fund 2207, Dept-Division (Code Enforcement) 4403, Sub-Fund 220701 in Object Class 02 per the accounting codes in the attachment to the ordinance:
See Attached File: Ord 2203-2020 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 4. That the expenditure of $30,108.00, or so much thereof as may be necessary in regard to the actions authorized in Sections 1, be and is hereby authorized and approved from CARES Act Fund 2207, Dept-Division (Code Enforcement) 4403, Sub-Fund 220701 in Object Class 03 per the accounting codes in the attachment to the ordinance:
See Attached File: Ord 2203-2020 Legislation Template.xls
SECTION 5. That the monies in the foregoing Sections shall be paid upon order of the Director of Finance and Management, and that no order shall be drawn or money paid except by voucher, the form of which shall be approved by the City Auditor.
SECTION 6. Funds are hereby deemed appropriated and expenditures and transfers authorized to carry out the purposes of this ordinance, and the City Auditor shall establish such accounting codes as necessary.
SECTION 7. 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 8. That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared an emergency measure and shall take effect and be enforced from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.