September 9, 2025
Agenda Item No. 14
TO:
HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
Mark Vukojevic, Utilities Director - 949-644-3011, [email protected] PREPARED BY:
Joshua Rosenbaum, Senior Management Analyst - 949-644-3057, [email protected] TITLE:
Approval of On-Call Service Agreements for Streetlight Electrical Repair Services with Yunex LLC and Bear Electrical Solutions LLC ABSTRACT:
The Utilities Department utilizes specialty on-call contractors for streetlight electrical repairs. As needed, contractors assist staff in providing after hours and emergency response, including for the restoration and replacement of knocked down streetlight poles and equipment. Following a competitive bidding process, staff recommends City Council approval of a five-year agreement with both Yunex LLC and Bear Electrical Solutions, LLC, for on-call streetlight electrical repair services.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
a) Determine this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly; b) Approve On-Call Maintenance and Repair Services Agreement with Yunex LLC for a term of five years and a total contract compensation amount of $1,500,000, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the agreement; and c) Approve On-Call Maintenance and Repair Services Agreement with Bear Electrical Solutions LLC for a term of five years and a total contract compensation amount of $1,000,000, and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute the agreement.
DISCUSSION:
The Utilities Department maintains the City of Newport Beach’s 6,000 streetlights and 700 other City-owned lighting fixtures. These fixtures include bollards, park lights, parking lot lights, tree lights/uplighting and beach floodlights. The department manages these assets through a combination of resources, including Utilities Department staff, a contract service provider for maintenance and repairs, and another contractor for emergency services such as nighttime knockdowns. Additionally, the Public Works Department’s annual Capital Improvement Program regularly includes streetlight replacements and upgrades to the system.
This particular contract is for on-call, after-hours response where staff-directed contractors mobilize crews and heavy equipment for complex or emergency situations. This is similar to the contract utilized by the Public Works Department for after-hours traffic signal emergencies. The services include handling high-voltage electrical systems such as service cabinets, circuits and streetlight poles. A typical scenario involves emergency response to a streetlight pole knockdown that occurs after hours. Staff directs the contractor to mobilize a crew and heavy equipment to remove the damaged street light debris, de-energize the circuits, and secure the area. In the following days, City staff and the contractor schedule the replacement and permanent installation of the foundation, circuitry and new streetlight pole. In FY2024-25, there were 20 streetlight poles that were replaced due to vehicular accidents. If there is a responsible party, staff also sends an invoice to the driver or the driver’s insurance company in an effort to recover the City’s costs.
The Utilities Department entered into an agreement for this type of on-call streetlight electrical repair services with Siemens Industry in 2017. The agreement was extended and assigned to Yunex, LLC in recent years. With the existing agreement’s contract term near expiration, the Utilities and Finance Departments jointly issued a Request for Proposals (RFP).
On June 12, 2025, the City posted RFP 25-51 for On-Call Streetlight Electrical Repair Services on the City’s PlanetBids portal with proposals due July 10, 2025. The proposers were required to demonstrate previous experience of similar scope, possess proper qualifications, training and certifications, including a C-10 Electrical contractor license to work with high voltage streetlights; and submit hourly rates for labor and equipment.
Evaluation criteria weighed technical qualifications and experience at 75% and cost proposals at 25%. A three-member review panel evaluated the submissions. Of the three proposals received, two achieved technical scores of 70% or higher and advanced to the cost analysis stage, consistent with City procurement procedures.
The proposals ranked as follows:
PROPOSER
TECHNICAL SCORE
(MAX 2,250)
COST RATIO SCORE MAX 750
(Sample Project Cost)
TOTAL SCORE - (MAX 3,000)
OVERALL RANK
YUNEX LLC
2,225
750
2,975
1 BEAR ELECTRICAL
2,175
742
2,917
2 Both Yunex and Bear Electrical Solutions received high technical scores and submitted competitive cost proposals. Yunex is the City’s current provider for on-call streetlight electrical repair services, responding to emergencies and as-needed work. Bear Electrical Solutions is the current contractor for the Citywide Streetlight Maintenance program, performing as-directed maintenance and repairs. Utilities staff is highly satisfied with the performance of both firms and believes engaging two qualified, reliable contractors will enhance the City’s ability to respond effectively to both routine and emergency streetlight needs.
Accordingly, staff recommends City Council approval of service agreements with both firms. Yunex, which received the highest proposal score, is recommended for a five-year agreement with a not-to-exceed amount of $1.5 million. Bear Electrical Solutions is recommended for a five-year agreement with a not-to-exceed amount of $1.0 million.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The adopted budget includes sufficient funding for on-call streetlight electrical repair services. Expenses will be charged to the General Fund Streetlight program accounts in the Utilities Department, 0109063-811017 Services Contract or 0109063-851037 Maintenance & Repair NOC.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A – Agreement with Yunex LLC
Attachment B – Agreement with Bear Electrical Solutions LLC 14-3
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Approval of On-Call Service Agreements for Streetlight Electrical Repair Services with Yunex LLC and Bear Electrical Solutions LLC September 9, 2025
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