Explanation
BACKGROUND: The City is required to conduct Environmental Review Record of all federally funded projects to determine whether it meets federal, state, and local environmental standards. CAP STONE & Assoc Inc. (dba and referred to throughout as Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc.) has been assisting the Department of Finance and Management in preparing Environmental Review Records for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funded projects.
Ordinance 3222-2021 authorized the Director of Finance and Management to enter into a professional services contract with Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. (PO340688) for consultation services in the amount of $60,000.00 for the period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.
This ordinance is needed to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to modify the aforementioned contract to extend the time period of the contract through March 31, 2023; and to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to enter into a new contract for similar services for the period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023; and to authorized the expenditure of Department of Finance and Management - Grants Management Administration funds (Fund 2248) that were appropriated through Ordinance 3360-2022.
FISCAL IMPACT: This ordinance will authorize the expenditure of $57,000.00 from the Community Development Block Grant Fund (Fund 2248).
Title
To authorize the Director of the Department of Finance and Management to modify the professional services contract with Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. (PO340688) to extend the period of the agreement through March 31, 2023; and to authorize the Director of Finance to enter into a new contract with Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc.; to authorize the expenditure of Department of Finance and Management - Grants Management Administration funds in the amount of $57,000.00 (Fund 2248); and to declare an emergency. ($57,000.00)
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Columbus is an entitlement community and a Participating Jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the City is a current recipient of various HUD Community Planning Division (CPD) grant funds; and
WHEREAS, an environmental review is the process of reviewing a project and its potential environmental impacts to determine whether it meets federal, state, and local environmental standards; and
WHEREAS, the environmental review process is required for all HUD-assisted projects to ensure that the proposed project does not negatively impact the surrounding environment and that the property site itself will not have an adverse environmental or health effect on end users; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Finance and Management utilized a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to identify and assess qualified firms for providing environmental review services; and
WHEREAS, proposals were submitted in response RFQ015377 in accordance with the relevant provisions of Chapter 329 of City Code pertaining to professional services contracts, through which process Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. received the highest overall score;
WHEREAS, Ordinance 3222-2021 authorized the Director of Finance and Management to enter into a professional services contract with Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. (PO340688) to assist the City in preparing Environmental Review Records in the amount of $60,000.00 for the time period commencing January 1, 2022 and ending December 31, 2022; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to extend this contract for an additional period due to unforeseen project delays; and
WHEREAS, RFQ015377 stated that the proposal may be renewed annually for a period of up to five (5) years; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 3360-2022 authorized the appropriation of 2023 CDBG Program Year funds for various activities, including Department of Finance and Management - Grants Management Administration; and
WHEREAS, it is necessary to authorize the Director of Finance and Management to enter into a new contract with Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. for consultation services to assist the City in preparing Environmental Review Records for the 2023 HUD Program Year; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Finance and Management in that it is immediately necessary to authorize the Director to extend the aforementioned contract (PO340688) and enter into a new contract so that Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. will have the ability to continue assisting the Department of Finance and Management with preparing environmental review records and avoid disruption in providing such services, 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 Director of Finance and Management is hereby authorized to modify the Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. contract (PO340688) to extend the time period from December 31, 2022 through March 31, 2023 due to unforeseen delays.
SECTION 2. That the expenditure of $57,000.00 is authorized within the CDBG Fund 2248 per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 3. That the Director of Finance and Management is hereby authorized and directed to enter into a contract with Stone Environmental Engineering and Science Inc. to provide consultation services for Environmental Review Records for the 2023 HUD Program Year in an amount not to exceed $57,000.00 for the time period of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
SECTION 4. 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.