DATE:
June 23, 2026
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
City Manager’s Office
TITLE: Amendment to Strategic Energy
Innovations Agreement for Climate
Fellow Services
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager or designee to amend the existing professional services agreement with Strategic Energy Innovations for Climate Corps Fellow services to extend the term to June 30, 2029, and increase compensation by $503,385.45 for a four-year total not-to-exceed amount of $735,824.45.
BACKGROUND
Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI) is a nonprofit organization that administers Climate Corps, a fellowship program that provides professional development opportunities for emerging climate leaders through the implementation of sustainability and resiliency projects. The program partners with local governments, higher education institutions, nonprofits, and for -profit businesses as host organizations. Fellows support host organizations in advancing climate-related initiatives while gaining hands -on professi onal experience. Since 2010, Climate Corps has engaged more than 600 partner organizations and 900 Fellows in completing approximately 1,400 high-impact projects.
The City of Mountain View has participated in the Climate Corps fellowship program since 2017.
The existing agreement with SEI is for the placement of three full-time Fellows and has a not-to- exceed amount of $232,439, which includes $60,000 in grant funding from Silicon Valley Clean Energy. The recommended amendment would extend the term by three additional fiscal years and increase the contract amount by $503,385.45 to support those additional years, bringing the total not- to-exceed amount to $735,824.45. The estimated cost for the three -year extension period is up to $187,442 per fiscal year for two Fellows.
The program is currently funded through the Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Project 20-99, which was established in 2019 to support implementation of Sustainability Action Plan 4. The cumulative agreement value now exceeds the City Manager’s contracting authority under
Amendment to Strategic Energy Innovations Agreement for Climate Fellow Services June 23, 2026
Council Policy A -10 (currently $253,000 per vendor per CIP project), necessitating City Council approval for the proposed amendment.
ANALYSIS
The proposed amendment would establish a baseline of two fellows per fiscal year for the extended term for an annual cost of up to $ 187,442. Fellows serve 10 -month terms from September through June and support implementation of special projects focused on decarbonization and community engagemen t. The three-year extension would maintain continuity of fellowship support while reducing the need for repeated Council actions for future contract extensions.
Continuation of the program remains subject to annual budget availability and City discretion.
The City may elect not to fund or proceed with fellows in any given fiscal year. In such cases, the associated annual expenditures would not be incurred.
Past Climate Fellow Work and Accomplishments
Climate Fellows have played an important role in advancing the City’s sustainability goals by expanding program capacity, supporting broader community outreach, and helping accelerate implementation of key initiatives. The Climate Fellows program provides dedicated support that enables City staff to focus on high -priority sustainability initiatives that require technical expertise and significant staff time. In addition to supplementing staff capacity, Climate Fellows help address emerging program needs and implementation gaps through research, technical assistance, and community engagement.
Climate Fellows have contributed to a number of significant sustainability accomplishments and initiatives, including:
• Supporting greenhouse gas emissions inventory development and completion of the City’s CDP (an environmental disclosure organization formerly called the Carbon Disclosure Project) questionnaire and reporting;
• Supporting training on electric landscaping equipment and smart electric vehicle charging technologies;
• Assisting with the development and implementation of the grant- funded Extreme Heat Community Preparedness Program, including delivery of heat resiliency toolkits and community outreach to residents most vulnerable to extreme heat;
• Supporting implementation and outreach for the City’s “Year of the Water Heater” campaign; Amendment to Strategic Energy Innovations Agreement for Climate Fellow Services June 23, 2026
• Assisting with Green Business certification for City facilities;
• Supporting research and design of a grant- funded electric vehicle charging rebate adder program for multi-family housing;
• Assisting with launch activities and outreach for the City’s e-bike rebate program pilot;
• Developing plant-based eating outreach campaigns, educational materials, and community events;
• Conducting targeted research and analysis on priority topics, including outreach strategies, cool pavement approaches, and trends in building electrification permit activity across the City over time; and
• Supporting planning, outreach, and delivery of sustainability programming and activities for the City’s Earth Day Festival.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is sufficient funding in the Sustainability Project Capital Improvement Program (CIP) , Project 20-99, to support the proposed amendment to the professional services agreement with Strategic Energy Innovations for Climate Corps Fellow services. The amendment would increase the agreement by $503,385.45, resulting in a revised not-to-exceed amount of $735,824.45. The increased contract amount can be accommodated within existing project appropriations, and no additional appropriation is required.
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to- play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
Amendment to Strategic Energy Innovations Agreement for Climate Fellow Services June 23, 2026
Please see below for information about whether the recommended action for this agenda item is subject to or exempt from the Levine Act.
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
☒ Material contract modification or amendment
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve a shorter extension of one or two fiscal years; however, this would require additional Council actions and increase administrative workload over time;
2. Direct staff to reduce the number of Climate Corps Fellows to one per fiscal year, which would decrease program capacity and scope of services;
3. Do not amend the agreement with Strategic Energy Innovations resulting in discontinuation of the Climate Corps Fellow Program upon expiration of the current term; or
4. Provide other direction.
PUBLIC NOTICING— Agenda posting.
Prepared by:
Lauren Anderson
Sustainability Analyst II
Reviewed by:
Danielle Lee
Chief Sustainability and Resiliency Officer
Approved by:
Audrey D. Seymour
Assistant City Manager