DATE: 06/17/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
2026-229
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
SUBJECT:
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ROYAL INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS
FOR PURCHASE OF ALLEN-BRADLEY HARDWARE PRODUCTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks City Council to approve a Professional Services Agreement with Royal Industrial Solutions for the purchase of Allen-Bradley hardware for $1,000,000 per year through June 30, 2032. City Council previously designated Allen-Bradley motor control centers and automation equipment as the standard specification for the Utilities Department. Royal Industrial Solutions is the only authorized distributor of Allen-Bradley products for the Inland Empire.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Approve the Professional Services Agreement with Royal Industrial Solutions of Riverside, CA, for technical services and Allen-Bradley products for $1,000,000 per year through June 30, 2032.
b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Professional Services Agreement with Royal Industrial Solutions of Riverside, CA, for $1,000,000 per year through June 30, 2032, including the ability to negotiate and execute nonsubstantive changes and extensions, purchase orders and amendments up to $100,000 or 10% of the contract amount.
c. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a Purchase Order to Royal Industrial Solutions of Riverside, CA, in the amount of $1,000,000 per year through June 30, 2032.
d. City Council make a determination under Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140 (D) that competitive bidding is not required for this purchase based upon the reasons provided in the “Basis for Exception to Competitive Bidding” section of this agenda report.
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct the City Council to take the above actions.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
On June 15, 2022, City Council approved Resolution No. 2022-046 designating certain equipment and products as the standard specification for construction of potable water, water reclamation, and reclaimed water facilities. Resolution No. 2022-046 designated Allen-Bradley as the standard specification for motor control centers (MCC), control wiring terminals, Distributed Motor Controllers, Powerflex Variable Frequency Drives (VFD), DIN rail-mounted circuit breakers, and programmable logic controllers (PLC). Allen-Bradley is the brand name of a product line of factory automation equipment which is currently manufactured and owned by Rockwell Automation. Allen-Bradley products account for the majority of Utilities Department’s industrial control system which provides standardization, and reduces inventory cost, job training, compatibility issues, and programming variations. Allen-Bradley products have proven reliability, serviceability, accuracy, and adaptability to a wide range of conditions.
ANALYSIS:
Rockwell Automation manufactures industrial automation and control systems using Allen-Bradley hardware components and Rockwell Software control logic. The Utilities Department utilizes Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley equipment line of programmable logic controller products and MCCs to automate the operation and supervisory controls of Water and Water Reclamation Treatment Plants, pumping facilities, and remote Utilities Department sites. The Allen Bradley line of PLC equipment replaced the antiquated Modicon PLCs and Schneider PLCs, which had reached their useful life. Allen Bradley PLCs are widely used in the industry, have proven reliable for Utilities Department controls and control strategies, and integrate well with the current General Electric (GE) Digital iFix Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software platform.
Utilities Department has spent an average of $254,525 annually on Allen-Bradley equipment with Royal Industrial Solutions during the last five years, as shown in the table below. Utilities Department is requesting an annual purchase order of $1,000,000 to accommodate the purchase of large equipment for capital improvement projects as well as equipment and components needed for ongoing maintenance of existing facilities.
While the five year average is less than the purchase order request, Utilities Department is currently in the design or planning phase for multiple projects that will require the purchase of Allen-Bradley equipment including Water Reclamation Facility No. 1 Blower and Digester Piping and Equipment Upgrade, Stagecoach Lift Station Motor Control Center, and Sierra Del Oro Treatment Plant MCC 1 and 2 Replacement.
Fiscal Year Total Purchased
FY2022 $198,014
FY2023 $210,665
FY2024 $421,506
FY2025 $196,919
FY2026 YTD $245,523
Average $254,525
BASIS FOR EXCEPTION TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING
Staff believes that an exception to competitive bidding is warranted for this purchase pursuant to Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.140(B), which states as follows:
“No competitive market. When the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determines, in accordance with applicable law, that a competitive market does not exist and that no competitive advantage will be gained in the public bidding process.” Staff believes this exception to competitive bidding is warranted as Royal Industrial Solutions is the only authorized distributor of Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley products in the Inland Empire. Royal Industrial Solutions is the only original equipment manufacturer (OEM) assigned distributor that can offer factory warranty coverage on purchased Allen-Bradley products. Warranty coverage is not applicable if any AllenBradley products are purchased outside the assigned geographically zoned authorized distributor. Additionally, Royal Industrial Solutions provides discounted pricing to the City of Corona.
Utilities Department requests approval of an exception to bid for Royal Industrial Solutions for technical services and purchases of Rockwell Automation’s Allen-Bradley products and industrial electric components for the Water and Water Reclamation systems.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for the recommended actions is included in various FY 2027 Capital Improvement Project and Operating and Maintenance Project budgets. Funding in future fiscal years will be recommended through the budget process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action involves authorization of an agreement and purchase order, and there is no possibility that adopting this resolution will have a significant effect on the environment.
Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: KATIE HOCKETT, ASSISTANT UTILITIES DIRECTOR REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, UTILITIES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Resolution No. 2022-046
2. Exhibit 2 – PSA
3. Exhibit 3 – Rockwell Letter