Item No. 4.
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
BY: MATTHEW BAUMGARDNER, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS/CITY ENGINEER DATE: JANUARY 27, 2026
APPROVAL OF A CONTRACT WITH POSITIVE ENERGY, INC. FOR DESIGN, SUBJECT: PROCUREMENT, AND INSTALLATION OF FAST CHARGING ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) STATIONS RELATED TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (CIP) NO. 22-06, ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS, PHASE 3 PROJECT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council will consider awarding a contract to Positive Energy, Inc. for design, procurement, and installation of five dual -port, Level 3 fast charging stations at the Library. The existing level 2 charging stations at this location are highly congested due to lengthy and slow charging sessions. The proposed installation of level 3 fast charging stations will provide increased charging capacity in a shorter period of time, resulting in shorter charging sessions and increased vehicle turnaround at the Civic Center. The work is expected to begin in May 2026 and be completed by March 2028.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council:
1. Approve a public works contract agreement with Positive Energy, Inc. in the amount of $1,443,575, and a five percent project contingency in the amount of $75,425 for design procurement and installation of five dual - port, Level 3 fast charging stations at the Civic Center;
2. Appropriate $560,000 in grant funds to the Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, Phase 3 Project, CIP No. 22- 06 for the Fast 2.0 Charging for all Californians grant from the California Energy Commission; and,
3. Authorize the Mayor to sign the agreement, and authorize the City Manager to execute all amendments to the agreement.
BACKGROUND
In 2016, as part of the City's ongoing efforts to improve air quality and promote environmental stewardship in our community, the City began to install electric vehicle charging stations at various City facilities, including the Civic Center. There are currently six (6) dual -port, level 2 charging stations located throughout the Civic Center west and south parking lots.
The City's existing Level 2 stations can add up to 25 miles of driving capacity per hour to the vehicle's range. This compares to a typical fast charging station, which can add between 180 and 240 miles per hour. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, an average EV model has a range of approximately 280 miles. Most EV manufacturers recommend charging up to 80 percent of the vehicle range. Given this, a typical EV model could be charged in less than one hour at a typical fast charging station. A Level 2 charger would take over 9 hours to reach 80 percent of the vehicle range. This results in slower turnover at each station. Atypical session at any of the City's stations last 2 hours and 40 minutes. Approximately 67 miles can be added to the range during this time period, or roughly one- third of the time required to charge the vehicle to its recommended level.
Considering the slow turnover rate and the inability to charge EV models to their recommended range levels within one hour, the City Council approved upgrading three dual -port charging stations at the City Library from Level 2 to DCFC (Direct Current Fast Charging) stations and an additional two dual -port DCFC stations within close proximity.
This location is currently some of the most heavily -used in the City. It is a central location that allows both residents and nearby business customers to charge while they are completing tasks at the Civic Center, shopping at nearby stores or restaurants, or attending the Downey Theatre.
The proposed installation of these Level 3 fast charging stations will provide increased driving capacity for electric vehicles in a shorter period of time, resulting in shorter charging sessions and increased vehicle turnaround at the Civic Center.
City staff has been active in pursuing funding opportunities to meet the increasing demand for EV charging within the Civic Center.
In 2024, Clean Power Alliance (CPA) launched its Energized Communities Program to help CPA's partner communities reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and promote sustainability by providing financial and technical support for various efforts, including vehicle electrification. Through its Pathways to Electrification program, CPA aimed to streamline implementation of electrification measures at municipal facilities within CPA's service area and offered up to $250,000 in funding to partner agencies to support creative decarbonization projects. In September 2025, City executed a participation agreement with CPA resulting in an award of $250,000 in grant funds to the City.
In 2024, the California Energy Commission (CEC) launched the FAST 2.0 program which sought to expand the state's public DC Fast Charger (DCFC) network to improve EV feasibility. Funded by the Clean Transportation Program, the initiative prioritizes equitable access across urban centers, highway corridors, and airport plazas. In March of 2025, the City applied for these funds and in July 2025, the City was awarded $560,000 through this program. City is working with the CEC to execute a grant agreement pending a CEC board meeting scheduled for February 11, 2026.
ANALYSIS
In compliance with the City of Downey's Cooperative Purchasing Policy, staff recommends awarding a contract to Positive Energy, Inc., an EV charging solutions provider, who holds contract number 051123-PST with Sourcewell.
Sourcewell is a local government and service cooperative that offers cooperative procurement solutions to government entities. Participation is open to eligible federal, state, and municipal governmental entities, education, nonprofit, tribal government, and other public entities located in the United States.
Sourcewell offers a network of awarded contracts that allows participants to take advantage of competitively priced labor, materials, and equipment costs. It follows competitive contracting law process to solicit, evaluate, and award cooperative purchasing contracts for goods and services and is authorized to establish competitively awarded cooperative purchasing contracts on behalf of itself and its participating agencies. The City takes advantage of these Sourcewell cooperative agreements because they ensure competitive pricing, and they reduce staff time developing and managing procurement through a traditional public bid process, which can add up to two months to a project timeline. Overall, this saves the City money and leads to more efficient outcomes for staff.
In 2023, Sourcewell issued a request for proposals (RFP) for fleet electrification transition planning, management, and related services. In May 2023, Positive Energy, Inc. was awarded a contract with Sourcewell to provide equipment, products or services to Sourcewell and the entities that access their cooperative purchasing contracts.
On November 21, 2025, Public Works staff received a proposal from Positive Energy, Inc. for the design and installation of five Level 3 fast charging stations at the Civic Center. The proposed scope of work includes the procurement and installation of five Dual Port systems including cabinets, SIM cards and plans, credit card readers, and driver cloud -based support platform. Positive Energy, Inc. shall provide engineering design, permit coordination, and GPR/RPS scanning. The proposed construction work will include concrete pads for switch gear, transformer and charger pedestals, trenching through asphalt, concrete, landscaping, and installation of signage, bollards, and parking stall striping. Positive Energy, Inc. will install switch gear and transformer, conduit and wire, 5 DCFC units, and amp breaker.
The project contingency will address any unforeseen issues that may arise during the course of the project including repairs to substandard subflooring conditions that are outside of the scope of work. An estimated time of 4 months is anticipated to complete the design phase and an additional 18 months to complete the construction phase, including coordination with Southern California Edison (SCE) for extensive upgrades to their underground electrical infrastructure needed to accommodate the higher energy demands, for a total of 22 months. The proposed contract work is expected to begin in May 2026 and be complete by March 2028. Project duration is driven by extended supply chain lead times for electrical components of approximately 12-15 months). Design and SCE utility coordination will occur concurrently with procurement.
The City has accumulated approximately $549,000 over the last four years in SCAQMD annual allocated funds. In addition to these funds, staff has secured $160,140 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, $250,000 from CPA, and $560,000 from the CEC.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Quality of Life, Safety and Infrastructure
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an expenditure of $1,443,575 with an additional 5% contract contingency in the amount of $75,425 for a total estimated expenditure of $1,519,000. There are sufficient funds programmed in the Fiscal Year 2025-2026 CIP, as shown in the table below. Any unused project funds appropriated in this Fiscal Year will be carried forward in to future fiscal years to complete the project.
Account No.
Funding Source
Amount
22-1-6825-
SCAQMD Fund
0520
$549,000
26-1-6825-
Grant Fund- Clean Power
0520
Alliance
$250,000
26-1-6825-
Grant Fund- U.S. Department of
0520
Energy
$160,140
26-1-6825-
Grant Fund- California Energy
0520
Commission
$560,000
Total Project Funding:
$1,519,140
Attachments
� I I M 9 �--- 11111 -• - - OrvittrAll REMI
Attachment B - Positive Energy Froppsal.pdf