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0 Agenda Report
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May 11, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Water and Power Department
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT
WITH POWERFLEX SYSTEMS LLC FOR BACK-OFFICE SOFTWARE
AND OPERATIONS SUPPORT FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR UP TO SEVEN YEARS FOR A GRAND
TOTAL AMOUNT NOT-TO-EXCEED $1,896,995
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the proposed action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Section 21065 ofCEQAand Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines and, as such, no environmental document pursuant to CEQA is required; and
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract, as a result of a competitive selection process, as specified by Section 4.08.047 of the Pasadena Municipal Code, with PowerFlex Systems LLC ("PowerFlex") for Back-Office Software and Operations Support for Electric Vehicle ("EV") Charging Infrastructure for up to seven years for a grand total amount not to exceed $1,896,995, which includes the base contract amount of $1,120,078 for five years, and the option for two additional one-year extensions at the discretion of the City Manager, for an amount not to exceed $776,917. Competitive price bidding is not required pursuant to City Charter Section 1002 (F), contracts for professional or unique services.
BACKGROUND:
Pasadena Water and Power ("PWP") provides electrical sen/ice to over 65,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers within the City of Pasadena. To advance its clean energy and electrification goals, PWP is modernizing Pasadena's public EV charging network. The department is now seeking a scalable, industry- compliant back-office software solution to optimize station management, improve operational efficiency, and integrate seamlessly with the electrical grid. t
MEETING OF.05/11/2026AGENDA ITEM NO.6
Contract Award to PowerFlex for EV Charger Back-Office Services May 11,2026
A robust back-office software solution is essential for maintaining high service standards and operational efficiency. It will provide staff with real-time monitoring and remote diagnostic capabilities, ensuring maximum charger uptime by allowing for immediate fault detection and troubleshooting. For the public, the platform will offer a seamless user experience via a mobile application and web interface, enabling residents to locate available chargers and manage sessions in real-time.
Furthermore, the system will ensure secure, versatile payment processing and automate revenue collection. By supporting flexible pricing structures - such as dynamic peak- hour rates and overstay fees - the software will allow PWP to effectively manage station utilization, recover costs, and support the long-term sustainability of the City's EV infrastructure.
A primary benefit of the proposed back-office software is its sophisticated load management capability. By dynamically distributing power across all active chargers on a site, the system prevents electrical overloads and mitigates demand charges. This intelligent distribution allows the City to expand its charging network without the immediate need for costly and disruptive physical infrastructure upgrades.
The proposed platform provides secure, role-based access tailored for administrators, fleet operators, and the general public. Furthermore, the system captures comprehensive data on energy consumption and station utilization. These analytics are vital for PWP's long-term planning, providing the metrics necessary to optimize current station usage and strategically guide future network expansions.
On May 21, 2025, a Request for Proposals ("RFP") for Back-Office Software and Operations Support for EV Charging Infrastructure was published on the City's eProcurement Portal, OpenGov, which generated notices to all vendors previously registered with the City for this particular commodity class. A total of eight proposals were received by the due date of July 8, 2025, with no proposals received from a local firm.
Subject matter experts from PWP Information Technology, Customer Service, and Power Delivery Engineering conducted the evaluation in accordance with the criteria set forth in the solicitation. Evaluation criteria is outlined in Table I below:
Table 1: RFP Evaluation Criteria
Scoring CriteriaMaximum Points
Technical Capability and Functional Compliance20
Vendor Experience and References20
Implementation Approach and Support Services10
Methodology and Scope of Work15
Future Integration Readiness and Data Migration
Capability
5 Contract Award to PowerFlex for EV Charger Back-Office Services May 11,2026
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy5
Cost of Services15
Local Pasadena Business5
Small or Micro-Business5
Based on this criteria, PowerFtex received the highest evaluated score as summarized in Table 11 below. A scoring evaluation summary is provided in Attachment A.
Table II: RFP Scoring Results
Vendor/RespondentCompany LocationEvaluated Score
(Out of 100)
PowerFlex Systems LLCSan Diego, CA72.69
EvGatewayFoothill Ranch, CA)66.67
Livingston Energy GroupSchenectady, NY58.76
OPF Energy LLCPortland, OR47.17
OpConnect IncLos Altos, CA46.59
ChargeLabMountain View, CA37.89
SWTCH Energy IncSomerville, MA35.78
EcosecworksSan Diego, CA26.79
PowerFlex demonstrated strong qualifications in vendor experience and expertise, technical approach, relevant project experience, and proposed staffing and resources.
PowerFlex provides integrated clean energy solutions, including the design, installation, and operation of solar photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage systems, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The firm has experience delivering EV charging and distributed energy projects for public agencies, utilities, and commercial clients throughout California and nationwide.
PowerFlex demonstrated relevant experience with utility-scale EV charging deployments and energy management systems. Their proposed approach supports the City's clean energy and fleet electrification objectives by incorporating scalable infrastructure, load management capabilities, and system integration designed to meet current operational needs while accommodating future expansion.
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with PowerFlex for up to seven years for a grand total amount not to exceed $1 ,896,995, which includes the base contract amount of $1,120,078 for five years, and the option for two additional one-year extensions for an amount not to exceed $776,917. The recommended not-to-exceed amount is based on anticipated utilization and projected cost increases throughout the term of the contract.
Costs of this contract are divided into two main categories: fixed fees for back-office software and variable credit card processing fees. The fixed component scales with the Contract Award to PowerFlex for EV Charger Back-Office Services May 11,2026
total number of EV chargers in the inventory, while variable costs are projected to grow alongside rising EV adoption and charging frequency.
The City of Pasadena has awarded three contracts and seven prior purchase orders to PowerFlex since 2017 for a total not-to-exceed amount of approximately $701,737.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
The proposed contract is consistent with the City Council's goals to maintain fiscal responsibility and stability, and PWP's strategic initiatives to enhance customer satisfaction and confidence, improve efficiency and business continuity, and maintain PWP's fiscal health and stability.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The action proposed herein is not subject to CEQA in accordance with Section 21065 of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378.
Entering into a contract for back-office software and operations support is an administrative action that would not cause either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
Therefore, the proposed action is not a "project" subject to CEQA, as defined in Section 21065 of CEQA and Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost of this contract is $1,896,995 for up to seven years. Funding for this action will be addressed by the utilization of existing funds in the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (03225) CIP budget (411) and Power Operating Fund (401) to support the first year of contract costs. It is anticipated that $41,503 will be expended in FY 2026. Future contract costs will be budgeted as part of the department's annual capital and operating budgets. There is no impact to the General Fund.
Contract Award to PowerFlex for EV Charger Back-Office Services May 11, 2026
The estimated costs by fiscal year are as follows:
Fiscal Year
2026
2027
2028
2029
2030
2031
2032
O&MCapital
$34,336$7,167
$134,335$21,500
$189,148$32,500
$203,074$32,500
$232,005$32,500
$287,811$32,500
$345,770$32,500
2033 (8 months) | $257,682$21,667
Total
$41,503
$155,835
$221,648
$235,574
$264,505
$320,311
$378,270
$279,349
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID M. REYES
General Manager
Water and Power Department
Prepared by:
A.
Fremy Marquette
Assistant General Manager
Approved by:
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MATTHEW ^. HAWKESWORTH
Interim City Manager
Concurred by:
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1KARZOUMANIANS
Acting Chief Information Officer
Department of Information Technology
Attachment A - Scoring Evaluation Summary