City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: April 26, 2022
Agenda Item: 3.E
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Office of Sustainability & the Environment
Subject: Authorization to Approve a Purchase Order with Beam Global to Procure Three EV Arcs, Funded by a CalOES Grant
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City to issue a purchase order with Beam Global for three EV Arc solar and battery powered electric vehicle chargers for the Public Works Department. This recommended award is made as an exception to the competitive bidding process pursuant to Section 2.24.250(c) and is for a total amount not to exceed $278,961 with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
On June 8, 2021, City Council authorized staff to accept a grant for $291,611 from the Community Power Resiliency Allocation to Cities Program from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and issue a purchase order for four battery back-up generators from FreeWire Technologies (Attachment A). On February 22, 2022, FreeWire Technologies canceled the purchase order due to supply chain shortages and discontinued components.
An alternative use of the grant funds has been identified and pre-approved by CalOES.
Staff is requesting Council authorize the City to issue a purchase order with Beam Global for three EV Arcs, which are standalone EV chargers powered by solar energy and batteries. EV Arcs have an emergency back-up panel which includes four 120v outlets and one 240v outlet, enabling the units to provide power for a range of 2 of 4
equipment during emergencies or power outages. Staff recommends two units be hosted at Marine Park and one at Gandara Park since these sites do not currently have a back-up power supply or electric vehicle chargers.
Discussion
CalOES issued a Request for Proposals for the Community Power Resiliency Allocation to Cities Program which provides competitive grants made available by CalOES to help incorporated cities prepare for power outage events. The City of Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment applied for and was awarded $291,611. Funds may be used to procure generators for essential facilities, with an emphasis on clean energy and green solutions, where possible, or other alternative backup sources. Funds may also be used for public education materials or supplies focused on individual family preparedness for electric disruptions and one-time costs associated with identifying and equipping resource centers for the public to access during electrical disruptions.
The procurement of solar and battery-powered EV Chargers are eligible uses of grant funds and support the City’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (Attachment B) goals to pilot and promote distributed energy resources and increase resilience of local energy infrastructure by deploying EV charging and energy storage at existing facilities.
The EV Arcs would be entirely funded by the grant and would provide a practical and resilient energy supply to support community hubs during power outages and other disruptive community events.
The City currently operates two EV Arcs, one at Memorial Park and one at the Airport Administration Building. The EV Arcs are not grid-connected; they are powered exclusively with solar energy and batteries, so there would be no ongoing electricity costs. Staff would prepare training materials, operations manuals, and signage for the new EV Arcs.
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Vendor Selection
Exception to Competitive Bidding
Staff recommends Beam Global to furnish and deliver three EV Arcs as an exception to competitive bidding per City of Santa Monica Muni Code 2.24.250 (c). This purchase meets the City’s exception to competitive bidding criteria when competitive procedures were followed by the Department of General Services, a State agency, and the goods are supplied to the City at the same or better price.
The State of California’s Department of General Services (DGS) has a contract with Beam Global to provide Mobile Solar Panel Electric Vehicle Charger Systems at contracted pricing to the State of California and local governmental agencies in accordance with the requirements of DGS Contract # 1-18-61-16. The City of Santa Monica will piggyback on that contract which offers discounted pricing and shipping.
Beam Global is a California-based company that manufacturers the EV Arc in San Diego.
c. Competitive procedures were followed by a governmental agency, including a federal, state, county, city, joint powers agency, special district, or cooperative purchasing agency consisting of one or more such agencies, that are equivalent to the procedures set forth in this Chapter, and the goods or services are supplied to the City at the same or better price as the price obtained by that agency;
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
6/8/21 (Attachment A) City Council Authorization to Accept CalOES Grant and Approve a Purchase Order with FreeWire Technologies
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve funding from the Miscellaneous Grants Fund to award a purchase order with Beam Global for solar and battery powered EV chargers in direct support of local goals to add resilient energy supplies in response to power outages and community disruptions. Funds for this purchase are available in the FY 2021-22 Capital Budget.
Purchase Order Request
FY 2021-22 Budget
Request Amount Department Account # Total Contract Amount $278,961 C2008100.689000 $278,961
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Prepared By: Drew Johnstone, Sr. Sustainability Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Staff Report Signed CalOES Grant and PO to FreeWire
B. Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
C. EV Arc InfoSheet
D. OAKS INITIATIVE FORM - Beam Global Signed