APPROVE spending authority for Emergency Purchase of Various Goods and Services related to the City's response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

DR4519(COVID-19) - Approve spending authority for the emergency purchase of various goods and services related to the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Specific Explanation:

The Chief Procurement Officer recommends that City Council approve spending authority in an amount not to exceed $59,734,192.82 for the emergency purchase of various goods and services related to the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Additionally, it is also requested that authorization be given to issue purchase orders to the vendors listed on the attached spreadsheet for the provision of such goods and services. 

In response to the Mayor's initial proclamation issued on March 11, 2020 declaring a Local State of Disaster Due to a Public Health Emergency, and the indefinite extension of the declaration issued on March 17, 2020, the City has engaged numerous vendors to assist with responding to the public health emergency resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The goods and services provided by these various vendors include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The purchase of disinfectant wipes and PPE, including N95 1860 masks;
• The management of COVID-19 testing sites, including staffing, PPE, and testing supplies;
• The purchase of COVID-19 testing kits and laboratory services for COVID-19 testing;
• Digital materials and content, including books, music, movies, and language classes for the Houston Public Library due to an increased demand for digital materials in response to the shutdown of the library facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic; 
• Replacement of radios, batteries, and chargers for all radio communication equipment used between and among COVID-19 testing facilities; 
• The continued provision of shelter, meals, COVID-19 testing, and case management for the at-risk homeless population and victims of domestic violence;
• Operation of a surveillance testing program to routinely test a small, random sample of residents and staff at congregate, homeless shelters located within the city through the end of the calendar year;  
• Assistance with the transition of at-risk homeless individuals out of shelters and encampments into long-term housing, including the provision of rental support and case management;
• Updating the operating system of the Houston Health Department's Bureau of Vital Statistics to allow efficient communication with the City's servers during the development and issuance of death certificates; 
• Hardware upgrades to the City Hall Annex television control room;
• The purchase of radios for use by all police officers and five new cadet classes; 
• The purchase of 550 laptops for the Houston Police Department's non-sworn personnel to enable social distancing and telecommuting; and
• The purchase of additional layers of cyber-security protection for an increasing remote workforce to protect against increased threats from cyber-attacks ranging from data theft to ransomware.  

The attached spreadsheet represents emergency purchase orders that have been approved to-date by the Chief Procurement Officer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic since July 25, 2020 and have not yet come before City Council for approval.  This consolidated request for City Council approval is hereby made in an effort to streamline the procurement process and allow the City to be agile and timely in responding to the ever-changing needs of both the City's residents and the demands of the pandemic. 

This recommendation is made pursuant to section 252.022(a)(2) of the Texas Local Government Code, which provides that "a procurement necessary to preserve or protect the public health or safety of the municipality's residents" is exempt from the competitive bidding process.

M/WBE Participation:

These procurements will be subject to review by OBO and will utilize the appropriate aspirational M/WBE participation goal whenever possible.  

Hire Houston First:

The proposed procurements are exempt from the City's Hire Houston First ordinance.  Bids/ proposals were not solicited because the departments are utilizing emergency purchase orders for these procurements.   

Disaster Note:

This item is related to the impact of COVID-19 and it is the City's intent to use other federal funding sources for eligible expenditures, namely the Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars. 

Fiscal Note:

No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.

$59,734,192.82

Fund 5307

Name                                              Department          Phone 

 Candice M. Gambrell                       FIN/ SPD             832.393.9129

Jerry Adams                                     FIN/ SPD             832.393.9126