Item - 2021.EC23.7

The Economic and Community Development Committee:

1.  In accordance with Section 71-11.1C of City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71, Financial Control, authorized an amendment to Blanket Contract Number 47022957, issued to R Courier for the provision of courier services for Toronto Public Health's COVID-19 related services, by an additional $850,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($864,960 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), revising the current contract value from $950,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($966,920 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries) to $1,800,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,831,680 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries).

The purpose of this report is to request authority from the Economic and Community Development Committee to amend Blanket Contract Number 47022957 issued to R Courier for the provision of courier services for COVID-19 related documents and specimens from various Toronto Public Health (TPH) locations to City of Toronto residents' home locations and local area hospitals and assessment centres. This report requests an amendment to increase the contract value by $850,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($864,960 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries), increasing the contract value from $950,000 to $1,800,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax ($1,831,680 net of Harmonized Sales Tax recoveries).

On March 23, 2020, the Mayor declared a state of emergency for the City of Toronto due to the COVID-19 pandemic. TPH is currently responding to active COVID-19 cases. Part of the COVID-19 case management process involves the timely transfer of documentation, such as test results and instructions on next steps, between TPH, individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 infection and other health care providers, in order to mitigate impact and spread of the virus. In addition, TPH supports the rapid transfer of specimens from the location of a COVID-19 test to assessment centres and local hospitals for select COVID-19 cases. These strategies are vital to achieving our long-term goals of decreasing rates of community transmission, preventing and containing outbreaks, and continually improving our operational response to COVID-19.

The amendment to Blanket Contract Number 47022957 is required in order to continue providing these services as part of TPH's continuing COVID-19 response.

The Economic and Community Development Committee's approval is required in accordance with City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 195, Purchasing, where the current request exceeds the Chief Procurement Officer's authority of the cumulative five year commitment limit for each vendor under Article 7, Section 195-7.3(D) of the Purchasing By-law or exceeds the threshold of $500,000 net of Harmonized Sales Tax allowed under staff authority as per City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 71, Financial Control, Section 71-11.1.