(UPDATED): The Baltimore Board of Estimates today awarded Motorola more than $11 million in unbid contract extensions – and approved a $2 million contract extension to two generous contributors of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s reelection campaign.
For $10 million, Motorola will take care of equipment related to the city’s 800 MHz radio communications facilities over the next five years. Motorola is the original equipment manufacturer and exclusive provider of the maintenance required, according to the city.
Additionally, the Motorola Communication Division was awarded a $1.5 million add-on to its original $5.4 million contract to provide hosting services for the 311 call center.
The contracts were passed without discussion at a brief meeting this morning of the five-member board, which includes Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young and City Comptroller Joan M. Pratt.
Rawlings-Blake’s mayoral campaign committee has received $1,000 from Illinois-based Motorola; she voted for both contracts today. Jack Young abstained from voting on Motorola’s 311 contract.
$8,000 for the Mayor’s Campaign
In addition, $2 million was awarded to KCI Technologies and STV Inc. for “on-call conduit occupancy surveys” for the city Department of Transportation.
The new unbid award is on top of $3 million approved by the Board of Estimates last November and extends the conduit survey contract from November 10, 2013 to November 10, 2014.
KCI Technologies of Sparks and STV of Baltimore are generous contributors to Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s reelection.
KCI contributed $4,000 to her campaign on Jan. 11, 2011, while STV contributed $1,000 on Feb. 1, 2011, $1,000 on March 1, 2011, and $2,000 on July 15, 2011, according to election board records.
In other actions, the board approved the following expenditures:
• $4,130,745 to Key Risk Management Services LLC to continue handling workers compensation claims for the Department of Finance. In 2007, the board awarded $10.1 million to Key Risk, with one-year renewal options. This renewal option will extend their contract through December 2012.
• $1,170,679 to the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter to fund operations. The shelter takes in 11,000 dogs and cats a year that are lost, abandoned, abused or neglected by their owners and provides adoption services for animals.
• $244,499 to Energy Systems Group to install conservation measures that will reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs at the city’s Lexington Market parking garage. This is phase II of a project that was authorized in 2007 to provide a detailed energy audit of the garage’s lighting.
• $362,700 to Baltimore Station, a nonprofit recovery center, to operate a homeless shelter on the 5th floor of 210 Guilford Ave.
The new shelter will handle overflow from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Housing Resource Center that opened last month, but has demand already exceeding its capacity of 275 beds.
• $215,695 to Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, in two grants, to provide shelter beds to homeless veterans. “Services will include but are not limited to addiction services, transportation, meals, counseling, case management, employment training and life-skills training.”
• $198,930 to Women’s Housing Coalition to provide housing for a minimum of 25 homeless clients.
• $110,945 to Women Accepting Responsibility to provide housing to a minimum of six homeless clients.
• $130,000 to Manna House, Inc., that provides healthcare outreach for men.
• $200,000 loan to Everyman Theatre to fund renovations for the theater’s new home at 315 W. Fayette St. The renovations will improve 28,000 square feet of space in the former Town Theatre. (Mayor Rawlings-Blake abstained from voting.)
• $179,875 to Wage Works, Inc., to administer flexible spending accounts for the city’s Department of Human Resources.
• $45,000 to the Cultural Resources Management Group to prepare a business plan for the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum for the city planning department.
• $31,584 to provide a continental breakfast (at $9 per person) and plated lunches (at $29 each) – plus incidentals – for 600 Head Start employees today at the Hilton Baltimore.
The event kicked off a three-day professional development conference sponsored by the city’s Head Start program. (Mayor Rawlings-Blake abstained from voting.)
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