Title
Resolution to Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Elevate Energy for Energy Efficiency and Electrification Support Services (Not to Exceed $250,000.00 Annually)
Memorandum
Attached for your review and consideration for approval, is a resolution to approve a Professional Services Agreement with Elevate Energy for energy efficiency and electrification support, with a detailed hourly cost description for each service outlined. Community Services and the Office of Sustainability and Innovations jointly request this support to help coordinate our collective work to achieve A2ZERO, especially:
• Strategy 2: Switch our appliances and vehicles from gasoline, diesel, propane, coal, and natural gas to electric; and
• Strategy 3: Significantly improve the energy efficiency in our homes, businesses, schools, places of worship, recreational sites, and governmental facilities
The contract includes the following major areas of potential work:
1) Administrative services for the City’s low-income sustainability grant program, including:
a. Program administration
b. Serving as the program’s general contractor
c. Creation of educational and outreach materials about the program
d. Regular program reporting and efficacy analysis
2) Designing, training, and helping administer the City’s Residential Decarbonization Assessment, including:
a. Taking the lessons learned and tools from the Bryant Neighborhood project and creating an official A2ZERO Home Decarbonization Assessment
b. Training energy contractors and city staff on the A2ZERO Home Decarbonization Assessment
c. Creating educational materials about the A2ZERO Home Decarbonization Assessment
d. Helping administer the A2ZERO Home Decarbonization Assessment
3) Advising and supporting administration of the City’s energy concierge program, including:
a. Helping manage day to day operations of the concierge
b. Advertising the concierge and educating the public about its existence and ability to help support home and business decarbonization
c. Creation of an annual report on the efficacy of the program and recommended adjustments
4) Electrification support, including:
a. Providing strategic planning support and strategy advice
b. Electrification educational support
c. Technical and programmatic analysis, as needed
d. As needed plan review assistance
The provision of the above services will be done on an as needed basis but will help staff in the Office of Sustainability and Innovations and Community Services more efficiently utilize their time, draw on existing expertise, and effectively advance A2ZERO. This contract allows City staff to fill knowledge and capacity gaps that may exist while moving as quickly as possible towards Council approved goals.
Community Services and the Office of Sustainability and Innovations recommend Elevate Energy for this work, through a sole-source contract, due to their existing relationship with the City, their nearly 2-year engagement in the Bryant neighborhood, their existing involvement in helping the City create an energy concierge, and their national work on electrification. These experiences give Elevate Energy a unique knowledge of City operations, goals, history, and current activities that no other contractor possesses. Combined with their national knowledge and connections, staff propose that Elevate Energy receive this contract via a sole source award.
Staff recommend approval of the enclosed, on-demand contract for a three-year period with the administrative ability to extend for up to two additional years, for a duration of five years total. This timeframe allows staff to work deeply with Elevate Energy to establish the foundations and frameworks needed to advance the above scope of work.
Elevate Energy has submitted all required Non-Discrimination, Prevailing Wage, Living Wage, and Conflict of Interest Disclosure forms and complies with the requirements of the City’s Non-Discrimination and Living Wage ordinances.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: Funding for the services provided through this professional services agreement is available in appropriate approved FY23 budget. Future years will be subject to available funding.
Staff
Prepared by: Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director
Prepared by: Derek Delacourt, Community Services Area Administrator
Approved by: Milton Dohoney Jr., City Administrator
Body
Whereas, City Council unanimously adopted the A2ZERO Carbon Neutrality Plan which included significant support for beneficial electrification and deep energy waste reduction initiatives;
Whereas, Work on beneficial electrification and energy efficiency is an area of deep interest in the public and one that requires dedicated time and attention;
Whereas, Community Services and the Office of Sustainability and Innovations have been collaborating to help advance beneficial electrification and energy waste reduction initiatives in the community;
Whereas, Additional support is needed to scale and support Community Services and the Office of Sustainability and Innovations work around beneficial electrification and energy waste reduction;
Whereas, Elevate Energy has been working with the City for more than two years on projects such as the Bryant neighborhood decarbonization program, creation of the A2ZERO decarbonization assessment, creation of a new energy concierge, and support with state and federal policy and strategy development;
Whereas, Elevate Energy has significant experience not just in Ann Arbor but in helping other communities across the country advance beneficial electrification and energy waste reduction initiatives in a just and equitable way;
Whereas, Community Services and the Office of Sustainability and Innovations approached Elevate Energy about providing more sustained and custom support to help advance the City’s work on beneficial electrification and energy waste reduction and Elevate indicated a strong interest;
Whereas, Elevate Energy has submitted to the City a proposal for the necessary services, setting forth the services to be performed by said firm and the payments to be made by the City therefore, all of which are agreeable to the City;
Whereas, Elevate Energy is in compliance with the City of Ann Arbor Non-Discrimination and Living Wage Ordinances; and
Whereas, Cost for the beneficial electrification and energy waste reduction professional services have been defined in terms of hourly fees specific to services provided as defined in the contract;
RESOLVED, That City Council approves the Professional Services Agreement with Elevate Energy in the amount of $250,000.00 per year for up to three (3) years for energy efficiency and electrification support;
RESOLVED, That the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized and directed to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Elevate for a period of three years with the option to administratively extend the Professional Services Agreement for two additional one year periods, after approval as to substance by the City Administrator and approval as to form by the City Attorney; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be authorized to take the necessary administrative actions to implement this Resolution.