City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: June 13, 2023
Agenda Item: 5.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Engineering and Street Services
Subject: Award Bid for Street Light Electrical Repair Services and Urgent Electrical Construction
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Award Bid #2685-4 to International Line Builders, Inc. as the primary contractor, Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc. as the secondary contractor, and Yunex LLC as tertiary contractor for citywide as-needed streetlight electrical repair services and urgent electrical construction as required by the Public Works Department.
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with International Line Builders, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $400,000 for one year, with four additional one-year renewal option(s) in the amount of $400,000 for a total amount not to exceed $2,000,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
4. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc., in an amount not to exceed $400,000 for one year, with four additional one-year renewal option(s) in the amount of $400,000 for a total amount not to exceed $2,000,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
5. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Yunex LLC in an amount not to exceed $400,000 for one year, with four additional oneyear renewal option(s) in the amount of $400,000 for a total amount not to exceed $2,000,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
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Summary
The City of Santa Monica utilizes electrical contractor services to perform as-needed streetlight and park lighting repairs and installation services as requested by the Engineering and Street Services Division. The need for contracted electrical services is due to unanticipated damage to infrastructure such as street light pole replacement due to vehicle accidents and storms. In addition, these services may be utilized to restore street light functions in the event of copper wire theft and secure City infrastructure to limit future theft. Staff recommends awarding the Street Light Electrical Repair Services and Urgent Electrical Construction bid to three (3) contractors: International Line Builders, Inc., Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc., and Yunex LLC. The recommendation to award to three contractors is being made to ensure the City has a redundant and resilient mechanism to mobilize a contractor for urgent street lighting repairs and continue to provide exceptional customer service to residents and businesses. The proposed contract amounts position the City for a rapid response to unforeseen conditions, such as copper wire theft. However, Staff intends to utilize up to $400,000 total per year amongst the three vendors, and not the full $400,000 each.
Discussion
The City owns and maintains approximately 7,150 streetlights and numerous lights in City parks. The Engineering and Street Services Division has historically utilized services of an electrical contractor to perform work outside the scope of City staff and urgent repairs such as: streetlight pole installations requiring a crane, haul-away of damaged streetlight poles requiring a crane, cabinet and pull box repairs requiring conduit and foundation work, major conduit repairs, pole foundation repairs and replacement, and other work that requires specialized equipment and training. The selected contractors would also respond to streetlight outages in the event of copper wire theft and storm-related damage to City streetlights and park lights. In the last twelve months the City has utilized services of an electrical contractor to conduct repairs and restore services. In addition, the contractor implemented anti-theft measures such as epoxying (gluing) pull box lids, adding locks to existing service cabinets, and other theft-deterrent measures.
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The recommendation to award to three contractors would ensure that the City has a redundant and resilient mechanism to mobilize a contractor for urgent street lighting repairs and continue to provide exceptional customer service to residents and businesses. There are labor shortages in the Southern California construction market and requesting a contractor to mobilize within 24-hour notice is not always guaranteed.
Consequently, having multiple contractors available would optimize the City’s resiliency.
Vendor Selection
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidder International Line Builders, Inc.
Evaluation
Criteria
Price and labor rates; the quality of services offered; the ability, capacity and skill of the bidder to perform or provide the services; the capacity of the bidder to perform the contract or provide the service promptly, within the time specified, and without delay or interference; the sufficiency of the bidder’s financial resources; the character, integrity, reputation, judgment, training, experience and efficiency of the bidder; the ability of the bidder to provide such future maintenance or service as may be needed; any other factor that will further the intent set forth in Section 608 of the City Charter.
The City is not required to select the bid with the lowest price.
Municipal
Code
SMMC 2.24.180
Bid Data
Date Posted Posted On
Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
03/29/2023 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily
Press
35 05/04/2023
Best Bidder Justification
International Line Builders, Inc. provided the lowest labor rates and is deemed the best bidder based on its demonstrated quality of work on past projects and experience with similar electrical construction for the cities of Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). In addition, International Line Builders was able to commit to setting price increases for renewal options for all four years. The total bid submittal dollar amounts referenced above include amounts for Submittals Received
International Line
Builders, Inc. $108,053 Yunex LLC. $124,800
Bear Electrical
Solutions, Inc. $90,600 Baker Electric & Renewables, LLC. $185,760 4 of 5
both labor and equipment as quoted.
Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc. provided the second lowest labor rates and demonstrated quality of work on past projects, and experience with similar electrical construction for the cities of Watsonville, Sunnyvale, and Burlingame. It is for these reasons that Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc., is recommended as the secondary vendor.
Yunex LLC provided the third lowest labor rates and demonstrated quality of work on past projects and experience with on-call streetlight maintenance for the cities of Huntington Beach, Norwalk, Newport Beach, and Ontario, in addition to the County of Los Angeles and Western Riverside Council of Governments. It is for these reasons that Yunex LLC is recommended as the tertiary vendor.
Environmental Assessment
The award for street light electrical repair and construction services are categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under Section 15301.
Section 15301 of the CEQA State Guidelines provides Class 1 (existing facilities) exemption for projects that consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, leasing, licensing, permitting, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of the existing or former use. The award for the street light electrical repair and construction services would not result in any modifications to existing facilities. The existing facilities would be maintained and repaired with the street light electrical contractor services and the award of services would not expand or materially change existing facilities or operations. Therefore, the project is categorically exempt as set forth in Section 15301 of the CEQA State Guidelines.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to award agreements with International Line Builders, Inc., Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc., and Yunex LLC. for citywide as-needed streetlight electrical repair and construction services. Staff intends to utilize up to $400,000 total per year 5 of 5
amongst the three vendors, and not the full $400,000 for each vendor. Funds are included in the FY 2023-25 Proposed Biennial Budget. Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Contract Requests
Vendor
FY 2023-24
Request
Amount
Future
Year’s
Amounts
Account #
Total
Contract
Amount
International Line Builders, Inc. $400,000 $1,600,000 01500034.550010 $2,000,000 Bear Electrical Solutions, Inc. $400,000 $1,600,000 01500034.550010 $2,000,000 Yunex LLC. $400,000 $1,600,000 01500034.550010 $2,000,000 Prepared By: Steven Hull, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Oaks Initiative Form - International Line Builders
B. Oaks Initiative Form - Bear Electrical
C. Oaks Initiative Form - YUNEX LLC