Staff recommends that the City Council authorize a purchase order with Anixter Power Solutions, LLC as the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the purchase of deadfront, liquid-insulated, padmounted switchgear in response to RFQ 10-3373.

Staff requests authorization to approve four (4) optional (1) year renewals without further Council approval, provided that the applicable budget is approved by the City Council each year, until the contract expires or until City staff determines that continuing with the same vendor is not in the City's best interest.

The Electric Department has a recurring requirement for dead-front, liquid-insulated, padmounted switchgear. The switchgear increases reliability to City customers by sectionalizing underground power lines. Typically in the event of a power outage, the switchgear can be reconfigured to isolate the problem area and restore power to other customers. The Electric Department installs the switchgear for new development construction and replacement of aged and failed equipment.

The Electric Department purchases an average of 25 switches per year to accommodate maintenance and capital projects.

Bidders were asked to quote unit pricing for all switch configurations that the Electric Department uses and provide the sum of all unit pricing (total below). Purchases will be made for a variety of switch configurations on an as-needed basis throughout the City’s fiscal year.

A formal bid was issued with the following responses:

Bidder Total

Anixter Power Solutions, LLC                                                $334,283.55
Benicia, CA

The total spend for the initial contract period and optional renewal years through FY2027-28 is a not-to-exceed amount of $5,000,000.

Purchase of these materials are done on an as-needed basis; there are no guaranteed spend amounts. Funding is included in the Electric Fund budget for FY2023-24 and future year funding will be included in proposed department budgets and will be contingent upon Council approval of budgets.

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply to activities that will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, or is otherwise not considered a project as defined by CEQA Statute §21065 and CEQA State Guidelines §15060(c)(3) and §15378.  The purchase order for deadfront, liquid-insulated, padmounted switchgear meets the above criteria and is not subject to CEQA. No additional environmental review is required.

Goal E - Deliver exceptional city services

Goal F - Invest in well-planned infrastructure and growth

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Dominick Casey, City Manager