Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance retroactively authorizes the establishment of purchase order PO261720 with Fusion Alliance LLC, for the procurement of professional services in support of the City email platform. On March 2, 2021 Microsoft issued a Zero-day vulnerability on certain Exchange mail products used by customers worldwide, including the City, requiring that the vulnerability be patched immediately. The Department of Homeland Security issued similar guidance on March 3, 2021, requiring all federal, state and local governments to immediately address the Microsoft Exchange vulnerability. It was necessary for DoT to install emergency patches to the email servers as soon as practical. Patching, that under normal circumstances would require months of planning and effort, had to be completed in less than 5 days. This was necessary to ensure that email systems could be patched per Microsoft and the federal government's mandate, and to ensure that continuity of email could be maintained and re-established in a short amount of time. To complete this work the city needed assistance in staff resources with the expertise to ensure that patching work could be accomplished on an emergency basis in three days. It sought local resources with expertise in Exchange platform planning and management, and was able to locate resources at Fusion Alliance LLC. The resultant outcomes including vulnerability assessments, plans, intelligence, investigative, law enforcement, and/or national security information in the work outcomes of this effort is exempt from public release or disclosure under Section 149.433 of the Ohio Revised Code and applicable federal statutes as it is a confidential infrastructure security record. The term of the contract is one-year from the date of the purchase order or until funds are exhausted whichever is sooner, in the amount of $49,995.00.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funds for this expenditure have been identified and are available within the Department of Technology, Information Services Division, Operating Funds.
EMERGENCY:
Emergency designation is being requested for this purchase due to the urgency of the need upgrade and patch the Microsoft Exchange/Outlook email servers.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE:
Vendor Name: FUSION ALLIANCE LLC Expiration Date: Not Compliant
(DAX Vendor Acct. #: 019395)
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Technology to enter into contract and establish a purchase order with Fusion Alliance LLC, for the procurement of professional services in support of the City email platform; and to declare an emergency. ($49,995.00)
Body
WHEREAS, DoT had an emergency need for the procurement of professional services in support of the City email platform; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security issued similar guidance on March 3, 2021, requiring all federal, state and local governments to immediately address the Microsoft Exchange vulnerability; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Technology sought local resources with expertise in Exchange platform planning and management, and was able to locate resources at Fusion Alliance LLC; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of the Department of Technology to retroactively authorize the establishment of purchase order PO261720 with Fusion Alliance LLC, for the procurement of professional services in support of the City email platform, , at a cost of $49,995.00; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Technology in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to request the Mayor’s Emergency authorization for the Director of the Department of Technology to enter into contract with Fusion Alliance LLC for the purchase of professional services associated with the City’s email platform, 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 Director of the Department of Technology be and is hereby authorized to enter into contract with Fusion Alliance LLC as established on purchase order PO261720, ($49,995.00).
SECTION 2: That the expenditure of ($49,995.00), or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby authorized to be expended from the existing PO261720 as per the Mayor's Emergency.
SECTION 3: 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 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.