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CC - Approval of Professional Services Agreement with the Willdan Group, Inc. for the Preliminary Assessment of Electric Vehicle Fleet Conversion Potential and a Facility Needs Assessment for the Transportation Facility in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $49,820
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Meeting Date: January 14, 2019
Contact Person/Dept: Art Ida/Transportation
Phone Number: (310) 253-6500
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/09/19);
Department Approval: Art Ida, Transportation Director (12/18/18)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a professional services agreement with the Willdan Group, Inc. for a preliminary assessment of electric vehicle fleet conversion potential and a comprehensive facility needs assessment in an amount not-to-exceed $49,820.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Culver City Transportation Facility was constructed in 1999 and supports activities of the Culver City Transportation Department including Culver City Municipal Bus Lines (Culver CityBus) and the Equipment Maintenance & Fleet Services Division, as well as the City’s Purchasing and Central Stores Divisions. In addition, the Facility’s parking structure, which provides parking for personal vehicles owned by employees, serves all of the above divisions, as well as the employees of the City’s Public Works Department. The Facility also serves as the primary fueling and maintenance location for the entire City fleet.
In the nearly twenty years since the Facility was opened, the using departments’ operations have expanded and the Facility, as it was originally designed, is at capacity. After an extensive search throughout the West Los Angeles area for additional property, the Transportation Department has elected to remain in its existing facility. Given the existing space constraints, a reorganization of existing space is required. Staff recommends that a comprehensive evaluation of the Facility, including an assessment of the City-owned vehicles that operate out of the Facility, be performed to identify the technologies and improvements that will allow the Facility to meet the City’s long-term fleet and operational needs.
While it continues to be the City’s policy to procure the cleanest vehicles possible, a number of other factors including reliability, cost-effectiveness, and associated infrastructure requirements are also taken into consideration to ensure that new vehicles meet the needs of using departments. As technology continues to advance, City staff continues to evaluate viability of conversion to electric vehicles based on vehicle type and operating environment. However, the findings of a more comprehensive evaluation of electric infrastructure and service planning costs will assist staff with prioritizing improvements that offer the greatest economic and environmental benefits to the City.
Staff recommends that Newcomb Anderson and McCormick, a Willdan Company, be awarded a professional services to perform a comprehensive study of the Transportation Facility and associated fleet vehicles, including the transit fleet. This study will serve as a starting point for future evaluation of conversion potential of additional fleet vehicles parked at other City facilities and for necessary infrastructure improvements at the Transportation Facility. As proposed, the study will be divided into two parts:
1. Preliminary Assessment of Electric Vehicle Potential
2. Transportation Facility Needs Assessment
Upon completion of both assessments, Newcomb Anderson and McCormick will provide recommendations to staff and decision makers, help to identify available funding options for the projects identified, and develop procurement recommendations that best align with the interests of the City.
Culver City Municipal Code Section 3.07.065.A exempts professional services from the formal competitive bid procedures; provided, the contract is based upon competitive quotations, whenever practical, as determined by the City Manager. As Willdan was recently awarded a contract with the City’s Public Works Department to deliver a solar PV, energy storage, and microgrid feasibility study, staff believes that awarding this agreement to Willdan will result in future project synergies, most notably in the deployment of V2G or “vehicle-to-grid” strategies. V2G technology has the potential to provide several ancillary benefits including grid frequency modulation and load balancing. Based on the foregoing, the City Manager determined competitive quotes were not needed in this case.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There are currently sufficient funds in the Fiscal Year 2018-19 Transportation Department budget (Account 20370100.619800) to cover the cost of the agreement.
Subsequent amounts for recommended projects identified by the assessment will be incorporated into future budgets.
ATTACHMENTS
None
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve a professional services agreement with the Willdan Group, Inc. to provide a preliminary assessment of electric vehicle fleet conversion and a facility needs assessment for the Transportation Facility in an amount not-to-exceed $49,820;
2. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.