Item 2-3 Draft RCAs — original pdf

Backup

Item 2 Posting Language ..Title Authorize negotiation and execution of two contracts for tree growth regulator services with Edko LLC and T&S Growth Solutions, LLC, each for up to three years for total contract amounts not to exceed $5,000,000, divided between the contractors. [Note: This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9C (Minority Owned and Women Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the services required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities, therefore, no subcontracting goals were established]. ..Body Lead Department Financial Services Department. Client Department(s) Austin Energy. Fiscal Note Funding in the amount of $1,388,889 is available in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Operating Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. Purchasing Language: The Financial Services Department issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) 1100 DCM3019 for these services. The solicitation was issued on May 22, 2023, and closed on June 13, 2023. Of the four offers received, the recommended contractors submitted the best evaluated responsive offers. A complete solicitation package, including a log of offers received, is available for viewing on the City’s Financial Services website, Austin Finance Online. Link: Solicitation Documents. For More Information: Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department – Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500. Respondents to the solicitation and their Agents should direct all questions to the Authorized Contact Person identified in the solicitation. Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action: November 13, 2023– To be reviewed by the Electric Utility Commission. Additional Backup Information: The contracts will provide Austin Energy with tree growth regulator services around utility lines and within electrical system easements, rights-of-way, substation facilities, and generating plants. Managing vegetation around energized utility lines is critical to ensuring the public’s safety. Tree growth regulators are increasingly being integrated into programs across the United States to change the way trees are cared for under power lines, around the power lines, and along right-of-ways. Tree growth regulators can also extend prune cycles on given circuits which can promote safety, which results in fewer opportunities for an incident to occur on circuits as well keeping trees out of power lines. The contractors will apply herbicides to manage and suppress vegetation growth in accordance with public safety, environmental, aesthetic and animal care requirements. The contractors will also notify and discuss with property owners any recommended tree growth regulator applications and/or suppression of vegetation growing within Austin Energy’s electrical facilities, utility easements, and rights-of-way. An evaluation team with expertise in this area evaluated the offers and scored Edko LLC, and T&S Growth Solutions, LLC as the best to provide these services based on price, service-disabled veteran business enterprise, local preference, demonstrated applicable experience, and program. Contract Detail: Contract Term Initial Term Optional Extension 1 Optional Extension 2 TOTAL Length of Term 1 yr. 1 yr. 1 yr. 3 yrs. Contract Authorization $1,666,667 $1,666,667 $1,666,666 $5,000,000 Note: Contract Authorization amounts are based on the City’s estimated annual usage. Item 2 RCA Backup Tree Growth Regulators Information, Application, and Use Elton Richards VP, Electric System Field Operations January 2024 © Austin Energy Five Things to Know About Tree Growth Regulators (TGRs)* Improve Safety “The safest tree is the one that doesn’t have to be pruned” Thoroughly Researched Studied for the better part of a century Reduce Costs Extending prune cycles equals significant cost savings Promote Tree Health • Less energy spent on vegetative growth Improve Customer Relations • Fewer site visits than pruning alone • Allocate to other resources such as: • Align the customer’s desires with the utility’s needs • defensive compounds • fibrous root growth • carbohydrate storage • reproductive structures like flowers *Source URL: https://www.tdworld.com/vegetation-management/article/20971444/five-things-to-know-about-tree-growth-regulators 2 Electric Utility Commission (EUC) Questions 1. How does the tree growth regulator services work with other vegetation management approved contracts? Tree Growth Regulator (TGR) is a low-cost application that functions as both a tool to minimize the need for frequent tree trimming and works in conjunction with tree trimming to extend the length of time between tree trimming to benefit system reliability. 2. Does it affect or have anything to do with the staffing issues? No. 3 EUC Questions 3. Does the customer have the right to decline? Can customers opt out? Yes, customers can decline/ opt out. 4. If they object (decline) how does that affect how we proceed? No application to trees on the property. 5. This lengthens the time between trims? • The length of time between trims will be extended with an approved application of the trees on the property. • Without an application the customer will likely experience additional and more frequent tree trimming activity on their property as Austin Energy is limited to only manual or mechanical means to achieve reliability. 4 EUC Questions 6. Has the utility done a review of the runoff effect after application? No runoff testing required due to soil injection below ground, creating essentially a closed system. 7. Effects on pollinators and animals? The product increases bud, flower and fruit production of plants and has no known negative impact on pollinators. The product is commonly used by arborists to reduce shoot growth and has shown to have additional positive effects on trees and shrubs. Among those are: improved resistance to drought stress • • darker green leaves • higher resistance against fungi and bacteria • enhanced development of roots 5 Cambistat Treated Tree 6 TGR Application Comparison Untreated vs Treated Slower Growth and Greener Leaves 7 Vegetative Growth Comparison Treated vs Untreated 8 Fibrous Root Growth Comparison Treated vs Untreated 9 EUC Questions 8. Effects on humans with contact? Risk of exposure is eliminated once the product is applied into the ground by soil injection, creating essentially a closed system. There is no exposure risk once the product is applied, unless the customer digs it up and handles it without proper personal protective equipment. 9. How long does it have an effect after application? Dependent on tree species, but (3) three years is the timeframe. 10 EUC Questions 10. Applied to areas with human access? No 11. How is it applied? This TGR product is applied into the soil at 6-9 inches in depth, dominantly by soil injection, and in special circumstances by trenching. 11 Applying Tree Growth Regulators TGRs are applied into the soil at 6-9 inches in depth, predominantly by soil injection 12 EUC Questions 12. Per tree or groups? Per tree. 13. List of herbicides and chemicals? ArborLock-2SC, Shortstop 2SC, Cambistat 13 Neighboring Utilities Using Tree Growth Regulators • PEC – Pedernales Electric Cooperative • CenterPoint Energy • Garland Power & Light • Oncor • AEP Texas • OG&E • Ozark Electric Cooperative • United Cooperative Services • Blue Grass Energy JEC – Jackson Electric Cooperative, Inc • TNMP – Texas-New Mexico Power • TVEC – Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative • PNM – Public Service Company of New Mexico • • Farmers Electric Cooperative • PG&E – Pacific Gas & Electric • RMP – Rocky Mountain Power • Pacific Power • North Georgia EMC 14 Attachments • • • • Five Things to Know About Tree Growth Regulators Reduce Growth and Increase Health – Fact Sheet TGR - Product Labels with Information & Instructions TGR - Safety Data Sheets 15 © Austin Energy. All rights reserved. Austin Energy and the Austin Energy logo and combinations thereof are trademarks of Austin Energy, the electric department of the City of Austin, Texas. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. Item 3 Posting Language ..Title Authorize execution of two contracts for batteries, battery banks, and battery testing services with Direct Current Preventive Maintenance LLC d/b/a DCPM and Exponential Power Inc., each for up to five years for total contract amounts not to exceed $3,500,000, divided between the contractors. [Note: This solicitation was reviewed for subcontracting opportunities in accordance with City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority Owned and Women Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the goods and services required for this solicitation, there were no subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established]. ..Body Lead Department Financial Services Department. Client Department(s) Austin Energy. Fiscal Note Funding in the amount of $408,333 is available in the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Operating Budget of Austin Energy. Funding for the remaining contract terms is contingent upon available funding in future budgets. Purchasing Language: The Financial Services Department issued an Invitation for Bids IFB 1100 DTB1035REBID for these goods and services. The solicitation was issued on August 14, 2023, and closed on September 12, 2023. Of the five offers received, the recommended contractors submitted the lowest responsive offers. A complete solicitation package, including a tabulation of the bids received, is available for viewing on the City’s Financial Services website, Austin Finance Online. Link: Solicitation Documents. For More Information: Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department – Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500. Respondents to the solicitation and their Agents should direct all questions to the Authorized Contact Person identified in the solicitation. Council Committee, Boards and Commission Action: January 8, 2024 – To be reviewed by the Electric Utility Commission. Additional Backup Information: These contracts will provide batteries, battery banks, and battery testing services for use at substations throughout Austin Energy’s service area. The battery banks are needed to replace equipment that has reached their end-of-life, and to provide unit upgrades and new equipment installations. Battery testing services cover maintenance testing of existing battery banks to comply with North American Electric Reliability Corporation requirements. Battery banks are critical equipment in all substations, used as an uninterrupted power source for the protection system’s switching and control devices. Contract Detail: Contract Term Initial Term Optional Extension 1 Length of Term 1 yr. 1 yr. Contract Authorization $700,000 $700,000 Optional Extension 2 Optional Extension 3 Optional Extension 4 TOTAL 1 yr. 1 yr. 1 yr. 5 yrs. $700,000 $700,000 $700,000 $3,500,000 Note: Contract Authorization amounts are based on the City’s estimated annual usage.