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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS
DATE: APRIL 21, 2026
FROM: PUBLIC WORKS AND PUBLIC UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: AWARD OF DESIGN-BUILD SERVICES AGREEMENT TO
AUBREY SILVEY ENTERPRISES, INC. FOR VERMONT
SUBSTATION EXPANSION PROJECT
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM # 13
GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES: NO
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council, by Motion:
1. Determine that the Vermont Substation Expansion Project and all related construction activities associated therewith (collectively, the “Project”) are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code Regs., title 14, ch.3) sections 15301(b), 15302(c), 15303(d)-(e), 15304, and 15332; and further determine that none of the exceptions to the categorical exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines § 15300.2 apply;
2. Determine that the proposal submitted by Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc. (“Aubrey Silvey”), a Georgia corporation (Contractor’s License No. 465903, Classification A), is the most advantageous to the City of Anaheim (“Anaheim”) and award to Aubrey Silvey a Design-Build Agreement (“Agreement”), in the form attached, to design and construct the Project in the amount of $51,382,062, plus a 10% contingency, and waive any irregularities in any of the proposal documents;
3. Authorize the Director of Public Works, or designee, on behalf of Anaheim, to execute the Design-Build Agreement and all related or implementing documents, including cost-neutral amendments and documents contemplated by the Agreement, and take all actions necessary or advisable to implement and administer the Agreement; and authorize the Finance Director to execute the Escrow Agreement pertaining to contract retentions in accordance with Public Contract Code section 22300; and
4. Authorize changes to the Agreement that do not materially change the terms and conditions of the Agreement, as determined by the City Attorney’s Office, and authorize the Risk Manager to approve changes to the insurance, indemnification, and liability provisions of the Agreement as long as the changes are in Anaheim’s best interest.
Award of Design-Build Services Agreement to Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc. For Vermont Substation Expansion Project April 21, 2026
DISCUSSION:
The Public Utilities Board recommended that the City Council approve the Agreement with Aubrey Silvey to provide design-build services for the Project at its meeting on March 25, 2026.
The Project includes the expansion of an existing electrical substation to support new distribution circuits to serve Anaheim customers with reliable service and meet future load growth. The substation expansion will also facilitate improved operational flexibility of the electric system to reduce the duration of power outages by enabling the re-routing of power during emergencies. The existing substation is located at APU’s warehouse and field crew facility on Vermont Avenue (Attachment 2) and the expansion will be within the facility boundaries. As part of the project scope, partially enclosed structures will house high voltage equipment and provide visual, sound, and security mitigation.
Procurement of Design-Build Entity:
The design-build procurement for the Project followed Anaheim Municipal Code (AMC), Chapter
10.06 - Design-Build Contracting for Public Works Projects through a 2-step process. Step 1 was a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) that was advertised through the City’s online bidding platform on April 14, 2025. The RFQ established minimum qualifications and criteria to evaluate and rank the design-build entities. Anaheim received six (6) Statements of Qualifications (SOQ) on June 17, 2025. Of these, the top four (4) design-build entities were pre-qualified.
Step 2 was a Request for Proposals (RFP) that was sent to the four pre-qualified design-build entities on July 30, 2025. The RFP established evaluation criteria to select the most advantageous proposal based on criteria in AMC, Chapter 10.06. During the RFP process, two (2) of the four (4) design-build entities declined to submit a proposal, and the City received two (2) technical proposals on October 30, 2025. After two (2) rounds of Request for Clarification, the price proposals were received on December 23, 2025. Proposals were evaluated based on criteria that included:
An evaluation of overall quality, capability, resource availability and financial stability of the Design-Build Entity ;
An evaluation of references provided with respect to responsiveness, quality of work, timeliness and overall performance;
An evaluation of the Design-Build Entity’s experience, training and qualifications on similar types and sizes of projects;
Consideration of items such as price, proposed design approach, initial and/or life cycle costs, project features, quality, capacity, schedule, and operational and functional performance of the substation; and
The extent to which the proposal meets the design objectives, type of equipment, and construction capabilities.
Award of Design-Build Services Agreement to Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc. For Vermont Substation Expansion Project April 21, 2026
Based on the Design-Build evaluation criteria, the final ranking is as follows:
Rank Design-Build Entity
1 Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc.
2 Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc.
Aubrey Silvey previously completed an APU substation project in 2008 and worked on similar substation projects for City of Burbank and City of Riverside. Aubrey Silvey’s overall ranking reflects their proposal is most advantageous to Anaheim based on the thoroughness of their proposal, with sufficient details in their plans for design and engineering, procurement of equipment, and construction methodology. Their overall proposal was the best valued proposal and reflects a lower life cycle cost. Aubrey Silvey’s high-voltage subcontractor, Hampton Tedder Electric Co., a firm based in California and an APU pre-approved electrical contractor, has completed several other projects for APU.
The Project design and procurement phase is expected to take two (2) years. Construction is expected to start in the spring of 2028, with final completion expected in the summer of 2029.
Construction will be primarily onsite, and traffic control and hours of construction will be coordinated with PWD to minimize disruption to the surrounding community.
COMMUNITY WORKFORCE AGREEMENT (CWA):
This Project is not a covered “Project Work” as that term is defined in the Second Amended and Restated Community Workforce Agreement (CWA). Electric utility work on high voltage utility equipment and other special utility construction work is specifically exempt and excluded from the scope of the CWA.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
Staff recommends that City Council determine that the Project is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15301(b), 15302(c), 15303(d)-(e), 15304, and 15332, and further determined that none of the exceptions to the categorical exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines § 15300.2 apply. The Project will include installing additional equipment and conducting renovations on the existing electrical substation facility. These activities do not have the potential to create a significant impact on the environment.
Award of Design-Build Services Agreement to Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc. For Vermont Substation Expansion Project April 21, 2026
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Sufficient funds are available in APU’s Fiscal Year 2025/26 Electric Capital Improvement budget from restricted Electric Utility funds.
Respectfully Submitted, Concurred by,
Rudy Emami Dukku Lee
Director of Public Works Public Utilities General Manager Attachments:
1. Sample Design Build Agreement and General Conditions
2. Project Vicinity Map