Explanation
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed historical inequities within our communities that have led to disproportionate rates of infection and death in communities of color. To help mitigate the disproportionate impacts of the virus for people of color and prevent widening racial health disparities going forward, it is necessary for the City of Columbus to provide targeted education and outreach to our vulnerable communities about the COVID-19 vaccine and the importance of being vaccinated. These funds will be used to enhance the City of Columbus’s COVID-19 Vaccine outreach and engagement efforts and communication in our opportunity neighborhoods.
This legislation authorizes the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a contract with Cohear Public Benefit LLC in an amount up to $80,000 to perform outreach and engagement work, develop strategies to increase trust and reduce vaccine hesitancy, register residents for the vaccine, and to improve COVID-19 vaccination rates among vulnerable populations.
The services included in this contract cannot be provided by existing city employees because these services are beyond the City’s current responsibility and capacity to provide.
Emergency action is requested to ensure that outreach to communities of color can begin immediately and vaccination rates improve as more vaccine becomes available.
FISCAL IMPACT: Funding is provided to the City of Columbus from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act passed by Congress and signed into law March 27, 2020.
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Neighborhoods to enter into a contract with Cohear Public Benefit LLC in an amount up to $80,000.00 to perform outreach and engagement work, develop strategies to increase trust and reduce vaccine hesitancy, register residents for the vaccine, and improve vaccination rates among vulnerable populations; to waive the provisions of competitive bidding ...
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