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

DR4516(COVID-19) - Approve spending authority for the emergency purchase of various goods and services relate 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 $80,954,188.33 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 vendors include, but are not limited to, the following:

• The purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the City's first responders and other employees;
• Increased laboratory testing services for COVID-19 tests;
• Purchase of laboratory testing equipment and instruments; 
• The provision of shelter for the at-risk homeless population;
• The engagement of contact tracers, as well as computer equipment and peripherals to allow contact tracers to perform their tasks efficiently;
• Temporary workforce services to supplement the City's existing workforce to ensure the continuity of City business and appropriate staffing levels to respond appropriately to the pandemic;  
• The provision of community COVID-19 testing sites and facilities; and
• Engagement of various communications, marketing, and film entities to produce and distribute awareness campaigns and educational outreach related to COVID-19 in several languages. 

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 March 11, 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 item was presented to the City Council Committee on Budget & Fiscal Affairs at a specially called meeting on July 9, 2020. 

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.

             ESTIMATED SPENDING AUTHORITY

$80,954,188.33

CARES Act 2020 Fund

Fund 5307