TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Nader Heydari, Public Works Director
DATE:June 10, 2025
SUBJECT: Water Security Cameras at City Reservoirs (CI 5456) RECOMMENDATION:
1. Award General Service Contract to XIT, Inc., dba XIT Solutions, of Bakersfield, CA, to upgrade security cameras at the City’s water and wastewater utility sites, effective June 10, 2025, through December 31, 2025, for a total not-to-exceed amount of $608,997.84. This amount includes $588,997.84 in fixed costs and $20,000 in reserve for unforeseen additional work, if needed.
2. Authorize budget transfer in the amount of $76,475 in FY 2024-25 from A/C #613-8050-682-8300 (Water Capital Fund – Improvements other than Buildings, CI 5456) to A/C #624-5310-682-8300 (Wastewater Capital Fund – Improvements other than Buildings, CI 5456).
3. Authorize expense in the amount of $608,997.84 in FY 2024-25; $532,523.15 from A/C #613-8050-682-8300 (Water Capital Fund – Improvements other than Buildings, CI 5456) and $76,474.69 from A/C #624-5310-682-8300 (Wastewater Capital Fund – Improvements other than Buildings, CI 5456).
4. 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. $800,000 is available in the Adopted FY 2024-25 Water Capital Fund Budget for CI 5456. The total project cost is $608,997.84.
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BACKGROUND:
The City of Thousand Oaks water distribution system serves more than 17,000 water connections and provides water service to over 50,000 residents throughout Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park. The system consists of 16 water storage reservoirs with a total capacity of 35.5 million gallons, 16 pump stations, and 11 turnout connections with the Calleguas Municipal Water District. Additionally, the City operates two wastewater lift stations, one located in Thousand Oaks and the other in Newbury Park.
To enhance the security of these critical water and wastewater facilities, the City purchased and installed security cameras at 15 pump stations and both wastewater lift stations in 2012. The project focused on strengthening physical protections, including perimeter security, access controls, and monitoring systems, to prevent unauthorized access and detect potential intrusions at each remote location.
These cameras have been in operation for many years; however, over time, the equipment has become outdated and increasingly difficult to maintain. The original setup relies on consumer-grade personal computers, which require frequent upkeep, eventually becoming unsupported, and unreliable. In 2024, the City began researching updated security camera technologies and software systems.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
To replace the existing system, staff published a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) for Utility Site Security Camera Project on December 20, 2024, in the Thousand Oaks Acorn newspaper and on the City’s procurement website. In accordance with Government Code Section 4526 and Thousand Oaks Municipal Code Section 3-10.401, 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 to perform the services solicited. The award of an RFP is based upon a variety of factors that demonstrate best value to the City for the solicited scope of work or 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. From this effort, five proposals were received:
Company City, State
1. XIT Inc., dba XIT Solutions Bakersfield, CA
2. BNS Construction Tarzana, CA
3. Estate Design and Construction Los Angeles, CA
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4. Issac Electric, Inc. Carpinteria, CA
5. Pacific Low Voltage Ventura, CA
The evaluation committee, consisting of representatives from the Public Works and Finance Departments, reviewed the proposals and rated them based on the RFP evaluation criteria. XIT Solutions’ proposal demonstrated the necessary resources, qualifications, and relevant experience and also offered the best overall value. For these reasons, the evaluation committee recommends awarding the contract to XIT Solutions (Attachment #1).
XIT Solutions will install the Verkada camera system which offers substantial improvements, including 365 days of on-site storage and 30 days of cloud storage.
Key features include facial recognition, vehicle and license plate recognition, color search capabilities, night vision, and wide-angle coverage, significantly enhancing the City’s ability to monitor and protect its water system infrastructure. Additionally, the system provides real-time monitoring and reduces the need for extensive IT support by eliminating local servers and complex software updates. Automatic firmware upgrades and a centralized cloud management platform, included in the hosted license costs, further streamline operations, helping to reduce overall ownership costs.
This upgrade is essential for strengthening the City’s security, improving monitoring efficiency, and ensuring compliance with modern standards for data retention, equipment reliability, and disposal practices. Work is scheduled to begin in June 2025 and conclude by August or September 2025, followed by 90 days of project support. Verkada products come with a 10-year hardware warranty, and the associated 10-year software licenses include unlimited web and mobile access, cloud archiving, automatic updates, and customer support.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #7, “Public Works + Infrastructure Investments.”
CIP PROJECT PRIORITY (as outlined in FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25 CIP Program Budget)
Priority Two – Necessary, but not essential, and there could be consequences if deferred.
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 Water Security Cameras at City Reservoirs (CI 5456)
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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.
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: Bret Sherman, Utilities Maintenance Supervisor Attachments:
Attachment #1 – XIT Solutions Agreement
DPW 850-20\ev\Council\2025\061025\CI 5456\Utility Site Security Cameras staff report.docx