Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Five-Year Agreement with Engineering Mapping Solutions Inc. for On-Call CentralSquare Enterprise Asset Management and Geographic Information Systems Support Services, for a Total Cumulative Amount Not-to-Exceed $265,460. (Public Works 31041500)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Gerry Beaudin, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) Public Works Department (Public Works) relies on CentralSquare Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to support the operation, maintenance, and capital planning of the City’s public infrastructure. Since these systems were implemented in 2015, Public Works has supplemented in-house knowledge with specialized consultant support for system administration, troubleshooting, integration, and ongoing enhancements. Because the anticipated cost of this support over a five-year period exceeds the City Manager’s signing authority, staff conducted a competitive solicitation to identify the firm best qualified to meet the City’s needs at a competitive cost.
Staff recommends awarding a five-year agreement to Engineering Mapping Solutions, Inc., in a total amount not to exceed $265,460 for on-call services to maintain, support, and enhance the City’s EAM and GIS systems.
BACKGROUND
Public Works currently uses CentralSquare EAM Version 25.1, ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Pro, an Enterprise Geodatabase using SQL Server/SDE, and on-premises CentralSquare application and database servers. These systems are integrated so that GIS asset information can be used within CentralSquare EAM to support work management and asset maintenance.
As the City's use of these systems has expanded, Public Works has identified a continuing need for specialized technical support that combines expertise in both GIS and CentralSquare EAM. While City staff administer and use the systems on a day-to-day basis, certain troubleshooting, system configuration, upgrades, integration work, and implementation projects require specialized technical expertise.
DISCUSSION
On July 23, 2026, Public Works issued an RFP seeking qualified firms to provide on-call CentralSquare EAM and GIS support services. To encourage maximum participation and competitive pricing, the RFP was distributed to a broad list of firms who have signed up for notifications, posted on the City’s website, and published in the Alameda Journal. After a 25-day proposal period, five consultants submitted proposals by the August 17, 2026, deadline:
• Engineering Mapping Solutions, Inc.
• Arini Geographics
• Seven Tablets
• GeoG
• Psomas
The proposals were reviewed based on the evaluation criteria identified in the RFP.
• Qualifications and experience of the firm and proposed staff;
• Experience supporting CentralSquare EAM implementations and integrations;
• Experience with Esri ArcGIS Enterprise, ArcGIS Pro, and related GIS technologies;
• Understanding of the City's operational needs;
• Project approach and responsiveness;
• References; and
• Proposed billing rates.
Because the proposed agreement is for on-call services with an annual not-to-exceed amount, the RFP requested hourly labor rates rather than a fixed total project cost. As a result, a direct comparison of total proposal cost was not possible.
Based on the evaluation, staff recommends awarding the agreement to Engineering Mapping Solutions, Inc. as the firm best qualified to meet the City’s needs. Of the five firms that submitted proposals, three demonstrated specific experience with CentralSquare EAM. Among those firms, EMS demonstrated the most extensive CentralSquare EAM experience and proposed the most competitive labor rates.
EMS has previously provided EAM and GIS support services to the Public Works Department and has demonstrated strong technical knowledge of the City’s systems, responsiveness, and the ability to troubleshoot effectively and support the integration between CentralSquare EAM and the City’s GIS environment. This prior experience will also allow EMS to begin providing support with minimal transition or startup time.
The proposed agreement, included as Exhibit 1, is for a five-year term with a total not-to-exceed amount of $265,460. Services may include, but are not limited to:
• CentralSquare EAM system administration and configuration;
• GIS application development and integration;
• ArcGIS Enterprise and Portal support;
• SQL Server administration and database optimization;
• System upgrades and testing;
• Asset data migration and quality assurance;
• Dashboard and reporting development;
• Workflow automation;
• User training and technical support; and
• Strategic planning for future system enhancements.
There is no guarantee of a minimum amount of work, and services will be provided only on an as-needed basis.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may consider the following alternatives to the staff recommendation, as well as other alternatives not identified below:
• Decline to approve the agreement. This alternative is not recommended because Public Works relies on specialized consulting services to support and maintain the CentralSquare EAM system, its integration with the GIS, and related database and application functions. Without these services, the City would have limited ability to implement system enhancements, respond to technical issues, and maintain critical integrations, which could negatively affect Public Works' ability to manage and maintain its public infrastructure assets.
• Approve the agreement with a reduced annual and/or cumulative not-to-exceed amount. This alternative is not recommended because the proposed contract amount is based on historical usage and anticipated support needs over the five-year term. The agreement is on an on-call basis, and only work requested will be performed.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for these services is budgeted annually across various Public Works operating budgets. Services will be provided on an as-needed basis, with compensation under the agreement not to exceed the annual amounts shown below. The Fiscal Year 2026-27 amount is not prorated because staff anticipates that the full annual authorization may be needed during the remaining nine months of the fiscal year.
Annual not-to-exceed amounts assume a 3% increase in consultant labor rates. However, under the proposed agreement, rates may increase annually by the actual Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 3%, whichever is less.
|
Fiscal Year |
Annual Cost |
|
2026/27 |
$50,000 |
|
2027/28 |
$51,500 |
|
2028/29 |
$53,045 |
|
2029/30 |
$54,637 |
|
2030/31 |
$56,278 |
|
TOTAL: |
$265,460 |
Future-year expenditures are contingent upon annual budget appropriations approved by City Council.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
Award of this agreement is consistent with the City's procurement requirements for professional services. The City conducted a competitive RFP process and evaluated proposals based on the criteria established in the solicitation.
The agreement also supports implementation of the Public Works Strategic Plan, particularly Focus Area 3: Systems and Resources, which calls for reliable systems, accurate data, accessible technology, regular training, and use of technology and dashboards to improve decision-making and resource management. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, and therefore, no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a five-year agreement with Engineering Mapping Solutions Inc. for on-call CentralSquare Enterprise Asset Management and GIS support services, for a total cumulative amount not to exceed $265,460.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Agreement