DATE: May 18, 2026
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director
Laura Galli, Engineering Manager
Justin Lai, Senior Civil Engineer
Amy Zhou, Assistant Engineer
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
SUBJECT: EXECUTION OF A TASK ORDER WITH BKF ENGINEERS FOR
PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT
OF $153,815 WITH A CONTINGENCY OF $15,400 FOR CIP 301-
725 INSTALL ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS
PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the attached resolution authorizing:
1. The Mayor to execute Task Order BKF-2026-01 with BKF Engineers in the amount of $153,815 to provide professional engineering services consisting of site assessment, design services, and bid/construction support for CIP 301-725 Install EV Charging Stations Project under the Master On-Call Civil Engineering Services Agreement;
2. The establishment of a contingency in the amount of $15,400 with authorization given to the City Manager or his designee, to execute contract amendments up to the contingency amount; and
3. Finding the approval exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines §15061(b)(3).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City’s medium and heavy-duty fleet vehicle purchases must consist entirely of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2030 due to the Advanced Clean Fleet (ACF) Regulation approved by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in 2023. In preparation for the transition to electrical vehicles, CIP 301-725 will install seven (7) electric vehicle dual port EV chargers at the Corporation Yard and prepare the site for three (3) additional “make ready” dual port EV chargers. The City is participating in Peninsula Clean Energy’s (PCE) EVGov program, which provides technical assistance including electrical design. Civil design services are not provided under the EVGov program and will need to be contracted separately.
Task Order BKF-2026-01 will provide for the preparation of civil construction contract documents including site assessment, design services, and bid/construction support.
BKF has demonstrated experience with EV infrastructure projects and is qualified to manage, design, and support CIP 301-725. There are sufficient funds in CIP 301-725 for the design contract and the proposed fees in the amount of $153,815 have been reviewed by staff, negotiated and deemed appropriate based on the scope of services.
BACKGROUND
In 2023, the CARB approved the ACF regulation, which is one part of a broader strategy to deploy medium and heavy-duty ZEVs. The ACF regulation outlines a phased approach to transition the City’s medium and heavy-duty fleet vehicles to be entirely ZEVs. In 2025, the CARB approved amendments to the ACF regulation that include extending the ZEV phasing deadlines. Currently, 50 percent of medium and heavy-duty vehicle purchases are required to be zero-emission. By 2030, 100 percent of medium and heavy-duty vehicle purchases are required to be zero-emission.
At the November 6, 2023 meeting, the City Council approved an agreement with PCE’s Gov EV program, which provides free technical assistance, project planning, and grant funding to public agencies for new municipal EVs and fleet charging infrastructure. Staff have been working with Optony, the consultant firm provided under PCE’s Gov EV program, to plan the City’s transition to ZEVs. Optony has assessed the City’s inventory and needs, prepared a fleet electrification strategic plan, developed a charging strategy, and considered electrification funding options.
CIP 301-725 will address the immediate-term EV infrastructure needs identified by Optony, which include the installation of 7 dual-port EV chargers and preparation of 3 “make-ready” dual port EV chargers at the Corporation Yard. Through PCE’s Gov EV program, Optony will provide electrical design services. The City is responsible for all other services required for successful project delivery.
On July 18, 2022, the City Council/EMID Board adopted Resolution No. 2022-87 and 3665 and approved a Master Professional Civil Engineering Services Agreement with BKF Engineers under which the City/District can access on-call civil engineering services to carry out specific tasks with the approval of a Task Order by the City/District Manager or City Council/EMID Board (depending on the scope of the task) from July 18, 2022 through July 17, 2025, with the option to extend services in one year increments through 2027. BKF Engineers was selected through a competitive process, in accordance with the City’s purchasing policy, and was selected to provide on-call Civil Engineering Services along with one other firm. Due to satisfactory services during the term of the contract, the Master Agreement has been renewed through July 17, 2026, and staff plans to exercise the option in the agreement to extend the term for one final year through July 17, 2027.
ANALYSIS
The objective of CIP 301-725 is to install five (5) dual port 19.2kW AC level 2 chargers, one (1) dual port 40kW AC Level 3 Charger, and one (1) dual port 90kW DCFC charger at the Corporation Yard. An additional three (3) dual port 40 kW AC Level 3 chargers are to be “make ready”, such that the project shall include the means to support future EV charging infrastructure at the Corporation Yard. These chargers will be used to power new electric vehicles acquired to replace existing vehicles as they are retired from the Corporation Yard.
Optony’s service includes the management of the electrical design for the project, which will be prepared by their subconsultant McCalmont Engineers. Civil design services are not within Optony’s scope but are required to deliver the project.
Staff is working with Optony and using their assistance to apply for the Rule 29 program at PG&E. Rule 29 program assists agencies in creating cost-effective solutions to deploy EV infrastructure by sharing in some of the responsibilities and costs. As part of the program, PG&E will cover the costs for the planning, engineering, materials and installation of the electrical service plus appurtenances, from the street to the electric meter.
BKF is responsible for the civil design services necessary for the project which include:
Utility Locating/Mapping Services and Topographic Survey Geotechnical Investigation
Preparation of Plans and Specifications for Civil Scope • Trenching and Conduit Run
• Striping and Grading
• Structural Calculations and Design
General review of and coordination with electrical design. Response to building code requirements.
Preparation of bid package and bidding support.
Construction support through RFIs, submittal review, and an appropriate number of field visits.
Staff reached out to three (3) professional design firms and received one (1) proposal from BKF Engineers. BKF is working on a similar EV infrastructure project for the City of Menlo Park with the same project design team consisting of Optony and McCalmont.
BKF Engineers are fully qualified to manage, design, and support CIP 301-725. Their recent experience in the emerging field of EV infrastructure coupled with their existing relationship with the electrical design team will be invaluable in the delivery of CIP 301- 725.
Anticipated Project Schedule
Utility Mapping, Topographic Survey, and
Geotechnical Investigation
May 2026 – June 2026
Schematic Design Package July 2026 – August 2026
Plans, Specifications, and Estimate 50% August 2026 – September 2026 Plans, Specifications, and Estimate 90% September 2026 – October 2026 Plans, Specifications, and Estimate Final November 2026 Council Approval and Bid Period December 2026 – January 2027 The construction timeline will be dependent on the availability of PG&E equipment for the two new electrical services serving the EV chargers. Staff are aware of the long lead times and will begin separate procurement once the equipment design is complete.
CEQA
Categorically Exempt pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact of this resolution is $169,215, including: (a) $ 153,815 for a Task Order Award to BKF Engineers for CIP 725 Install Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Project, and (b) $15,400 in contingency. There is a current budget of $1,600,000 available in the CIP project to fund this work. Any unspent contingency reverts to the originating fund balance following the closeout of the project.
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure
Innovation and Sustainability
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Task Order BKF-2026-01