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 diagnoses and prevention pillars and is contingent upon ordinance 2211-2022.
This ordinance authorizes the Board of Health to enter into and, if needed, modify contracts with the following vendors to provide HIV-related early intervention services and any other services allowable under the grant. The term of the contract with each qualified vendor is August 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023, with funding based on vendor estimates of annual funding requirements for allowable services. Using Bonfire, competitive bids were advertised and solicited in accordance with the relevant provisions of Columbus City Code 329 relating to competitive bidding. Specifically, Bonfire RFQ021189 and RFQ015537. RFQ021189 was posted on March 8, 2022 which covers a 58-month grant period (5/1/22-2/28/27) with annual contracts being issued with the grant fiscal year, according to bidding requirements of the City Code. In addition, RFQ015537 was posted in May 2020 which also covered a five-year period (7/1/2020 - 2/28/2025). This RFQ was also for EHE services specifically resource navigation. At that time, Equitas Health bid and was awarded a contract. We are requesting the same services under the ODH EHE grant and received an updated budget and proposal from Equitas and because they completed the bid process on RFQ015537, the bidding was waived for RFQ021189.
Columbus Neighborhood Health Ctr, Inc. dba PrimaryOne Health: $150,000.00
Equitas Health: $295,000.00
Under the terms of the grant, funds must be used during the grant period or they are forfeited and CPH may be subject to penalties related to future grant funding. Previously, CPH has reallocated unused funds from vendors through appropriate contract modifications. These modifications oftentimes required additional legislation. Most recently, towards the goals of minimizing unused funds, maximizing available services, and avoiding funding penalties, HRSA has tasked CPH with improving the process by which unused funds are reallocated. If new vendors are identified, future legislation will be submitted.
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.
Neither vendor is 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.
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 RFQ021189 and City bidding processes. This ordinance will authorize one ACPO in the amount of $445,000.00 to encumber funds using available grant appropriations for contracts with vendors.
Title
To authorize the Board of Health to enter into contracts with qualified vendors 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; to waive the competitive bidding requirements of City Code relating to Equitas; to authorize the expenditure of $445,000.00 from the Health Department Grants Fund to pay the costs thereof; and to declare an emergency. ($445,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the city receives funding totaling $1,200,000.00 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 Ending the HIV Epidemic services; and,
WHEREAS, $445,000.00 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 $445,000.00; and,
WHEREAS, the Board of Health will enter into initial contracts with qualified vendors 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 may be 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; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to waive competitive bidding due to the posting of RFQ015537 in May 2020 that also covered a five-year period (7/1/2020 - 2/28/2025) for EHE services in which Equitas bid and was awarded a contract; 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 for a total amount not to exceed $445,000.00 for ending the HIV-related early intervention services and any other services allowable under the grant for the period of August 1, 2022 through July 31, 2023 with the following:
Columbus Neighborhood Health Ctr, Inc. dba PrimaryOne Health: $150,000.00
Equitas Health: $295,000.00
SECTION 2. That this Council finds that it is in the best interests of the City to waive the competitive bidding requirements to enter into contract with Equitas Health.
SECTION 3. That to pay the cost of the contracts in Section 1, the expenditure of $445,000.00, 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 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 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 6. 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.