City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: OCTOBER 28, 2025 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARD: 1
SUBJECT: AWARD BID NO. 8203 - AGREEMENT WITH CAT TRACKING, INC., OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA, FOR FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS TRAFFIC CONTROL SERVICES IN THE AMOUNT OF $215,000, PLUS A 10% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $21,500, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $236,500 ISSUE:
Award Bid No. 8203 to Cat Tracking, Inc., of Riverside, California, for Festival of Lights Traffic Control Services, in the amount of $215,000 and authorize a 10% change order authority in the amount of $21,500, for a total amount not to exceed $236,500.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Award Bid No. 8203 to Cat Tracking Inc., of Riverside, California, for Festival of Lights Traffic Control Services, in the amount of $215,000; Authorize a 10% change order authority in the amount of $21,500, for changes including, but not limited to, safety or traffic concerns, or unforeseen conditions; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Traffic Control Services Agreement with Cat Tracking Inc., including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Riverside, in partnership with The Historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa’s 33rd Annual Festival of Lights presented by Kelly & Duane Roberts, will host the Annual Festival of Lights Switch-On Ceremony (Ceremony) on Saturday, November 22, 2025. The Ceremony, led by Keepers of the Inn Duane and Kelly Roberts and the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, will include a spectacular fireworks show above the Historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa followed by a live performance. The 2025 Festival of Lights (Festival) will be held from Sunday, November 23, 2025, through Wednesday, December 31, 2024, with the light display remaining until January 6, 2026.
The Ceremony ignites the holiday season with dazzling lights, holiday-inspired dining, captivating performances, and family-friendly activities. An ice-skating rink is planned to return to the west side of the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art and Culture of the Riverside Art Museum (“The Cheech”), providing an opportunity for the community to skate on real ice with millions of holiday lights from the Historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa twinkling in the background. Visitors can also enjoy live entertainment from local groups, purchase artisan gifts, patronize Downtown business, and indulge in a sweet treat from a food vendor during the festival.
The Festival of Lights continues to draw large crowds each year. The growing success of the event requires additional measures to ensure crowd control, management of a high vehicular and pedestrian traffic volumes, and most importantly, provide for the overall safety of Festival visitors. These measures include street closures along the Ceremony and Festival footprints, special signal timing, and deployment of wayfinding signage along the mainline and exit ramps of the SR-91, SR-60 and I-215 freeways.
DISCUSSION:
On September 4, 2025, Bid No. 8203 was issued by the Purchasing Division for Festival of Lights Traffic Control Services on the City’s Electronic Bidding System, PlanetBids Vendor Portal. PlanetBids system notified 570 vendors which resulted in 18 prospective bidders. Bid No 8203 summary table is provided below.
Table 1. Bidding Notification Summary Table
Action
Number of Vendors
Vendors Who Downloaded Bid No. 8203
18 Questions and Answers Received
0 Addenda Submitted
0 Proposals Received
2 On September 18, 2025, Bid No. 8203 closed with two (2) responsive bids received. The non-bidder survey was sent out to obtain status on why the prospective bidders did not bid on the project. To date, feedback from the non-bidder survey has not yet been received.
Bid Results – 2025 Festival of Lights Traffic Control Services VENDOR
LOCATION
TOTAL
1 Cat Tracking, Inc.
Riverside, CA
$215,500.00
2 Statewide Traffic Safety & Signs Inc.
Nipomo, CA
$262,870.00
After evaluating both bids, Cat Tracking, Inc., of Riverside, California, was selected as the lowest responsive bidder. Cat Tracking, Inc. has provided traffic control services for the annual Festival of Lights Event on multiple occasions in the past. The Festival of Lights is a unique and dynamic event commanding adjustments throughout the planning and deployment process, which requires a highly skilled and flexible contractor to meet evolving traffic control needs.
Purchasing Resolution 24101, Article Five, Section 508 - Awards state, “Contracts procured through Formal Procurement shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder.
The Parks, Recreation & Community Services Director concurs with the recommendations in this report. The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendation to award complies with Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 508 (b).
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $236,500, which includes a10% contingency of $21,500. Sufficient funds are budgeted and available in the General Fund, Arts and Cultural Affairs, Festival of Lights account 5240000-453225.
Prepared by: Monica Amir-Blake, Senior Engineering Aide Approved by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Rebecca McKee-Reimbold, Interim City Attorney Attachments:
Agreement with Cat Tracking Inc.
Bid No. 8203 Award Recommendation
Festival of Lights Traffic Control Services ● Page 3