Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: APRIL 7, 2026
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: STEPHEN BISE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
PREPARED BY: JOE NICHOLS, FACILITIES MANAGER
SUBJECT: PURCHASE ORDER WITH FONROCHE LIGHTING AMERICA FOR SOLAR POWERED STREETLIGHTS
SUMMARY
City Council consideration to award a purchase order not to exceed $100,000 annually to Fonroche Lighting America for streetlight replacement and/or installation to proactively address future series system failures, with options to renew each year through Fiscal Year (FY) 2029-30.
PROPOSED MOTION
Authorize Director of Administrative Services, or designee, to issue a purchase order not to exceed $100,000 with Fonroche Lighting America for solar-powered lighting fixtures using Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract No. 041525-FNR with an option to renew purchase orders annually through Fiscal Year 2029-30.
Authorize Director of Public Works, or designee, to execute and administer all related procurement.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Reject the Proposed Motion
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
None.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement Infrastructure and City Assets.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Fiscal Year 2025-26 Adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Budget has sufficient funding for the project provided from Gas Tax funds (Fund 30) in the Annual Street Light Conversion CIP Project No. 47003 within the Capital Projects Fund (Fund 74).
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Fullerton has approximately 51 high-voltage series circuits throughout the City, consisting of approximately 3,000 street lights. This technology uses Southern California Edison (SCE)-owned electrical transformers and City-owned lighting circuits and fixtures, all of which have become antiquated and no longer operate reliably or cost-effectively. The City cannot maintain the SCE-owned transformers which are no longer manufactured on a scale, making them increasingly difficult for SCE to source and replace. Transformer failures have led to long-term outages with some lasting up to eight months, leaving hundreds of homes and neighborhoods without functioning street lighting. This unreliable infrastructure presents an ongoing maintenance burden with limited long-term viability.
The City recently converted 69 streetlights to solar-powered fixtures along Bastanchury Road. The project improved lighting reliability, sustainability and energy efficiency while reducing long-term operational costs. Staff plans to expand this successful solar streetlight conversion project and convert aging streetlights to reliable and sustainable solar-powered streetlights as necessary throughout the City.
Staff recommends a $100,000 annual purchase order through FY 2029-30 to procure solar streetlights through Fonroche Lighting America using the Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Contract No. 041525-FNR. Fullerton Municipal Code Section 2.64 and City Procurement Policy 4.1.2 permit use of cooperative purchasing agreements in lieu of formal bidding when another public agency competitively solicited the contract. Public agencies use cooperative purchasing agreements as a best practice to streamline purchases. This recommendation provides the fixtures needed to gradually transition from aging series‑circuit streetlights to solar‑powered units.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Sourcewell Contract No. 041525-FNR
cc: City Manager Eddie Manfro
Fonroche Lighting America Solar Powered Streetlights Purchase April 7, 2026 - Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 2