Baltimore, MD - The agenda for the Board of Estimates January 24th meeting is now available. It can be found on the Comptroller’s website under the Board of Estimates tab. 

We're on Threads! Following threads.net/@billforbmore for live information during Board of Estimates meetings and other acitivities from the Comptroller's Office. 

Items of Note

These are transactions we find interesting or may be of interest to the public, organized by agency. A separate list of items on the non-routine/discussion agenda are announced at the BOE meeting.

Information & Technology

SB-24-14874, Informal - Fourth Renewal of Contract No. 08000 Motorola Radio Equipment Master Purchase Agreement. Transaction amount is $1,000,000. “The purpose of the Agreement is to source radio systems equipment and services to support the 800 MHz communications infrastructure for City agencies.”

Procurement

 SB-23-14869, Contract Number 08000, Gunshot Detection, Location, and Forensic Services, and API Subscription Services. Transaction amount is $2,128,500.

SB-23-13122, SCON-001376 – Management Services for the Eating Together in Baltimore Program, Transaction amount is $282,174. “An extension is being requested in order for the Agency to continue existing service while a new Select Source Agreement is completed for the services.”

SB-23-14865, Unauthorized Procurement - Landscaping to Groundshog Property Management, Inc., Transaction amount is $8,377.89. “This request is for payment of unpaid invoice to Groundshog Property Management, Inc. for landscaping work that was done on the Pratt Street Corridor of Baltimore Convention Center for the preparation of the fall season. The work was estimated with in threshold of purchasing card but resulted outside threshold limit the purchasing card and became an unauthorized purchase.”

SB-23-14853, Emergency Procurement Report - Calyptus Consulting Group, Transaction amount is $600,000. “The requested action is a report on an emergency procurement for professional services. The City Finance Department obtained professional services to develop and implement a streamlined, holistic, and compliant approach to supporting the City of Baltimore’s Bureau of Procurement team with fulfilling the City’s acquisition requirements including solicitation preparation, processing, requisition training, internal controls, and deliverable across all City agencies.”

SB-23-14851, Emergency Procurement Report, Civic Initiatives, LLC. Transaction amount is $1,000,000. “The requested action is a report on an emergency procurement for professional services. The City Finance Department obtained professional services to develop and implement a streamlined, holistic, and compliant approach to supporting the City of Baltimore’s Bureau of Procurement team with fulfilling the City’s acquisition requirements including solicitation preparation, processing, requisition training, internal controls, and deliverable across all City agencies.”

SB-24-10095, Emergency Procurement Report: Excavation & Hauling - Millennium & Quarantine Landfill, Transaction amount is $5,008,500. “The Department of Public Works (DPW) is requesting emergency authorization to contract with Potts & Callahan Inc. to provide dirt excavation and hauling services.”

SB-24-14863, Unauthorized Procurement - Moody’s Analytics, Inc. Transaction amount is $26,817. “The requested action is an approval to pay outstanding invoices for purchase of subscription services without a valid contract.”

Public Works

SB-23-14852, Emergency Professional Services Agreement with WSP USA, Inc. for Project No. 1388. Period of Agreement is 07/23/2023 to 07/24/2024. Transaction amount is $500,000. “DPW has requested emergency Authorization to enter into an agreement with a company for a term of one year and not to exceed $500,000.00 to provide administrative, technical and comprehensive support to the Baltimore Regional Water Governance Taskforce.”

Transportation

SB-24-14825, Grant Agreement - Fiscal Year 2022 Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program. Transaction amount is $3,050,000. “The purpose of the study is to develop a plan for transforming the 1.4-mile-long section of US Route 40 in West Baltimore, known colloquially as the “Highway to Nowhere,” in part due to the detrimental effects it has had on West Baltimore for decades, into an asset for community redevelopment and revitalization.”

Address the Board

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Members of the public can submit Statements of Opposition. Statements must be received by noon on the Tuesday prior to the Board of Estimates meeting. A Statement of Opposition means a written statement by a member of the public expressing opposition to an item presented on a Board of Estimates agenda for a vote, provided that the person submitting the statement of opposition is a City resident or taxpayer, or a spokesperson for a City resident or taxpayer, or is directly and specifically affected by a pending matter or decision of the Board, and (d) that is distinct from a Protest.

Members of the public can also submit statements of support to the Board of Estimates. Statements of support can come from anyone in the public in support of any item listed on the stated Board of Estimates agenda.  Please indicate if you would like to address the Board or only wish to have your statement of support noted.

BIDDERS

Protests for contract awards must be received by noon on the Monday prior to the Board of Estimates meeting. A protest is a written challenge to the award of a bid to a particular bidder that has been presented to the Board of Estimates on an agenda for a vote. Anyone submitting a protest must be registered as a procurement lobbyist with the Board of Ethics in accordance with Baltimore City Ethics Code, §8-12.

Rules for submitting Protests and Statements of Opposition are available at the Comptroller's website. Protests (written challenges to the award of a bid) must be received by noon on the Monday prior to the Board of Estimates meeting. 

The complete regulations on procurement, protests, minority and women-owned business enterprises, and debarment/suspensions can be found on the Comptroller's website.

Protests and Statements of Opposition or Support must be submitted to BOE.Clerk@baltimorecity.gov by mail or hand delivery to Attn: Clerk, Board of Estimates Room 204, City Hall, 100 N. Holliday Street. 

Attend the Meeting

In person. Join us on the second floor of City Hall in the Hyman Pressman Board Room, 100 N. Holliday St.

Streaming. All meetings are streamed live on Charm TV and posted after on Charm TV's Youtube channel.

Listen in. Members of the public can call in via Webex by dialing (408)-418-9388; access code: 2343 700 2301 

Watch on television. Watch Charm TV, channel 25.

Notices

Public Information Requests. Requests for background documents for any Board of Estimates items should be made through Geoff.Shannon@baltimorecity.gov.

Starting November 1, 2023 and moving forward, Public Information Act requests sent to the Baltimore City Office of the Comptroller will be published in a quarterly report and made available on the office’s website. 

The Comptroller’s Office committed to this level of transparency in its January 2021 transition report (pg 26) based on a recommendation from good government advocates. More information is available at the Comptroller's website. 

Schedule. The Board meets regularly on the first and third Wednesday of each month, with the exception of June and December. Please see the Comptroller’s website for a detailed BOE meeting schedule and associated submission deadlines.

BOE Database. The Baltimore City Board of Estimates (BOE) Database provides both transparency and easy access to searchable information for the BOE, Comptroller’s Office, internal agency customers and the public. It can be found at https://comptroller.baltimorecity.gov/boe/summaries