RECOMMENDATION
AGENDA REPORT
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Amend The Professional Services Agreement With City Of Oakland Parking Partners For Operation And Management Of Municipal Parking Facilities To Extend The Term For Up To Three Years, Including A Two-Year Extension And An Optional Month-To-Month Extension For Up To One Additional Year, For A Total Amount Not To Exceed Twelve Million Three Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Thirty-Nine Dollars ($12,399.039); Waiving The Competitive Request For Proposal/Qualifications Requirement Under Oakland Municipal Code Section 2.04.051.B; And Adopting California Environmental Quality Act Exemption Findings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Oakland (City) entered into an agreement with City of Oakland Parking Partners (COPP) in 2014 for the operation and management of a large portfolio of City-owned public parking facilities. The full term of the agreement, including two extensions under the original authorizing resolution, expires on July 31, 2026.
Under COPP management, annual gross revenues from parking operations grew from approximately $6.8 million in 2015 to $10.6 million in 2019. As a result of the pandemic, revenues dropped to approximately $4.8 million in 2022, and have remained at that general level since. In response, COPP and staff worked together to reduce the total cost of managing the portfolio of facilities by $1 million or approximately 25% with minimum disruption to services.
COPP is a California general partnership that includes Wellington/CMA, LLC, comprised of Wellington Property Co. and CMA Asset Managers, Inc., both certified local business enterprises. COPP has consistently provided excellent service, before, during and since the pandemic.
Within the next twelve to twenty-four months, staff will envision new ways of managing the parking system, including integrating current professional services into existing City resources, and issuing a new request for proposals (RFP). If an RFP results in a new contract award prior to the end of the term of this extension, the City maintains the right to terminate this extension early.
TO: Elizabeth Lake FROM: Josh Rowan
Acting City Administrator Director, Department of
Transportation
SUBJECT: Parking Operator Contract Extension DATE: July 2, 2026
City Administrator Approval Date:
Betsy Lake (Jul 2, 2026 16:53:58 PDT)
Jul 2, 2026
Elizabeth Lake, Acting City Administrator
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Staff recommends that the City’s agreement with COPP be extended to continue parking facility operations without interruption and to allow time for a rigorous competitive process to be completed. Authorizing an extension also requires that City Council waive the competitive process which staff is recommending.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
In January 2014, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 84807 C.M.S. directing the City Administrator to negotiate a multi-year contract for the operation and management of City- owned parking garages with Standard Parking Corporation and its partners, CMA/Wellington, LLC, under the name City of Oakland Parking Partners (COPP), the highest scoring respondent to a competitive RFP, and return to the City Council upon conclusion of negotiations for final approval of the contract and other parking-related matters.
In May 2014, City Council adopted Resolution No. 84993 C.M.S. authorizing a contract with COPP for the operation and management of sixteen municipal parking facilities for an initial period of five years, with options to extend for an additional two-and-a-half-year term and/or on a month-to-month basis for up to eighteen months.
In November 2015, City Council adopted Resolution No. 85888 C.M.S. amending Resolution No. 84993 C.M.S., to support the effective operation and management of the City's municipal parking garages and lots by removing the monthly cap or not-to-exceed limits from the authorizing legislation.
In May 2016, City Council adopted Resolution No. 86146 C.M.S. increasing the authorized annual limit of $600,000 for increased levels of service at COPP-managed parking facilities. In November 2016, City Council adopted Resolution No. 86461 C.M.S. authorizing an additional $850,000 in annual contract capacity with COPP.
The City Council-approved fiscal year (FY) 2021-2023 Adopted Policy Budget included authorization for the installation of “gateless integrated parking garages” throughout all existing City garages, to streamline parking meter and enforcement systems for both on-street and off- street parking and supporting a $1 million reduction of funds available for the COPP garage management service contract.
In July 2023, City Council adopted Resolution No. 89842 C.M.S. authorizing an extension to the contract with COPP for the operation and management of sixteen municipal parking facilities for an additional two years in an annual or not-to-exceed amount of $4,133,013, with an option to extend the agreement on a month-to-month basis for up to one additional year.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
In 2014, the City entered into a professional services agreement with COPP for the operation and management of a portfolio of sixteen parking facilities. The full term of the agreement, including two authorized extensions, expires on July 31, 2026. As measured by customer satisfaction surveys over the past five years, COPP’s performance has been satisfactory.
Elizabeth Lake, Acting City Administrator
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Under COPP management, annual gross revenues from parking facility operations grew from $6.8 million in 2015 to $10.6 Million in 2019. However, revenues declined significantly as a result of the pandemic. Gross revenue from parking facility operations was $4.9 million in 2024 and 2025. When the pandemic began, staff worked with COPP to reduce annual operating expenses by $1 million, representing a 25% reduction in operating budget. COPP’s assistance in implementing cost-saving measures, most significantly the elimination of cash transactions and working to remove the legacy parking access and revenue control system (PARCS) and converting all garages to “gateless” operations reduced operating expenses without any significant reduction in services (see Attachment A: Parking Facilities Financial Performance FY2019-20 to FY2025-26).
COPP has worked closely with staff to implement these operational changes. At the same time, it represents an opportunity to work to increase the overall capacity of the City’s parking resources, grow revenues and shift expenses to extend service and secure funds for much needed deferred maintenance issues such as elevator modernization. Staff intends to use the next twelve to twenty-four months to envision new ways of managing the parking system, including integrating current professional services into existing City resources, and to issue a new RFP.
Continuity of service will be crucial during this time. COPP manages all aspects of operations including facility ambassador services, maintenance and repair, security, facilities management, financial reporting, and more. For these reasons, staff recommends that the City Council authorize an extension of the COPP contract for two years plus a one-year option on a month- to-month basis.
An alternative would be to allow the COPP contract to lapse, which would likely result in a significant disruption to garage services and, consequently, a significant loss of revenue. There are currently several frozen city administrative positions in parking management, so there is currently no capacity to manage even a temporary arrangement without the professional services provided by COPP. Such a disruption to the off-street parking system of garages and lots would put at risk a complex operation currently generating $ 4.9 million in gross parking revenue per year, with annual parking tax revenues of $795,675 and approximately $500,000 in operating income for Fund 1750 (Multi-Purpose Reserve).
Another alternative is to authorize a longer or shorter extension to the COPP contract. Staff has worked extensively with COPP to develop the recommended terms of two years plus an optional additional year, but City Council may elect to authorize a different term. As provided for in the previous contract extension, the proposed 2-year extension allows the City to terminate the contract, for cause or without cause, with 30-calendar day notice, to ensure maximum operational flexibility for the City.
WAIVER RATIONALE
Pursuant to OMC Title 2, Chapter 2, Article I, Section 2.04.051.A and Title 2, Chapter 2, Article I, Section 2.04.051.B the City Council may waive the City’s RFQ/P requirement upon recommendation by the City Administrator and a finding and determination by the City Council that it is in the City’s best interests to do so. Staff requests that City Council waive the Elizabeth Lake, Acting City Administrator
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competitive process and authorize the requested contract extension for two specific reasons:
first, COPP is a California general partnership made up of SP Plus, LLC, a well-respected national parking operator and CMA/Wellington, LLC, made up of two certified small local business enterprises with decades of experience in and contributions to Oakland (CMA Asset Managers and Wellington Property Co.); and second, COPP has consistently performed, as measured by the significant growth in revenues before the pandemic and by customer service incentives earned. The request is also made so that there will be no disruption of service in the operation and management of the City's parking facilities.
RELATED PLANNING EFFORTS
This agenda item is a routine item and does not relate to any Oakland strategic planning efforts.
FISCAL IMPACT
The annual not to exceed contract capacity remains unchanged at $4,133,013.00. Funding for this agreement is included in the FY2026 -27 Proposed Midcycle Policy Budget in Multipurpose Reserve Fund (1750), Mobility Management Organization (35247), Departmental Administrative Project (1003469), Services: Miscellaneous Contract Account (54919), and subject to Council adoption. Funding for future years is contingent upon funding availability in future budget cycles.
In the event that additional funds become available through the City-wide budgeting process, staff could authorize COPP to provide additional parking services, capital improvements, and much needed deferred maintenance.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
The public outreach behind this recommendation began with the competitive RFP process that produced four responsive proposals and continued when staff brought the results of that process to Public Works Committee and City Council for review and direction in 2014. In response to Council direction, staff, and representatives of COPP continued public outreach efforts by sharing plans for off-street parking in Oakland and soliciting feedback and input from stakeholders including transient and monthly parkers, merchants and City departments offering parking validation, as well as business and community associations.
COORDINATION
This report and legislation have been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau.
RACE AND EQUITY
Elizabeth Lake, Acting City Administrator
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Staff did not complete a Racial Equity Impact Analysis (REIA) on the recommended action; however, prior to initiating the competitive RFP process, staff will complete a REIA.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
The proposed extension to the professional services agreement is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) (No Significant Effect on the Environment). This proposed extension is also exempt under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4) and (5), as they involve government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant impact on the environment, and it is an organizational or administrative activity of government that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Amend The Professional Services Agreement With City Of Oakland Parking Partners For Operation And Management Of Municipal Parking Facilities To Extend The Term For Up To Three Years, Including A Two-Year Extension And An Optional Month-To-Month Extension For Up To One Additional Year, For A Total Amount Not To Exceed Twelve Million Three Hundred Ninety-Nine Thousand Thirty-Nine Dollars ($12,399.039); Waiving The Competitive Request For Proposal/Qualifications Requirement Under Oakland Municipal Code Section 2.04.051.B; And Adopting California Environmental Quality Act Exemption Findings Elizabeth Lake, Acting City Administrator
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For questions regarding this report, please contact DOUGLAS MOUNT, PARKING AND MOBILITY DIVISION, at 510-238-6774.
Respectfully submitted,
Josh Rowan (Jul 2, 2026 16:00:36 PDT)
JOSH ROWAN
Director, Department of Transportation
Reviewed by:
Jamie Parks, Assistant Director
Prepared by:
Douglas Mount, Assistant to the Director
Parking and Mobility Division
Attachments (1):
Attachment A: Parking Facilities Financial Performance FY2019-20 to FY2025-26