TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Clifford G. Finley, Public Works Director
DATE:March 25, 2025
SUBJECT: Electric Vehicles, Battery Storage, Solar Infrastructure Program Manager Services Agreement
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Professional Services Agreement with Kewo Engineering Corporation (Diamond Bar, CA), in an amount not to exceed $650,000 for providing professional consulting services in connection with Engineering and Program Management for Electric Vehicle, Battery Storage, Power Resiliency and Solar Infrastructure Projects, with a three-year term ending June 30, 2028, and a two- year option to extend the agreement through June 30, 2030.
2. Authorize expenditure in the amount of $50,000 in FY 2024-25, $200,000 in FY 2025-26, $200,000 in FY 2026-27, and $200,000 in FY 2027-28 in various General Fund, Transportation Fund, Water Fund, Wastewater Fund, Library Fund and Golf Course Fund capital accounts as program management services are rendered.
3. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: Yes
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. $50,000 for program management support is included in the Adopted FY 2024-25 Capital Improvement Budget for the General Fund, Transportation Fund, Water Fund, Wastewater Fund, Library Fund and Golf Course Capital Funds. $600,000 will be included in the upcoming biennial budget processes.
BACKGROUND:
Reducing energy use and utilizing clean, renewable power are top priorities for the City. Transportation and buildings are the City's primary contributors to climate- warming greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In June 2018, City Council adopted a
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Sustainability Plan for Municipal Operations (SPMO), establishing the foundation for efficient, environmentally friendly, fiscally responsible, and sustainably-minded City operations. The City's first-ever Climate and Environmental Action Plan (CEAP) was subsequently adopted in May 2024. The City’s CEAP details the strategies and actions that the City will pursue to protect the environment and address the challenges of climate change. Actions are aimed at reducing the community’s collective GHG emissions responsible for climate change, sustaining a healthy environment, and providing co-benefits like reducing air pollution, supporting local economic development, increasing local resilience, and improving public health.
The City will be designing and constructing several electric vehicle (EV), energy storage, and solar power infrastructure projects to meet the goals of the SPMO and CEAP. The accumulation of projects will reduce GHG emissions and improve the City’s resilience against potential Public Safety Power Shutoff events and other fluctuations in Southern California Edison’s energy grid.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
In accordance with Government Code section 4526 and Thousand Oaks Municipal Code section 3-10.401, staff solicited a Request for Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/Q). Unlike the low bid requirements of the Public Contract Code, contracts for professional, management, general, or special services should only be awarded to firms or persons who have demonstrated an adequate level of experience, competence, training, credentials, resources, staffing, and other professional qualifications necessary for more than satisfactory performance of the services solicited. The award of an RFP/Q is based upon a variety of factors that demonstrate the best value to the agency for the solicited scope of service. The cost of the service may be considered as one of those factors; however, the lowest cost is not the sole factor in deciding who will be awarded the contract.
A formal RFP/Q for professional services was publicly advertised on November 18, 2024, in the Thousand Oaks Acorn newspaper and on the City’s procurement website. The project had a total of 1,052 views, and 64 companies downloaded the project documents. Proposals were received on December 16, 2024, from the following seven consulting firms:
1. Aurora Power Services Westlake Village, CA
2. Kewo Engineering Corporation Diamond Bar, CA
3. KSG Consulting Engineers Thousand Oaks, CA
4. Larsen & Toubro Limited Inc. Farfield, CA
5. Michael Baker International Long Beach, CA
6. S Y Lee Associates Glendale, CA
7. Technical Business Solutions Inc. Newbury Park, CA
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A team of Public Works engineering and sustainability staff evaluated the proposals based on the following criteria:
•Project understanding and approach.
•Relevant experience (projects of similar size and scope). •Quality, clarity, responsiveness, and conformance with terms of the RFP/Q. •Qualifications and availability of key persons working on the project. •Team (sub-consultants) qualifications.
•Reasonableness of schedule and estimated level of effort dedicated to completing each task.
After careful review and consideration of the firms’ qualifications and project team/approach, Kewo Engineering Corporation (KEC), was determined to be the most qualified to meet the City’s needs for these projects. KEC has a proven track record of successfully delivering similar work on EV infrastructure, solar installations, and energy storage systems for other public agencies throughout Southern California.
A detailed scope of work and the correlating consulting fees have been negotiated and finalized with KEC. Staff recommends approval of the Professional Services Agreement with KEC in an amount not to exceed $650,000 and a term ending June 30, 2028 (Attachment #1) for Engineering and Program Management. The Consultant’s services under the Program Management Agreement shall be provided on an as-needed basis at the discretion of the City relating to the specific Capital and/or Maintenance Improvement projects for the City’s EV, Battery Storage, Power Resiliency, and Solar Infrastructure Capital Improvement Projects. Services primarily include the following engineering and project management work, as further outlined in the Scope of Work contained in the Agreement:
•Coordinate with City staff, including Public Works and Facilities •Perform design and engineering for project construction contract documents
•Perform research, and prepare/review condition assessments •Identify, evaluate, and develop Capital Improvement Project scope of work •Prepare construction bid packages and specifications, including electrical and civil engineering
•Prepare RFP/Q’s, review of consultants’ proposals, and provide feedback to City staff
•Provide overall management of consultant and construction contracts, including design, bid and award, and construction phase of projects, including review and approval of deliverables, setting and monitoring EV, Battery Storage, Solar Infrastructure Program Manager Services Agreement March 25, 2025
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schedule and budget milestones, review of invoicing/progress pay estimates, work progress, and overall quality assurance •Assist staff in preparing preliminary cost estimates, Task Orders, Professional Services Agreements, Construction Contracts, Amendments, and Change Orders
•Perform other miscellaneous tasks, as assigned by the City as required to manage individual capital projects and provide ongoing engineering support as needed to public works staff, including but not limited to engineering and sustainability divisions
•Coordinate and attend periodic update meetings (at City’s request) with City staff to identify and develop a plan of action and a timely schedule for the City’s short-term and long-term engineering needs
Community Outreach: The anticipated projects are not expected to negatively impact adjacent residents.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #6, “Environmental Sustainability”, and #7, “Public Works + Infrastructure Investments.” LEVINE ACT (California Government Code § 84308):
This item is subject to the Levine Act. City Councilmembers who have received a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) within the preceding 12 months from a party or their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant involved in this proceeding may do either of the following: (1) disclose the contribution on the record and recuse themselves from this proceeding; or if applicable (2) return the portion of the contribution that exceeds $500 within 30 days from the time the official knew or should have known about the contribution, and participate in the proceeding.
All parties and their agents/representatives must disclose on the record of this proceeding any aggregated contribution of more than $500 made to any Councilmember within the preceding 12 months. Councilmembers are prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or directing a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) from a party, their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made. In addition, a party, their agent/representative, or a financially- interested participant is prohibited from contributing more than $500 (aggregated) to a Councilmember during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made.
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COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
F. Provide and enhance essential infrastructure to ensure that the goals and policies of the Thousand Oaks General Plan are carried out and the City retains its role and reputation as a leader in protecting the environment and preserving limited natural resources.
PREPARED BY: Paul Weinstein, Associate Analyst
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Professional Services Agreement with Kewo Engineering Corporation
DPW: 850-20\ev\Council\2025\032525\EV Battery Storage Solar Infrastructure Program Management Services staff report.docx