ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: December 17, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent - Bids TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Zachary Meyer, Public Works Director
DATE: December 5, 2025
SUBJECT: Adaptive Signal Coordination Panama Lane from Parsons Way to Cottonwood Road
1. Accept Bid and approve contract with Loop Electric Company for $1,052,575.00
2. Authorize staff to approve, as necessary, up to $40,000 in City-controlled contingency for unforeseen conditions during construction of said project. (Ward 1)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends acceptance of low bid, approval of contract, and approval of City -controlled contingency.
BACKGROUND:
The proposed project will install new communication equipment along the street segments of Panama Lane from Parsons Way to Cottonwood Road. This new fiber optic communication system will enable staff to proactively manage traffic flow and promote mobility through real -time traffic data collection and management tools. The improved signal timing will reduce overall vehicle stops and starts and limit delays in travel time. This reduct ion in vehicle stops and starts will improve the corridor’s traffic flow, thereby reducing the air polluting gases generated by vehicles at low speeds and when idling. All vehicle engines are less efficient when traveling at low speeds or idling for long periods of time at a traffic signal. Also, most of the pollutants a vehicle discharges occur when the vehicle accelerates after sitting at a traffic signal for a short period of time. If a vehicle must routinely stop and start in a specified corridor, it will generate more air polluting gases than if the same vehicle were allowed to travel down the specified corridor at a constant speed with minimal slowing or accelerating.
The interconnected traffic signal corridor will be connected to the City of Bakersfield’s Traffic Operations Center (TOC) to better enable City staff to monitor and improve corridor timing and traffic flow. Traffic signals connected to the City’s TOC will also warn City staff when a signal is not functioning properly, allowing a quicker repair-response time so the corridor in question can quickly return to peak operating performance.
To appropriately implement Adaptive Signal Coordination along Panama L ane, installation of a traffic signal at Panama Lane and Sparks Street will also be implemented. This work includes, but is not limited to, the installation of new traffic signals, cameras, and poles, pullboxes, traffic detection, conduit, and conductors.
The Engineer’s Estimate for the project is $1,060,000.00.
Item No. 1: On November 18, 2025, a total of five bids were received, and one was deemed acceptable.
The bids are as follows:
Loop Electric Inc. In the amount of $1,052,575.00
7040 Downing Avenue
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Innovative Engineering Systems, Inc In the amount of $1,209,554.91 DBA Agilitech
8800 Crippen St.
Bakersfield, CA 93311
DBX, Inc In the amount of $1,264,822.00
42024 Avenida Alvarado, Ste A
Temecula, CA 92590
A-C Electric Company In the amount of $1,340,477.00
2921 Hanger Way
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Alfaro Communications In the amount of $1,362,983.03
Construction Inc.,
15614 S. Atlantic Ave
Compton, CA 90221
Loop Electric Inc. is the lowest responsive bidder, and staff recommends acceptance of the bid and approval of the contract.
Item No. 2: Bakersfield Municipal Code section 3.20.105(E) authorizes Public Works Contract Amendments to be executed via Change Order, provided that Change Orders which exceed $10,000 must be approved by the City Council. Staff is requesting pre -approval of up to $40,000 for City -controlled contingency for unforeseen conditions encountered during construction of this project, to be executed via authorized Change Order(s). Any cost which exceeds the City approved contingency, cumulative or otherwise, would require action and approval from the City Council. This City-controlled contingency will save staff time by not having to prepare multiple Council reports for individual routine change orders throughout the project, should they arise. All remaining contingency funds not used will be returned to the fund balance at the end of the project.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This project ( 25PWAP04) is predominantly funded through the C ongestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program (88.53%) and Utility Surcharge funds (11.47%). Therefore, no impact on the City General Fund.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Reliable Infrastructure
Innovative and Efficient City Government
ATTACHMENTS:
Agreement