City Council Agenda Report
July 7, 2026
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
BY: Albert Mendoza, P.E., Director of Public Services/City Engineer Jacqueline Koontz, P.E., Senior Civil Engineer
Patricia Santana, Assistant Engineer
SUBJECT: AWARD OF CONTRACT FOR EMERGENCY STREETLIGHT AND TRAFFIC
SIGNAL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES
Background:
The City owns and maintains approximately 4,100 streetlights, 90 signalized intersections, and associated overhead wiring throughout the city. In addition to streetlights and traffic signals, the City owns and maintains safety lighting for intersections and for several freeway underpasses.
Streetlights, traffic signals, electrical cabinets, wiring, and other system infrastructure are occasionally damaged and require emergency repair or replacement. Damage to equipment and issues with system operations are commonly a result of vehicle collisions, severe weather, power outages, vandalism and theft, and other causes. Emergency events often require immediate action to assess hazards, implement safety measures, effect repairs, restore operations, and minimize disruptions.
Due to the emergency nature of the work, and contractor availability, staff recommend entering into agreements with two contractors. If the primary contractor cannot be reached or is unable to respond within the required timeline, the secondary contractor will be contacted. Contractors shall provide all equipment, materials, vehicles, transportation, insurance, personnel, and licenses and certifications necessary to complete the work. The contractor shall make available personnel and equipment for 24-hour on-call/stand-by service to the City for responding to emergencies. Personnel must be able to respond and arrive on-site to emergency call outs within 45 minutes.
Norwalk Municipal Code (NMC), §3.20.020 - Formal Bidding Procedure, states: “except as otherwise provided in this section, contracts shall be awarded by the City Council to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.” By accepting a singular bidder, the City may be limited by the availability of personnel, equipment, materials, and vehicles during an emergency. It is in the
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best interest of public safety to secure additional resources which can avert delays and improve repair and response times. Due to this, staff are seeking a bidding exemption to contract with two emergency services contractors under:
•NMC §3.16.070(D) – that allows certain exemptions “when the supplies, materials and equipment, or nonprofessional services is necessary to repair, maintain, or improve the City's utilization of supplies, materials, and equipment, which is a component for or a system of supplies, materials, and equipment previously acquired by the City.” •NMC §3.16.070(E) – that allows certain exemptions when “an emergency exists, as determined by the City Manager, and ratified by the City Council in accordance with Section 2.20.060(A), which requires the immediate purchase of the supplies, materials and equipment, or nonprofessional services. An emergency shall be deemed to exist if:” •NMC §3.16.070(E3) – “There is a breakdown in machinery or an essential service which requires the immediate purchase of supplies and equipment to provide essential city services;”
•NMC §3.16.070(E4) – “An essential departmental operation affecting the public health, welfare or safety would be greatly hampered if the prescribed purchasing procedure would cause an undue delay in procurement of the needed item.” To secure competitive rates, staff advertised Invitation to Bid (IFB) No. 26-860 for Emergency Streetlight and Traffic Signal Maintenance Service Provider Including Streetlight/Traffic Signal Pole Replacements on April 17, 2026. Examples of the scope of work for these services include but are not limited to:
•Set-up of traffic control, warning signage, delineation, and other related safety measures. •Performance of emergency streetlight and traffic signal repairs, replacements, or maintenance of various pole types (wood, concrete, steel). •Repair or replacement of exposed or damaged wiring or electrical equipment. •Inspections and realignment of brackets, luminaires, signal heads, poles, and other equipment as needed.
•Troubleshooting electrical equipment and programming of traffic signal timing. •Notification and coordination of emergency work with Southern California Edison, Caltrans, Sherriff’s Department, Public Safety, Public Services, and other City staff and utility providers as required.
On April 28, 2026, a mandatory pre-bid meeting was held to ensure interested bidders reviewed the scope of work and understood the contract requirements. On May 15, 2026, three bids were received:
Company Name
Bear Electrical Solutions, LLC (Bear Electrical)
Select Electric Inc. (Select Electric)
Yunex, LLC (Yunex)
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Staff evaluated the bids based on several factors, including hourly labor and equipment rates, contractor licenses, and qualifications and references.
Bear Electrical submitted the lowest responsive, responsible bid for labor rates and materials mark-up costs, has comparable rates for equipment use, and has required and desired contractor licenses. Positive feedback was received from Bear Electricals’ references from the cities of Tustin and Mission Viejo. City staff are recommending Bear Electrical as the primary contractor to provide emergency streetlight and traffic signal repair services.
Select Electric submitted a responsive, responsible bid which is slightly higher than Bear Electrical for labor rates and materials mark-up costs. Select Electric has the required and additional contractor licenses that are desirable to the City. Select Electric are currently providing similar services for, and have been recommended by, the cities of West Hollywood and Mission Viejo. The City has had a positive experience working with Select Electric on capital improvement projects over the past three years. City staff are recommending Select Electric as the secondary contractor to provide emergency streetlight and traffic signal repair services.
Yunex submitted the highest responsive, responsible bid for labor rates and materials mark-up costs. Yunex has the required contractor licenses and positive feedback from references; however, City staff are only recommending two contracts for services.
Both contracts will be for an initial term of three years, with the option to extend for two one-year extension periods.
Fiscal Impact:
Costs for services will vary annually depending on the number of emergencies and extent of the repairs needed. Payments to contractors for work completed will be paid from the Signals and Street Lighting section accounts. Funds will be expended by one or both contractors on an on- call, as needed, basis.
Funding for Emergency Streetlight and Traffic Signal Repairs and Maintenance Services in the amount of $250,000 was included in the approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2026/27 Budget. Budgeting for services may vary annually depending on planned repairs, anticipated emergency needs, and funding available.
Funding for these services for future FY’s will be programmed as needed and recommended for approval during the City’s annual budgeting process. Purchase orders for both contractors will be opened each fiscal year for a combined amount not-to-exceed the amount in the approved FY budget. Total combined expenditures will not exceed the amounts approved each FY.
Citizens Advised:
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Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
The recommended action will further the City’s 2023-2025 Strategic Plan, Goal No. 2 – Work in Partnership with our Community to Achieve Safe and Livable Neighborhoods, Objective 1, Re- invest in existing and aging infrastructure.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommend City Council award contracts to Bear Electrical Solutions, LLC and Select Electric Inc. to provide emergency streetlight and traffic signal maintenance services including streetlight/traffic signal pole replacements, for an initial amount up to and not-to-exceed $250,000 each for fiscal year 2026/27, combined between the two contractors, for the term of the effective date of the agreement through June 30, 2029, with the option to extend for two additional one year periods; and authorize the City Manager to execute a master agreement with the contractors and annual amendments each fiscal year for an amount up to and not-to-exceed the combined value approved during the annual budgeting process, on behalf of the City, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
Attachments:
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