Title
Recommendation to Approve the Project Plans and Authorize the Interim City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Ray’s Electric for Streetlight Conduit Replacement - Cornell Drive & Thompson Avenue, Moreland Drive from Fernside Boulevard to Buena Vista Avenue, P.W. No. 03-25-05, in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $527,707, Including Contingency.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities). (Public Works 310)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Adam W. Politzer, Interim City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Underground streetlight electrical infrastructure requires periodic replacement to ensure a continuity of service. The project consists of removing and replacing streetlight conduits, conductors, streetlight pull boxes, and other items shown on the project plans for Cornell Drive & Thompson Avenue, Moreland Drive from Fernside Boulevard to Buena Vista Avenue. The project plans are attached as Exhibit 2. Staff requests City Council award the agreement to Ray’s Electric, the lowest responsive bidder, in an amount not-to-exceed $527,707, including contingency.
BACKGROUND
Street, parking lot, and park pathway lighting is either been above ground or underground electrical services to the light pole. Underground electric services are installed in a conduit that, depending on the material and the surrounding environment (roots, corrosive soils, groundwater, etc.), has an expected useful life before the conduit and wire must be replaced. Based upon the rate of failure of lighting service conduit, Public Works prepared a master plan to replace conduit when it reaches the end of its useful life, and ideally prior to failure. The master plan identifies annual project areas to replace service conduit based upon expected budget.
Cornell Drive & Thompson Avenue, Moreland Drive from Fernside Boulevard to Buena Vista Avenue was identified as high priority conduit replacement to prevent streetlights from being out of service due to conduit failures. The project will remove and replace streetlight conduits, conductors and streetlight pull boxes to ensure continuity of service.
DISCUSSION
To solicit the maximum number of bids and most competitive prices, plans and specifications were provided to 18 separate builders’ exchanges throughout the Bay Area. Notices were also sent to contractors on the Public Works Department Contractor List. In addition, notices were placed on the City of Alameda’s (City) website and published in the Alameda Journal on February 6, 2026. Bids were opened on March 2, 2026. After a bidding period of 24 days, six contractors submitted bids. The bid results are as follows:
|
Bidder |
Location |
Bid |
|
Ray’s Electric |
Oakland, CA |
$479,734.00 |
|
Bay Area Lightworks, Inc. |
San Francisco, CA |
$490,000.00 |
|
Columbia Electric |
San Leandro, CA |
$503,415.00 |
|
Hudson Excavation, Inc. |
Brentwood, CA |
$663,050.00 |
|
Mike Brown Electric, Inc. |
Cotati, CA |
$683,388.00 |
|
Tennyson Electric LLC |
Livermore, CA |
$785,350.00 |
Public Works staff contacted two references provided by the lowest bidder and received positive feedback on the ability of the company to meet the project requirements and the quality and timeliness of their work.
Staff recommends awarding an agreement to Ray’s Electric for a total amount not to exceed $527,707, which includes a 10% contingency in the amount of $47,973. The contractor is not guaranteed any of the contingency amount and use of the contingency will be at the sole discretion of the City for work not originally anticipated in the plans and specifications. The specifications also informed the successful bidder that they shall pay not less than the prevailing rate of per diem wages as determined by the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations. The agreement is attached as Exhibit 1.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve plans and authorize the Interim City Manager to execute an agreement with Ray’s Electric for a total amount of $527,707.
• An alternative is to not implement the project and to replace individual sections of electrical infrastructure in response to failures. This alternative approach may have increased overall costs given multiple mobilizations and reduced economy of scale on volume of work.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funding for this project is included in the Public Works Department Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) C16000 budget from General Fund and the Construction Improvement Tax. The CIP has sufficient appropriations to cover the costs of the contract proposed for approval.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code. This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environment review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 (Existing Facilities)
CLIMATE IMPACT
Construction materials and equipment will temporarily increase greenhouse gas emissions during construction. However, City contractors are required to recycle a minimum of 65% of removed concrete, rock, and other similar.
RECOMMENDATION
Approve the Project Plans and authorize the Interim City Manager to execute an agreement with Ray’s Electric for Streetlight Conduit Replacement - Cornell Drive & Thompson Avenue, Moreland Drive from Fernside Boulevard to Buena Vista Avenue project, P.W. No. 03-25-05, in an amount, including contingency, not-to-exceed $527,707.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
By,
Scott Wikstrom, City Engineer
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Agreement
2. Project Plans