Explanation
BACKGROUND:
The City of Columbus, Columbus Public Health, receives funding for the Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio Grant Program from the Ohio Department of Health. The purpose of this grant is to create “Disruptive Innovation” by seeking to prevent new HIV infections by focusing on four (4) pillars: treating HIV to achieve viral suppression, diagnose HIV so that all persons know their HIV status, prevent infections through PrEP and syringe support programs and respond to HIV clusters or outbreaks within the community. This grant specifically focuses on the diagnose and prevent pillars.
This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into and, if needed, modify a contract with KW2 help Columbus Public Health partner with Stonewall Columbus, Equitas Health, Gilead, and AIDS Healthcare Foundation to host a free HIV/STI testing event and promote HIV testing and PrEP initiation around National HIV Testing Day. This event will provide access to testing, consultation, and education for all participants while providing a fun and celebratory atmosphere building off the energy of Pride Month, as well as National HIV Testing Day. The term of the contract is June 1, 2022 through July 31, 2022 with funding based on vendor estimates of annual funding requirements for allowable services.
KW2: $123,410
This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into a contract with KW2, modify said contract if portions of previously appropriated and encumbered funds are unused, and reallocate unused funds by entering into contracts with newly identified and qualified vendors without the need for additional legislation. As such, this ordinance requests a waiver of the competitive bidding provisions of City Code Chapter 329.
This ordinance is submitted as an emergency in order to ensure that quality medical care continues to be available to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS and to ensure timely payment to providers.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The contracts will be entered into by Columbus Public Health with vendors who meet federal requirements related to services allowable under the Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio Grant Program as well as comply with the RFQ and City bidding processes. This ordinance will authorize one ACPO in the amount of $123,410.00 to encumber funds using available grant appropriations for contracts with vendors.
Title
To authorize the Board of Health to enter into a contract with KW2, modify said contract if portions of previously appropriated and encumbered funds are unused, and reallocate unused funds by entering into contracts with newly identified and qualified vendors without the need for additional legislation for the Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio Grant Program for the provision of services allowable under the grant for persons with HIV or AIDS in central Ohio; to authorize the expenditure of $123,410.00 from the Health Department Grants Fund to pay the costs thereof; to waive competitive bidding of City Code Chapter 329; and to declare an emergency. ($123,410.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the city receives funding totaling $1,100,000.00 for the Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio Grant Program (the Grant) from the Ohio Department of Health which requires Columbus Public Health (CPH) to assure quality medical care to eligible persons living with HIV or AIDS in Central Ohio; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the Board of Health to enter into contracts for services; and,
WHEREAS, $123,410.00 in additional funds are needed for the continued provision of HIV-related early intervention services and any other service allowable under the Grant for a sum total of contracts not to exceed $123,410.00; and,
WHEREAS, the Board of Health will enter into initial contracts with KW2 who will provide various HIV-related services to meet all grant deliverables required by the Grant; and
WHEREAS, ODH has tasked CPH to improve the efficiency of the reallocation of grant funds as necessary to minimize unused funds, maximize available services, and avoid funding penalties; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary to allow the Board of Health to enter into and modify contracts with vendors that are identified by CPH as qualified to provide the required services and meet federal requirements for the Grant; and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the Board of Health to reallocate appropriated and encumbered unused funds by modifying existing contracts or entering into additional contracts with vendors that are newly identified by CPH as qualified to provide the required services and that meet federal requirements for this grant funding without the need for additional legislation; and,
WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the city to waive the competitive bidding provisions of City Code Chapter 329; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operations of Columbus Public Health in that it is immediately necessary to enter into contracts in order to continue services without interruption for the immediate preservation of 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 Board of Health is hereby authorized to enter into contracts with KW2, for a total amount not to exceed $123,410.00, for HIV-related services to persons with HIV or AIDS in central Ohio, for the period of June 1, 2022 through July 31, 2022.
SECTION 2. That the Board of Health is hereby authorized to modify said contract if portions of previously appropriated and encumbered funds are unused, and reallocate unused funds and enter into contracts with additional vendors that are newly identified by Columbus Public Health as qualified to provide the required services and that meet the federal grant requirements without the need for additional legislation, for services allowable under the Implementing Enhanced HIV Prevention and Surveillance for Health Departments to End the HIV Epidemic in Ohio Grant Program from the Ohio Department of Health.
SECTION 3. That to pay the cost of said contract, the expenditure of $123,410.00, or so much thereof as may be needed, is hereby authorized from the Health Department Grants Fund, Fund No. 2251, object class 03 per the attached accounting document.
SECTION 4. That Council finds it in the City’s best interest to waive the competitive bidding provisions of City Code Chapter 329 to enter into these contracts.
SECTION 5. That for 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.