DR4525(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 $29,332,751.81 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:
- Additional billboards for the rapid dissemination of critical COVID prevention and containment information
- Transportation for individuals effected by COVID-19 to testing sites and medical appointments
- Purchase vehicles for HHD operations including transporting individuals, delivering meals, medication, vouchers, and other basic needs
- Provide chilled meals for families impacted by COVID-19 through to carry them through the holidays
- Develop digital marketing plans targeting individuals impacted by COVID-19
- Provide home collection kits for COVID-19 testing
- Provide funding to support Houston Area Women’s Center focusing on victims of domestic abuse
- Purchase Medical supplies to distribute to the community during outreach programs
- Purchase public health messaging through mass media buys for the second phase of “Better Together” program
- Purchase coordinated media buys focused on the Domestic Abuse Campaign in Coordination with the Mayors HHD, HPD and Office of Human Trafficking
- Purchase Ophthalmology equipment to add additional lanes and adjust for social distancing
- Purchase printed supplies for COVID-19 education and prevention
- Purchase work apparel / uniforms for staff conducting COVID outreach
- Design a messaging campaign to support enhanced reporting and to provide support for victims of domestic abuse
- To conduct an assessment of the security and privacy of the MAVEN web application and underlying infrastructure
- Vehicle repairs for the HHD mobile COVID testing unit
- Monitor symptom development among individuals wo test negative for COVID-19.
- Purchase vendor services to aid in the concept and strategy development, creating commercials and script content along with multiple media buys
- To expand laboratory capacity in order to comply with COVID social distancing
- Design a portal that will support the standardization of data, streamline data ingestion capabilities and ensure accuracy of required information
- Complete assessment and recommendation for a document management solution and evaluation of Qualtrics software
- Purchase additional computer equipment to support the increase of utilization for staff who are working with contract tracing and outreach activities
- Vendor services to include project management and aid in the concept and strategy development to successfully communicate public health messaging
- Provide cabling and connectivity for new call center at Kirby
- Install an interface to connect to Greater Houston Health Connect with is the City’s health information exchange
- Purchase additional dental chairs to adjust service delivery of Project Saving Smiles and allow for social distancing
- Purchase Protection essentials kits including masks, hand sanitizer and thermometers
- Purchase server and storage infrastructure upgrades for our contract tracing activities
- Purchase basic office supplies
- To purchase gift card incentives for hard to reach vulnerable communities to provide education on health related issues including COVID and FLU
- Upgrade Talent LMS to allow individuals to do self-paced learning for COVID related education and prevention
- To stand up and operate mental health helpline for abusers and victims
- Vendor will conduct mental health assessments to determine level of patient care
- To purchase postage to mail COVID related health information and updates to community partners
- To purchase wireless equipment to support Kirby call center
- To provide samplers for the City wastewater sampling program
- Vendor to collaborate with HHD lab to collect, process, analyze and model samples from wastewater.
- To enlist vendor for door to door outreach strategy to increase education and awareness regarding the virus
- Company will provide capability for mass texting of public safety information
- To purchase advertising space from a private party at both Houston Airports
- To purchase wrapping of 2 HHD vehicles with Covid related messaging
- To Purchase portable dental equipment to provide additional lanes to adjust for social distancing
- To provide housing for victims of abuse including short and long term facilities as well as case management
- To provide equipment and resources to support the Domestic Abuse Response Team (DART) program
- To continue testing support for Houston area residents
- To continue laboratory testing on behalf of the HHD
- To hire a systems analyst to serve as lead in the implementation of the HHD storage and infrastructure project
- To continue to lease space at the GRB for contact tracers
- CHEFS program to “earn and learn” public health education related to COVID 19
- Purchase PPE including face masks
- To initiate a program designed to engage local restaurants identified in 22 priority neighborhoods
- To install a HIPPA compliant GIS portal
- To Purchase testing kits
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 September 30, 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 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.
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_______________________________________
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Jerry Adams, Chief Procurement Officer
Finance/Strategic Procurement Division
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Estimated Spending Authority
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Department
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FY2021
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Out years
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Total
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Finance
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$29,332,751.81
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$0.00
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$29,332,751.81
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