Columbus Council Waives Bidding on $180,000 Mobility Contract With COSI
The agreement covers transportation consulting, Science Festival outreach and a museum transit display, funded through the city's mobility enterprise fund.
On Nov. 2, Columbus City Council approved emergency legislation for the agreement. The ordinance authorizes the city to enter into a professional services contract with the Franklin County Historical Society, doing business as the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), located at 333 West Broad Street, for transportation and mobility consulting services in an amount up to $180,000.
The entrance plaza of the Center of Science and Industry in downtown Columbus.
Credit: Ɱ / Wikimedia Commons Image source
According to city legislative records, the consulting services will include collaborative STEAM sessions to address mobility challenges, public engagement via the COSI Science Festival, and the installation of a digital museum display to provide residents with critical real-time mobility and infrastructure information. The agreement aims to meet project planning deadlines for the COSI Science Festival, which occurs April 25 through May 1, 2027.
The Council of the City of Columbus waived formal competitive bidding provisions after finding the waiver in the best interest of the city. City records note that COSI is uniquely suited for the project as a trusted local institution with the specific network, facility space, and public outreach capabilities needed to handle the work. Officials requested emergency action so the Department of Public Service can enter into a contract immediately, ensuring consulting services begin without delay, keeping planning for upcoming infrastructure initiatives on track, and aligning city efforts with the festival timeline.
Under the legislation, the city's Mobility Enterprise Fund will cover up to $180,000 for the contract. Records filed with council do not itemize the specific dollar breakdown among the consulting sessions, festival outreach and museum display.
City records noted that COSI's city contract compliance certification was expired, with renewal of the certification in process. Background searches in federal and state exclusion databases produced no findings against the organization.
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Supporting evidence (9)
The ordinance authorizes the city to enter into a professional services contract with the Franklin County Historical Society, doing business as the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), located at 333 West Broad Street, for transportation and mobility consulting services in an amount up to $180,000.
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SECTION 2. That the Director of Public Service be and hereby is authorized to enter into a professional services contract with the Franklin County Historical Society dba Center of Science and Industry (COSI), located at 333 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio, 43215, for transportation and mobility consulting services in an amount up to $180,000.00.
According to city legislative records, the consulting services will include collaborative STEAM sessions to address mobility challenges, public engagement via the COSI Science Festival, and the installation of a digital museum display to provide residents with critical real-time mobility and infrastructure information.
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Consulting services will include collaborative STEAM consulting sessions to address mobility challenges, public engagement via the COSI Science Festival, and the installation of a digital museum display to provide residents with critical real-time mobility and infrastructure information.
The agreement aims to meet project planning deadlines for the COSI Science Festival, which occurs April 25 through May 1, 2027.
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to ensure project planning deadlines are met for the COSI Science Festival, which occurs April 25 - May 1, 2027
The Council of the City of Columbus waived formal competitive bidding provisions after finding the waiver in the best interest of the city.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: SECTION 1. That Council finds it is in the best interest of the City of Columbus to waive the competitive bidding provisions of Columbus City Code Chapter 329 relating to formal competitive bidding requirements and hereby waives said provisions.
City records note that COSI is uniquely suited for the project as a trusted local institution with the specific network, facility space, and public outreach capabilities needed to handle the work.
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COSI is uniquely suited for this project because it is a trusted local institution with the specific network, facility space, and public outreach capabilities needed to handle this work.
Officials requested emergency action so the Department of Public Service can enter into a contract immediately, ensuring consulting services begin without delay, keeping planning for upcoming infrastructure initiatives on track, and aligning city efforts with the festival timeline.
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Emergency action is requested to allow the Department of Public Service to enter into a contract immediately. This will ensure that consulting services can begin without delay, keeping planning for upcoming infrastructure initiatives on track and aligning city efforts with the scheduled timeline for the COSI Science Festival.
Under the legislation, the city's Mobility Enterprise Fund will cover up to $180,000 for the contract.
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This is a budgeted expense and this ordinance authorizes the expenditure of $180,000.00 from the Mobility Enterprise Fund, Fund 6500.
City records noted that COSI's city contract compliance certification was expired, with renewal of the certification in process.
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The contract compliance number for Franklin County Historical Society, doing business as the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), is CC006091, and is expired. The renewal of the certification is in process.
Background searches in federal and state exclusion databases produced no findings against the organization.
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Searches in the Excluded Party List System (Federal) and the Findings for Recovery list (State) produced no findings against Franklin County Historical Society, doing business as the Center of Science and Industry (COSI).