DATE: 07/01/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Honorable President and Board Members
FROM: Utilities Department
2026-249
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AND
CORONA UTILITY AUTHORITY ACTION
SUBJECT:
MAINTENANCE/GENERAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH KANA SUBSURFACE
ENGINEERING FOR AS-NEEDED UTILITY MARKING SERVICES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to approve a Maintenance/General Services Agreement with Kana Subsurface Engineering for As-Needed Utility Marking Services to protect the City’s underground infrastructure and ensure compliance with Senate Bill 3019.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Award Request for Proposals No. 26-044SB to Kana Subsurface Engineering of Riverside, CA, to provide As-Needed Utility Marking Services and waive any and all minor irregularities in the bidding document as submitted by said bidder. b. Approve the Maintenance/General Services Agreement with Kana Subsurface Engineering of Riverside, CA, to perform As-Needed Utility Marking Services in the amount of $850,000 per fiscal year.
c. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute the Maintenance/General Services Agreement with Kana Subsurface Engineering for a total contract of $850,000 per fiscal year for the initial contract term ending June 30, 2028, with two (2) optional two (2) year extensions including the ability to negotiate and execute non-substantive changes and extensions, purchase orders and amendments up to $85,000 or 10% of the contract amount as authorized by Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.060(H).
That the Corona Utility Authority review, ratify, and to the extent necessary, direct that the City Council take the above actions.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Senate Bill (SB) 3019 requires the locating of utilities before the commencement of any excavations that exceed four (4”) inches below the finished grade. Anyone (contractors, homeowners, utilities, etc.) doing projects that require digging is required to call 811 before digging to request that utility companies mark the site and confirm the location of underground infrastructure to prevent damage during construction. The Utilities Department is responsible for marking the City’s infrastructure for each 811 call received.
The City’s infrastructure includes approximately 862 miles of water pipeline, 66 miles of reclaimed water pipeline, 462 miles of sewer pipeline, 31 miles of electrical lines, 181 miles of storm drain lines, 430 miles of street light conduit, 11 miles of traffic signal conduit, and 46 miles of fiber lines. To protect the City’s infrastructure and avoid loss of utility services due to accidental damage during construction or repair activities, staff utilize an on call contractor who can respond quickly at any time of the day or night.
ANALYSIS:
On April 21, 2026, the City issued Request for Proposals (RFP) 26-044SB for As-Needed Utility Marking Services on the City’s PlanetBids bidding portal per Corona Municipal Code Section 3.08.110 Non-Public Projects - Formal Bidding Procedure. A total of 700 PlanetBids vendors were notified, of which 46 were registered with the City of Corona.
Four firms downloaded the RFP package.
In April 2026, the Department of Industrial Relations informed the City that utility marking services fall under the “Laborer (Group 4, Subsurface Imaging Laborer)” classification, meaning the services are subject to prevailing wage. The City’s current vendor, Utiliquest, LLC, declined to bid.
Two proposals were received by the proposal due date of May 21, 2026, from the following vendors:
Vendor City
Meyer Land Surveying Oak Hills, CA
Kana Subsurface Engineering Riverside, CA
The proposals received were evaluated by Utilities Department staff members in accordance with the criteria outlined in the RFP. The evaluation was based on five essential criteria:
1. Completeness of Response (Pass/Fail)
2. Work Plan / Work Organization
3. Qualifications of Company and Personnel (Experience)
4. Approach to Safety Measures
5. Reasonableness of Cost and Price
The evaluation team determined that Kana Subsurface Engineering is a qualified contractor capable of providing as-needed utility marking services on an on-call basis, at a reasonable price. Staff recommends the award of RFP 26-044SB to Kana Subsurface Engineering and requests approval of a Maintenance/General Services Agreement for $850,000 per fiscal year.
The requested actions will ensure the Utilities Department has reliable access to utility marking services to protect the City’s underground infrastructure and ensure compliance with SB 3019.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Funding for the recommended actions is available in the Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget, split across various funds based on conduit/pipe mileage by type. Funding for future fiscal years’ service will be recommended through the annual budget process.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 (d) of the Guidelines for the California Environment Quality Action (CEQA), which states that “operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the CEQA determination” and is therefore exempt from CEQA. This action is to approve an agreement for As-Needed Utility Marking Services, and there is no possibility that approving this action will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: ERIN KUNKLE, MAINTENANCE MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, UTILITIES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENT:
1. Exhibit 1 – Kana Subsurface Engineering MGSA