TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Nader Heydari, Public Works Director
DATE:February 24, 2026
SUBJECT: Electric Vehicles, Battery Storage, Solar Infrastructure Services Agreement Amendment
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Second Amendment to Professional Services Agreement (Contract No. 13911-2025) with Kewo Engineering Corporation (Diamond Bar, CA), for additional design/program management services in the amount of $600,000, for a revised not-to-exceed amount of $1,250,000.
2. Authorize additional expenditures in the amount of $200,000 in FY 2025-26 and $200,000 in FY 2026-27 through various General Fund, Transportation Fund, Lighting Fund, Landscape Fund, Water Fund, Wastewater Fund, Library Fund, Golf Course Fund, Solid Waste Fund, and Grant Fund 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. $800,000 for program management support ($400,000 for FY 2025-26 and $400,000 for FY 2026-27) is included in the Adopted FY 2025-27 Capital Improvement Budget for the General Fund, Transportation Fund, Lighting Fund, Landscape Fund, Water Fund, Wastewater Fund, Library Fund, Golf Course Capital Fund, Solid Waste Fund, and Grant Fund. Additional funds for the remaining contract term will be requested during the upcoming biennial budget processes.
EV, Battery Storage, Solar Infrastructure Services Agreement Amendment February 24, 2026
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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 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, sustaining a healthy environment, and providing co-benefits like reducing air pollution, supporting local economic development, increasing local resilience, and improving public health.
Staff previously solicited a formal Request for Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/Q) for engineering services for various City projects related to specific capital and maintenance improvement projects. These projects focus on the City’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, battery storage, power resiliency, and solar infrastructure.
A Professional Services Agreement with Kewo Engineering Corporation (Kewo) in the amount of $650,000 was approved by City Council on March 25, 2025. Kewo 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. The First Amendment to the Agreement was processed under City Manager authority on July 8, 2025, and added additional City projects to the scope without changing the total contract value.
Kewo's scope of work includes coordinating with Public Works and Facilities, providing design and engineering services, conducting research, and preparing condition assessments, coordinating with utilities and Southern California Edison (SCE), and assisting with construction management. Responsibilities involve developing project scopes, preparing bid packages and specifications, managing consultants and construction contracts, verifying deliverables, and ensuring quality assurance. Kewo also assists with cost estimates, handles various tasks assigned by City staff, and attends project meetings to address engineering needs.
With Kewo’s assistance, the City has been diligently working on designing and constructing several EV, energy storage, and solar power infrastructure projects to meet the goals of the SPMO and CEAP. The accumulation of these projects will reduce GHG emissions and improve the City’s resilience against potential Public Safety Power Shutoff events and other fluctuations in SCE’s energy grid.
EV, Battery Storage, Solar Infrastructure Services Agreement Amendment February 24, 2026
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DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The proposed amendment to increase the contract total for Kewo’s services reflects the complexity of consulting on the design and construction of a large volume of City projects, as well as the significant support needed on planning, engineering, permitting, and construction to successfully deliver the City’s clean energy and transportation electrification initiatives.
Since the initial contract execution, the City’s efforts to implement EV, battery storage, and solar infrastructure projects have increased in response to City Council direction, evolving regulatory requirements, utility coordination with SCE, and additional grant opportunities from state and federal agencies. Kewo’s role has included project management, interdepartmental coordination, grant compliance and reporting, utility engagement, and technical oversight across multiple concurrent projects. These responsibilities are essential to ensuring timely delivery, cost control, and regulatory compliance for a portfolio of infrastructure projects that are technically complex and highly interdependent.
Additional funding is recommended to address the increased workload associated with leveraging state and federal incentives. The City has pursued and secured multiple grants and rebate opportunities that require detailed technical documentation, ongoing reporting, and compliance monitoring. Kewo’s support is critical to maximizing these funding sources, reducing the City’s net capital costs, and mitigating the risk of noncompliance or reimbursement delays.
Furthermore, the evolving nature of EV charging standards, battery storage technologies, and interconnection requirements has necessitated additional technical analysis and coordination with utilities such as SCE and other regulatory agencies. Kewo provides specialized expertise not available in-house by City staff, and the proposed amendment enables the City to adapt to changing procurement and construction conditions while maintaining project schedules and performance objectives.
The proposed contract increase is consistent with the original solicitation’s intent, does not alter the consultant’s scope of work, and remains within the approved capital budgets for the various programs involved. The Second Amendment allows continuity of service from Kewo and mitigates delays by ensuring the City can meet its SPMO, CEAP, and fleet electrification goals in a cost-effective and accountable manner.
Staff recommends approval of the Second Amendment to the Kewo agreement in the amount of $600,000 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $1,250,000 for EV, battery storage, and solar infrastructure program management support services.
EV, Battery Storage, Solar Infrastructure Services Agreement Amendment February 24, 2026
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Community Outreach: The anticipated projects are not expected to negatively impact adjacent residents.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #8, “Environmental Sustainability”, and #9, “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. The completed Levine Act Form for Kewo is included in Attachment #1.
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
Attachment:
Attachment #1 – Second Amendment to Cont. No. 13911-2025 with Kewo DPW: 850-20\ev\Council\2026\022426\EV Battery Storage Solar Infrastructure Agreement staff report.docx