CITY OF SAN MATEO
5 4
9 7
CITY OF SAN MATEO
Agenda Report
City Hall
330 W. 20th Avenue
San Mateo CA 94403
www.cityofsanmateo.org
Agenda Number: 6 Section Name: {{section.name}} Account Number: 10-4662 File ID: {{item.tracking_number}} TO: City Council
FROM: Alex Khojikian, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Public Works Department
MEETING DATE: July 28, 2025
SUBJECT:
Small Wireless Facility Permit Support Services — Agreements RECOMMENDATION:
Approve professional consultant services agreements for small wireless facilities permit review support services through May 31, 2027, with up to two optional one-year extensions, with: Anchor Engineering, Inc. d/b/a ANCHOR, in an amount not to exceed $250,000; and Gunnerson Consulting & Communication Site Services, LLC in an amount not to exceed $250,000; and authorize the Public Works Director to execute the agreements in substantially the form presented and issue amendments within the budget amount including no-cost term extensions.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Works Development Section is responsible for providing review and permitting for Small Wireless Facility (SWF) Permits within the public right-of-way. Over the last 5 years, staff have seen an increase in SWF permit applications being submitted to the City. Public Works received 178 wireless permit applications in 2023 and 11 wireless permit applications in 2024. As required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), City staff must review SWF applications within a review timeframe also known as the "shot clock” (90 days for installations on new structures and 60 days for installations on existing structures). The shot clock starts once the applicant submits the application and stops when the permit is approved, which includes the appeal process and decision. If staff cannot complete the review within the shot clock, the application is automatically deemed approved by existing federal law.
In 2024, Public Works amended the San Mateo Municipal Code (SMMC) Chapter 17.10 "Wireless Communication Facilities in the Public Right-of-Way” and adopted a new City policy for regulating small wireless facilities within the public right-of- way. As part of that adoption process, the City Council directed staff to pursue additional third-party consultant services for application review.
FCC RF Emission Compliance:
Pursuant to 47 U.S.C 332(c)(7), the City may not regulate the placement, construction, and modification of wireless service facilities to the extent that such facilities comply with the FCC’s regulations concerning radio frequency (RF) emissions.
SWF applications are required to include an RF compliance report prepared by an RF engineer to certify the proposed facility, as well as any collocated facilities and any cumulative emissions from adjacent areas, will comply with applicable FCC regulations. These reports are prepared and stamped by licensed Electrical Engineers; however, City staff typically does not have the technical expertise to verify the calculations and results of these reports.
Consultant Proposals:
In November 2024, Public Works issued a request for proposals (RFP) to multiple firms capable of providing comprehensive SWF review services on an on-call basis. In total, Public Works received responses from two (2) firms and
CITY OF SAN MATEO
5 4
9 7
evaluated those submissions based on the firms’ experience in SWF application review, RF Report preparation and/or review, the proposed firms’ staff qualifications, and the pricing structures. Ultimately, Public Works utilized those criteria to consider awarding agreements for on-call SWF review services to both firms. The firms selected by Public Works are:
Anchor Engineering, Inc. d/b/a ANCHOR
Gunnerson Consulting & Communications Site Services, LLC
Conflicts of Interest:
Gunnerson Consulting & Communications Site Services, LLC (Gunnerson Consulting) has no known conflicts of interest with the City. ANCHOR includes EBI Consulting as a sub-consultant, which has or currently provides services to wireless service providers (such as AT&T, Crown Castle, T-Mobile, and Verizon). EBI Consulting has confirmed that they will cease working for providers within the City while under contract with the City and will not review any submitted reports that were previously created by their firm. These two firms are recommended for award to allow staff to assign RF Report reviews to prevent a firm from reviewing their own reports.
Contract Terms:
These firms will each enter into separate agreements with the City for approximately two-year terms ending on May 31, 2027, with up to two optional one-year extensions (with no contract value increases) pending performance review by staff.
Based on the above, staff recommends executing professional consultant agreements with ANCHOR and Gunnerson Consulting to provide SWF review services for a term of two years, with two optional one-year extensions, for not-to- exceed amounts of $250,000 for each agreement.
BUDGET IMPACT:
The expenses of these small wireless facility review services will be fully cost recoverable as they will be charged to the small wireless facility permit deposit accounts as set forth in the most current adopted fee schedule.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
These agreements are not a project subject to CEQA, because it can be seen with certainty that they will not cause a physical change in the environment. (Public Resources Code Section 21065.)
NOTICE PROVIDED
All meeting noticing requirements were met.
ATTACHMENTS
Att 1 – Agreement with Anchor Engineering, Inc. d/b/a ANCHOR Att 2 – Agreement with Gunnerson Consulting & Communications Site Services, LLC
STAFF CONTACT
Jason Hallare, Senior Engineer
[email protected]
650-522-7316