TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Nader Heydari, Public Works Director
DATE:February 24, 2026
SUBJECT: Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station (CI 5702) RECOMMENDATION:
1. Adopt resolution making certain findings required under Government Code Section 4217 et seq., that the proposed energy services agreement will result in lower costs than if the project were not built, and that the agreement is in the best interest of the City.
2. Award a Design and Build Contract for energy services and the design and construction of the Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station, under Government Code Section 4217.10 et seq. procurement process, to Gridscape Solutions, Inc. (Fremont, CA) in the amount of $2,180,640, plus a contingency of $218,360, with a term ending June 30, 2028.
3. Approve budget transfer in the amount of $2,550,000 from FY 2026-27 to FY 2025-26 in A/C #612-8030-682-8300 (Water Fund, Capital Improvements Other Than Buildings – CI 5702).
4. Approve budget appropriation in the amount of $48,500 from A/C #612-0000- 341-9900 (Water Fund Net Position) to A/C #611-8030-682-5699 (Water Fund, Other) for year 1 maintenance ($12,500) and three-year extended maintenance ($36,000).
5. Authorize expense in FY 2025-26 in the amount of $2,439,000 as follows:
$2,132,140 for design and construction, $218,360 contingency, $35,000 for material testing and inspection (future task order), and $5,000 for City furnished materials and supplies from A/C #612-8030-682-8300; $12,500 for year 1 maintenance and $36,000 for three-year extended maintenance from A/C #611- 8030-682-5699.
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6. Delegate authority to the City Manager to approve Early Procurement Amendments, Early Construction Amendments, Guaranteed Maximum Price Amendments, and Change Orders up to the project-approved contingency amount.
7. Delegate authority to the City Engineer to approve Phase 1 Design Task Orders, as well as work directives and change orders, as authorized, up to the project- approved contingency amount.
8. Find that this project is Categorically Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to 14 CCR 15301.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: Yes
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$2,550,000 Increase to Adopted FY 2025-26 Water Fund Capital Budget. A $2,550,000 transfer from FY 2026-27 to FY 2025-26 is requested for the Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station. $2,750,000 is available in the adopted FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 Water Capital Program budget ($200,000 in FY 2025-26 and $2,550,000 in FY 2026-27). $1,379,072 in Legislative Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant (LPDM) funding from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will partially offset the project costs. The estimated cost of the project is $2,439,000.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Thousand Oaks’ Climate and Environmental Action Plan (CEAP), adopted by City Council on May 7, 2024, identifies the installation of microgrids and power backup systems at the City’s water pump stations as one of the City’s key future resilience measures.
The Lang Ranch Pump Station (Attachment #1) provides water to both the Oakbrook and Sunset No. 3 Reservoirs, which serve the high-pressure zones in the Sunset Hills area. Lang Ranch Pump Station is one of several critical facilities in Thousand Oaks that has been affected by loss of power from frequent Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. It serves a residential area within the northeast section of the City consisting of 2,167 parcels.
The pump station is located adjacent to Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ). Scheduled and unscheduled power outages disrupt water pumping operations at this facility, and the coincidence of these with wildfires and wildfire weather (low humidity and high winds) places water delivery to the surrounding population at risk.
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In 2024, the City applied for a FEMA LPDM grant to fund a microgrid energy resiliency project at the Lang Ranch Pump Station. In 2025, FEMA awarded $1,379,072 in grant funding to the City towards this project. City Council accepted the grant funding at the October 7, 2025, meeting as part of the authorization to issue a Request for Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/Q).
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The proposed Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station Project will design and install an electrical microgrid comprising of a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), an onsite fixed diesel back-up generator, and a microgrid controller to provide resilient off-grid power during PSPS events, infrastructure failure, and emergency incidents.
In the event of a power outage, the microgrid will disconnect from the utility grid and autonomously power the facility, ensuring continual supply of potable water to residents, as well as support for firefighting operations during wildfire events. In the event of prolonged power outages, the generator will be the source of power to both the pump station and the BESS.
This project will utilize the procurement method authorized in California Government Code Section 4217.10 et seq., specifically for Energy Conservation projects, which allows for one entity to do both the design and construction of the project. This project delivery process is the preferred procurement method for energy projects and was utilized successfully for recent solar projects at various City facilities. This procurement strategy allows the City to factor in both cost competitiveness and qualifications when selecting a designer/contractor as opposed to only considering the lowest bid.
The installation of battery storage can conserve on-site generated solar energy or lower-priced grid energy for use, when the facility would otherwise need to purchase higher-priced electric grid energy. Furthermore, staff have determined that the anticipated cost to the public agency for electrical energy or conservation services provided by the energy conservation facility under the contract will be less than the anticipated marginal cost to the public agency of electrical energy that would have been consumed by the public agency in the absence of this project, and therefore award of this energy conservation contract is in the best interest of the City as memorialized in the proposed resolution (Attachment #2).
The City has developed a robust contract mechanism for Energy Conservation projects to implement the design-build alternative project delivery method. The updated Design and Build Contract form, which is included as Attachment #3, sequences the project into a Phase 1 Design Scope of Services, followed by Phase 2 Construction, which may begin after the Phase 1 Design is complete. The Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station (CI 5702)
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Design and Build Contract includes the Phase 1 Scope of Services as Exhibit A, where Exhibit B of the Contract includes the design services fees. The Phase 2 construction scope of work and cost will be detailed in a future Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Amendment to be brought to City Council when the Phase 1 design is complete.
City Council authorized the RFP/Q for procurement of design and construction of the project on October 7, 2025, and the request was publicly advertised on November 14, 2025. Four proposals were received on January 8, 2026, as follows:
Proposer Location
1. RavenVolt, Inc. (an ABM Company) Los Angeles, CA
2. Coldwell Solar, Inc. Rocklin, CA
3. Endelos Energy, Inc. San Diego, CA
4. Gridscape Solutions, Inc. Fremont, CA
Staff evaluated each proposal for numerous factors, including content, quality, qualifications, project understanding, relevant experience and cost, in accordance with Government Code 4217.10 et seq. Gridscape Solutions, Inc. was ultimately selected after this review process based on the following primary considerations, along with all other evaluation criteria outlined in the RFP/Q:
1. Project understanding and approach
2. Quality, clarity, responsiveness, conformance with terms of the RFP/Q
3. Qualifications and availability of key staff
4. Subcontractor qualifications
5. Past experience with the City
6. Relevant experience (past similar scope and size projects)
7. Creativity and innovation
8. Reasonableness of completion schedule and hours dedicated to each task
9. Reasonableness of cost and compensation
10. Client references
Staff recommends award of the Design and Build Contract for energy services to Gridscape Solutions, Inc.
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The estimated project costs and funding summary are as follows:
PROJECT COSTS
Phase 1: Design (this action) $ 115,000
Phase 1: Early Procurement
(future City Manager delegated action)
$ 1,389,490
Phase 2: Construction (future GMP Amendment) $ 676,150 Contingency $ 218,360
Material Testing and inspection (future task order) $ 35,000 City Furnished Material and Supplies (this action) $ 5,000 Total $ 2,439,000
FUNDING SUMMARY
Water Capital Fund for Capital Improvements $ 1,011,428 Water Operating Fund for Maintenance $ 48,500
Grant - Legislative Pre-Disaster Mitigation FEMA Grant $ 1,379,072 Total $ 2,439,000
Schedule
The tentative schedule for completion of the project is as follows:
Start of Design March 2026
Completion of Microgrid Design
Early Procurement Construction Start
Summer 2026
Fall 2026
Project completion Summer 2027
Community Outreach: Staff will develop and implement a public outreach plan for the project.
Upon completion, the project will provide this City facility with a resilient energy supply, a key component of the City’s Sustainability Plan.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #7, #8 and #9 - “Public safety, Community-Based Emergency Preparedness, and Wildfire Mitigation”, “Environmental Sustainability” and “Public Works Infrastructure Investments.” California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
The City has reviewed this Project and determined that it is exempt from CEQA under a Class I categorical exemption (14 C.C.R. Section 15301) as the project consists of the installation of energy conservation facilities and energy resiliency Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station (CI 5702)
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facilities, battery energy storage, and generator backup systems, and the associated electrical infrastructure and load management system. Further, the project involves the minor alteration of existing facilities with improvements that would lead to negligible or no expansion of use beyond the use existing at this time.
CIP PROJECT PRIORITY (as outlined in FY 2025-26 & FY 2026-27 CIP Program Budget)
Priority One – Essential projects which address health and safety, legal, and regulatory requirements, as well as City Council’s Top Priorities projects.
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 Levine Act disclosure form for Gridscape Solutions, Inc. has been completed and is included as Exhibit C in Attachment #3.
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.
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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: George Yacoub, Engineering Assistant
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Vicinity and Location Maps
Attachment #2 – Resolution
Attachment #3 – Design and Build Contract with Gridscape Solutions, Inc.
DPW: 850-20\ev\Council\2026\022426\CI 5702\Power Backup at Lang Ranch Pump Station staff report.docx