DR4522(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 $14,460,728.64 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:
- Laptops, batteries, keyboard sets and docking stations to enhance telecommuting for HPW associates;
- To provide financial support to local musicians and musical venues who have lost revenue due to COVID-19;
- To add funds to a previously approved consultancy managing project spend for the HITS Department CRF fund expenditures;
- To purchase PPE such as masks, gloves, goggles, wipes and hand sanitizer;
- To purchase samplers and batteries to assist in securing waste water samples. Previous order has been cancelled:
- To purchase “library lockers” in order to provide touchless customer service and improve Library accessibility outside normal business hours;
- To purchase the APXNext radios for the Houston Police Department further reducing shared communication devices;
- To purchase Cisco Switches to enhance the communication capabilities of the Houston Health Department in their contact tracing centers;
- To develop and implement an end to end radar based flood information and response system;
- To purchase additional audio-visual equipment necessary to enhance communication with internal and external stakeholders;
- To provide rental support for childcare facilities
The attached spreadsheet represents a summary of emergency purchase orders that have been approved to-date by the Chief Procurement Officer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic since October 19, 2020 and have not yet come before City Council for approval. A more complete explanation of these items can be found in the back-p material provided. 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 Emergency Purchase Orders have been reviewed for possible MWBE participation. In cases where participation is possible, appropriation OBO documentation will be provided.
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.
_______________________________________
Jerry Adams, Chief Procurement Officer
Finance/Strategic Procurement Division