Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 5.C
Meeting Date: August 12, 2026
From: Deanna Pressgrove, Environmental Conservation & Public Works Manager
Title: Approval of a Professional Services Agreement with ICF Incorporated, L.L.C. for Preparation of the Cathedral City Climate Action Plan Update RECOMMENDATION:
For City Council to:
oApprove a professional services agreement with ICF Incorporated, L.L.C. in an amount not to exceed $55,000 for preparation of the Cathedral City Climate Action Plan Update; and a fifteen percent (15%) contingency for unforeseen project related outreach requirements in the amount of $8,250; thereby bringing the total cost encumbrance for this project to $63,250; and,
oAuthorize the City Manager to execute the Professional Services Agreement with ICF Incorporated, L.L.C.; and,
oFind that approval of the professional services agreement is not a project under CEQA pursuant to Section 15378 of the CEQA Guidelines because it consists of administrative and planning activities that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable physical change to the environment.
BACKGROUND:
2013 Cathedral City Climate Action Plan
The city adopted its Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2013 to establish a comprehensive strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while supporting sustainable growth and environmental stewardship. The 2013 CAP established the city's first greenhouse gas inventory, identified emissions reduction strategies across transportation, energy, solid waste, and municipal operations, and provided a framework for incorporating sustainability into planning, environmental review, and infrastructure decisions.
Since adoption of the 2013 CAP, Cathedral City has completed numerous sustainability initiatives, including:
Energy-efficient upgrades to municipal facilities.
Implementation of SB 1383 organics recycling programs. Expansion of residential and commercial recycling and waste diversion programs. Installation of publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations. Planning for the transition of the City's municipal fleet to zero-emission vehicles. Participation in regional climate planning efforts.
During this same time period, the State of California climate policies have continued to evolve, requiring local agencies to update their planning efforts. Key legislative changes include:
SB 32 (2016) Established California's goal of reducing
greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below
1990 levels by 2030.
AB 1279 (2022) Established California's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2045, meaning the State
intends to balance greenhouse gas emissions
with actions that remove or offset those
emissions.
Advanced Clean Fleet Regulations Accelerate the transition toward zero-emission public fleet.
SB 1383 (2016) Requires jurisdictions to reduce methane emissions through organics recycling and
edible food recovery programs.
Title 24 / CALGreen Building Standards Continue increasing energy efficiency requirements for residential and commercial
development.
On January 28, 2026, the City Council received a presentation on the Coachella Valley Association of Governments Regional Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (Regional CCAP) and directed staff to return with a proposed scope of work, project schedule, and cost estimate for updating Cathedral City’s Climate Action Plan using the regional technical analysis as the foundation for the city's update.
Updating the city's CAP will align local strategies with current state requirements, incorporate the city's accomplishments, and establish an updated roadmap for future implementation.
Several factors support updating Cathedral City’s 2013 Climate Action Plan.
Regulatory Alignment Updating the city's CAP to reflect current State climate laws, greenhouse gas reduction targets, and regulatory
requirements supports future planning.
Grant Eligibility Strengthens the city's competitiveness for State and Federal grants related to transportation, sustainability, energy efficiency, climate resilience and infrastructure improvements.
Local Control Allows Cathedral City to select climate strategies that reflect local priorities, community needs, available funding, and operational feasibility rather than relying solely on regional recommendations.
Leverages Regional CCAP
Investment
Builds upon the technical analysis, greenhouse gas
inventory, emissions modeling, and reduction strategies already completed through the Regional CCAP, reducing
duplication of effort and project costs.
DISCUSSION:
Staff recommends entering into a professional services agreement with ICF Incorporated, L.L.C., to prepare the city's Climate Action Plan update. ICF prepared the recently completed Coachella Valley Regional CCAP, including the greenhouse gas inventory and technical analyses for Cathedral City. Building upon this work allows the city to leverage existing technical analyses, reduce project costs, maintain consistency with the regional planning effort, and tailor the update to Cathedral City's local priorities, sustainability initiatives, and implementation strategies.
To accomplish these objectives, ICF will perform the following tasks:
Document existing city greenhouse gas reduction initiatives. Evaluate the greenhouse gas reduction strategies identified in the Regional CCAP and determine which strategies are appropriate, feasible, and cost-effective for implementation in Cathedral City.
Update the city's greenhouse gas inventory, emissions forecasts, and supporting technical analysis.
Develop recommendations for the transition of the city's municipal fleet to zero- emission vehicles consistent with future State requirements. Evaluate opportunities for publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout the city.
Document SB 1383 and other sustainability initiatives. Prepare draft and final Climate Action Plan documents and presentation materials for City Council consideration.
Updating the Climate Action Plan provides an opportunity to consolidate more than a decade of sustainability accomplishments into a single comprehensive planning document. The updated CAP will document these accomplishments, establish measurable greenhouse gas reduction strategies, align city policies with current State climate legislation, and provide a framework for evaluating future capital improvements, development projects, grant opportunities, and sustainability initiatives.
Further, with the inclusion of evaluating opportunities for publicly accessible electric vehicle charging infrastructure using regional greenhouse gas analyses allows Cathedral City to maintain local control over future greenhouse gas reduction strategies, implementation priorities and long-term infrastructure planning.
The updated Climate Action Plan will also strengthen the City's ability to pursue future State and Federal funding opportunities by demonstrating a current and locally adopted Climate Action Plan.
The Climate Action Plan is intended to be a living planning document. As state regulations evolve, new technologies become available, grant opportunities emerge, and city priorities change, the CAP can be periodically updated to ensure it continues to reflect Cathedral City's sustainability goals and implementation priorities.
Community outreach and stakeholder engagement will occur throughout development of the updated CAP and will help shape the final recommendations brought before the City Council.
SOLE SOURCE JUSTIFICATION
ICF served as the lead consultant for the recently completed Coachella Valley Regional CCAP and developed the greenhouse gas inventory, technical models, emissions forecasts, and reduction strategies used for Cathedral City. Because the proposed CAP update builds directly upon this work, ICF possesses unique institutional knowledge and access to the underlying technical analyses, allowing the City to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, additional costs, and project delays.
ICF also prepared the Coachella Valley Plug-In Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan, giving the consultant additional familiarity with regional transportation electrification strategies and charging infrastructure planning. This experience complements the Climate Action Plan update and supports efficient integration of regional EV planning into Cathedral City's updated CAP.
As part of staff's due diligence, staff requested that CVAG compare ICF’s proposed hourly rates with those used by the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority during preparation of the Regional CCAP. CVAG confirmed that the proposed rates are generally consistent with the previously negotiated regional rates and are considered fair and reasonable.
The city's purchasing policy authorizes exceptions to competitive procurement when a consultant possesses specialized expertise or prior work product that cannot reasonably be duplicated without unnecessary cost or delay. Staff finds those conditions are met and recommends approval of the sole-source agreement.
TIMEFRAME
Following execution of the agreement, staff anticipates the Climate Action Plan Update will require approximately nine to twelve months to complete, including technical analysis, preparation of draft documents, public outreach, Planning Commission review (if applicable), and final City Council adoption.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approval of the professional services agreement is not a project under CEQA pursuant to Section 15378 because it consists of administrative and planning activities that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable physical change to the environment. Future implementation actions will undergo separate environmental review, as required.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed agreement has a not-to-exceed amount of $55,000. The fifteen percent (15%) contingency for unforeseen project outreach requirements in the amount of $8,250 is proposed to ensure that additional in person consultant meetings and/or staff, city council and public outreach requirements, above the contracted amount, can be completed seamlessly and not disrupting the momentum of the Project. Funding in the total amount of $63,250 for the Project is available within the FY 2026-2027 Environmental Conservation Division operating budget.
Although the project does not generate direct revenue, it positions the city for future grant opportunities, supports compliance with evolving climate regulations, and provides a strategic framework for future infrastructure investments and sustainability initiatives.
DESCRIPTION GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT
CODES
PROJECT
CODE
AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2026-2027
Environmental
Conservation
Fund 246
CAP Contract
246-900-910-
911-8600-8601 N/A $55,000 One-Time
2026-2027
Environmental
Conservation
Fund 246
15%
Contingency
246-900-910-
911-8600-8601 N/A $8,250 One –Time
As Needed
2026-2027 Total $63,250
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal B – Community Investment
Action Item B-1: Develop an Electric Vehicle Transition Plan to comply with upcoming state mandates and include consideration of providing publicly accessible charging stations.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. ICF Inc., L.L.C. Proposal for CAP Services
2. CAP Agreement for Services with ICF, Inc., L.L.C.