City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: December 17, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.G
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Facilities Maintenance Subject: Award a Contract to Siemens Industry, Inc. to Provide Building Automation System Software Maintenance, Repairs, and Upgrades.
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines.
2. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Siemens Industry, Inc. to provide building automation system software maintenance, repairs and upgrades, in an amount not to exceed $750,000 over a five-year period with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica utilizes building automation systems at various City facilities to control mechanical equipment and energy use. These systems require regular maintenance, upgrades, and enhancements to both hardware and software components. To accommodate the necessary maintenance and upgrades of facility building automation systems throughout City facilities, staff recommends executing an agreement with Siemens Industry, Inc. for a total amount not to exceed $750,000 over a five-year period and as an exception to competitive bidding per Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) Sections 2.24.250(b).
Discussion
The City of Santa Monica currently uses Siemens, proprietary building automation system (BAS) software, to monitor and control the mechanical systems and energy 2 of 4
usage at thirteen existing facilities (Annenberg Beach House, Historic City Hall, City Hall East, Fire Station 1, Fire Station 2, Ken Edwards Center, Main Library, Parking Structure 6, Pico Library, Public Safety Building, Santa Monica Municipal Airport, Virginia Avene Park Center and Virginia Avenue Teen Center).
Siemens Industry, Inc. provides computerized controls and real-time graphics that allow staff to remotely monitor heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment in buildings without multiple trips to the site, thereby saving on costly problem determination visits and simplifying maintenance operations. These computerized controls monitor HVAC equipment status and help to prevent unexpected problems.
They also maintain temperatures and humidity levels within the facilities to provide measured comfort, which leads to reduced equipment overrunning and saves energy.
Moreover, running the equipment less frequently and controlling them more efficiently reduces wear and tear, keeps maintenance costs down, and extends equipment life expectancy. The automated fault detection and diagnostics of these newer systems have been found to help reduce downtime and operations and maintenance costs by as much as 30%.
The City has historically utilized BAS services from Siemens Industry, Inc. as a result of a previous cooperative purchase authorizing building automation system upgrades and expansions approved by Council on April 24, 2018 (Attachment A).
Vendor Selection:
Exception to Competitive Bidding
Staff recommends Siemens Industry, Inc. for providing maintenance and upgrades to hardware and software components of the City’s automated equipment across various facilities as an exception to the competitive bidding per Municipal Code 2.24.250 (b).
Siemens Industry, Inc is the sole provider, sole manufacturer, sole distributor, and sole certified provider of service of the Siemens’ proprietary software, Apogee Desigo CC Energy Management System, which controls the building automation system. b. Good or service is only available from one license holder, including, proprietary goods. 3 of 4
Environmental Review
This contract modification is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines which states that CEQA does not apply “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” This agreement will allow the City to continue to provide building automated system services to facilities’ hardware and software. It can be seen with certainty that the agreement would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, is exempt from CEQA.
Past Council Actions
Meeting Date Description
04/24/2018
(Attachment A)
Staff Report – Building Automation System Upgrades and
Expansion
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from various funds to award a contract to Siemens Industry, Inc. for citywide building automation system services. The cost of annual maintenance services or as-needed repairs would be charged back to each department or CIP account, as applicable.
Contract Request
FY 2024-2025
Request Amount Future Years Amount Department/CIP Accounts # Total Contract
Amount
$150,000 $600,000 Various Accounts $750,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval. 4 of 4
Prepared By: Kyla Johnson, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. April 24, 2018_Staff Report
B. Levine Act Disclosure Form Siemens
C. OAKS Initiative Form Siemens