City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 22, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.C
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Feroz Merchhiya, Chief Information Officer, Information Services Department Subject: Award Bid #4513 to and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement With VCI Construction, LLC to provide On-Call Fiber Optic Infrastructure Services for the Information Services Department 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 # 4513 to VCI Construction, LLC to provide On-Call Fiber Optic Infrastructure Services (Construction, Maintenance and Repair) for the Information Services Department; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with VCI Construction, LLC, in a total amount not to exceed $3,000,000 over a five-year period, with future year funding contingent on Council budget approval. 2 of 5
Summary
The Information Services Department (ISD), through its Community Broadband Division, manages the City's municipal fiber optic network (CityNet), which provides voice, video, and data services to City facilities, businesses, and residents. CityNet supports City operations, public safety communications, municipal broadband services, and other communications infrastructure throughout the City.
To support the continued maintenance, repair, and expansion of the City's fiber optic network, ISD issued Bid # 4513 for on-call fiber optic infrastructure services. Staff recommends awarding Bid # 4513 to VCI Construction, LLC in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000 and authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a five-year agreement to provide these services.
Discussion
The Information Services Department, through its Community Broadband Division, manages the City's municipal fiber optic network (CityNet). The network provides connectivity to more than 40 City facilities, including City Hall, police and fire facilities, libraries, parking structures, parks, data centers, traffic systems, public safety cameras, and public Wi-Fi locations. CityNet also provides broadband services to affordable housing developments, commercial customers, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, wireless carriers, and other community partners.
The City’s current agreement for on-call fiber optic utility construction services is nearing the end of its term and the City continues to require on-call construction, maintenance, and repair services to support existing infrastructure, connect new City facilities and broadband customers, respond to emergency repairs, replace damaged infrastructure, and expand the City's fiber optic network as operational needs arise. To ensure continuity of services supporting the City's municipal fiber optic network, ISD conducted a new competitive solicitation to establish a successor agreement for on-call fiber optic infrastructure services. Following this formal Request for Bids (RFB) process, staff recommends VCI Construction, LLC as the best bidder to provide on-call fiber optic infrastructure services for a five-year period in an amount not to exceed $3,000,000. 3 of 5
The new agreement will include underground utility construction, fiber optic cable installation and splicing, building cabling, small cell infrastructure installation, traffic control, and optional engineering support. Services will be performed on an as-needed basis throughout the term of the agreement.
Vendor Selection
Submittals Received
Bidder Submittal Bidder Submittal
Elecnor Belco
Electric, Inc.
$53,740.70 VCI Construction, LLC $164,800.45
HP
Communications,
Inc.
$250,767.19 Video Voice Data Communications $171,079.00 Bid Data
Date
Posted
Posted On Advertise In
(City Charter & SMMC)
Vendors
Downloaded
Date Publicly
Opened
2/26/2026 City's Online
Bidding Site
Santa Monica Daily
Press
44 4/2/2026
Bidder Recommendation
Best Bidder VCI Construction, LLC
Evaluation Criteria Cost and references
Municipal Code SMMC 2.24.100(a)
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Best Bidder Justification
Four responsive bids were received and evaluated by an evaluation committee comprised of representatives from the Information Services Department. Bids were evaluated based on the criteria identified in the solicitation, including cost and references, which were weighted at 70 percent and 30 percent, respectively. In addition to the competitive and responsible pricing outlined in the table above, reference checks indicated that VCI’s work and project quotes are consistently detailed and complete, preventing unexpected costs or scope changes. References further noted that VCI has a strong track record of delivering projects as promised, staying on budget for quoted work, and consistently staffing projects with highly qualified, knowledgeable, and experienced personnel who have successfully completed network connection projects similar to the City’s. Based on the evaluation results, staff recommends VCI Construction, LLC as the best bidder to provide on-call fiber optic infrastructure services.
Environmental Review
The award for on-call fiber optic infrastructure services, including construction, maintenance and repair services is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15301 of the CEQA Guidelines.
Section 15301 of the CEQA State Guidelines provides a Class 1 (Existing Facilities) exemption for projects that consist 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 of on‑call services for maintenance, repair, replacement, and minor expansion of existing municipal fiber optic infrastructure, including minor utility construction, fiber installation/splicing, and repairs done as needed to support ongoing operations would not expand or materially change existing facilities or operations. Therefore, the agreement is categorically exempt as set forth in Section 15301 of the CEQA State Guidelines.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve available funding from the Information Technology Replacement & Services Fund and the General Fund to award an agreement with VCI Construction, LLC to provide on-call fiber optic infrastructure services. 5 of 5
Agreement Request
Funding Source FY 2026-
27 Future Years
Amount
Account # Total
Contract
Amount
Information
Technology
Replacement &
Services Fund
$200,000 $800,000 71800005.5XXXXX $1,000,000
General Fund $400,000 $1,600,000 01140006.550010 $2,000,000 Total $600,000 $2,400,000 Total $3,000,000
Future year funding is contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: John Meschyan, Broadband Services Engineer Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Levine Act Disclosure Form
B. OAKS INITIATIVE FORM SIGNED
C. VVD Communications Protest 052926
D. VVD Communications Response Letter 070626 Revised