Explanation
BACKGROUND: The Division of Police Crime Lab has various scientific instruments that require maintenance and repair services by the manufacturer. This equipment is used to process and present evidence for criminal prosecutions, which requires our strict adherence to rules of evidence and established mandatory timeliness. The Division of Police has a need for maintenance and repair services with Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc., and Dani Instruments Inc., through Specialty Underwriters, in order to ensure timely repair of broken equipment and adequately protect the City's investment. Specialty Underwriters provides and manages the consolidation of the various contracts at a reduced cost for the maintenance and service contracts with each respective vendor.
BID INFORMATION: Specialty Underwriters was utilized in 2018 as a pilot project to see what the potential cost savings would be as well as determining if the city would be obtaining the same maintenance and repair services as if it contracted directly with the individual manufacturers. The pilot program did not include all instruments, rather only a few from Agilent and PerkinElmer were utilized for this program. It was discovered that Specialty Underwriters contracts with each of the individual manufacturers on the City's behalf, reducing the yearly costs per instrument while maintaining the same level of service and repairs, thus making it manifestly impractical to bid. If we were to contract with each manufacturer in 2021 the overall cost estimate would be $108,565.00. Utilizing Specialty Underwriters' services, the cost is $82,448.00, resulting in a savings of $26,117.00. Therefore the Division of Police is requesting a Bid Waiver on this contract so that they may continue the maintenance and service contracts at a reduced cost to the City.
This company is not debarred according to the Federal excluded parties listing or prohibited from being awarded a contract according to the Auditor of State unresolved findings for recovery certified search.
CONTRACT COMPLIANCE NO: CC026260 and are in the process of updating
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance authorizes an expenditure of $82,448.00 from the Division of Police's General Fund operating budget with Specialty Underwriters for a maintenance and repair contract for Crime Lab equipment. The Division of Police spent $81,216 in 2020 and $69,311.00 in 2019 for these services with Specialty Underwriters.
Title
To authorize the Director of Public Safety to enter into a contract for maintenance and repair services for Crime Lab instruments with Specialty Underwriters LLC.; to waive the competitive bidding provisions of the Columbus City Code Chapter 329; to authorize the expenditure of $82,448.00 from the General Fund ($82,448.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the Division of Police has a need for maintenance and repair services with Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer Health Sciences, Inc., and Dani Instruments Inc., through Specialty Underwriters, LLC in order to ensure timely repair of broken equipment and adequately protect the City's investment; and,
WHEREAS, the Division of Police has determined that it is in the City’s best interest to waive the competitive bidding procedures of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 to allow Specialty Underwriters to provide and manage the consolidation of the various contracts at a reduced cost for the maintenance and service contracts of the Crime Lab instruments with each respective vendor; and,
WHEREAS, Agilent Technologies, Inc., PerkinElmer, and Dani Instruments are the individual providers of these maintenance and repair services, which the City can utilize at a reduced cost through a consolidated service contract managed by Specialty Underwriters; and,
WHEREAS, funds are budgeted for this purpose in the Division of Police's 2021 General Fund budget;
WHEREAS, it is necessary in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police in order to maintain and repair Crime Lab instruments, to authorize the Director to enter into contract with Specialty Underwriters LLC; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That the Director of Public Safety be and is hereby authorized to enter into a contract for maintenance and repair services for Crime Lab instruments with Specialty Underwriters, LLC.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $82,448.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized in Fund 1000 General Fund in object class 03 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the City Council finds it is in the City’s best interest to waive the competitive bidding requirements of City Code to allow the aforementioned contract with Specialty Underwriters, LLC.
SECTION 4. That the funds necessary to carry out the purpose of this ordinance are hereby deemed appropriated, the City Auditor shall establish such account 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 and to make any accounting changes necessary to ensure that this contract is properly accounted for and recorded accurately on the City's financial records.
SECTION 6 That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period allowed by law.