9.C.
City Council Meeting - FINAL
- Meeting Date:
- 03/01/2022
- From:
- Jeff Bauman, Traffic Engineer
Information
TITLE:
Consideration and Approval of Contracts: Purchase Contracts for Dark Skies Streetlight Code Compliant Luminaires from Arizona Electrical Supply, Border States Electric Supply, Crossroads LED, Voss Lighting and Wesco Distribution, Inc.
STAFF RECOMMENDED ACTION:
- Approve the Purchase Contracts for Dark Skies Streetlight Code Compliant Luminaires with Arizona Electrical Supply, Border States Electric Supply, Crossroads LED, Voss Lighting and Wesco Distribution, Inc.; and
- Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.
Executive Summary:
The Street Lighting to Enhance Dark Skies (SLEDS) Project’s primary objective was to find a solution to Flagstaff’s street lighting replacement needs while balancing dark skies, safety and maintenance/cost effectiveness objectives.
The SLEDS Project was the result of several years of discussions between the City and the local observatories (USNOFS and Lowell Observatory) and the Dark Skies Coalition, starting in May 2012. At that time, the City found itself in a lighting predicament as Low Pressure Sodium (LPS), the preferred lighting source since 1989, was becoming increasingly more expensive to purchase, quality replacement parts were becoming more difficult to acquire and the City was experiencing structural failures of the pole/mast arm connection due to the size and weight of the LPS fixture, especially in wind prone areas.
In June 2015, Council approved an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with ADOT to secure funding for the SLEDS Project. This was in the form of $100K (FY16) to hire a Consultant Team and $200K (FY16) for test fixtures to support the Consultant Team’s work. All of this funding coming from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), through AZ Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Flagstaff MetroPlan, Surface Transportation Program (STP).
The following excerpt from the SLEDS Request for Proposals summarizes the projects direction and goals: “The City seeks cost effective replacement technologies that (1) maintain or approximate current lighting levels and (2) do not adversely impact the City’s dark sky natural resource or the missions of the Lowell Observatory and the U.S. Naval Observatory. In consideration of cost effectiveness, the City seeks to utilize existing light pole infrastructure."
In September 2015, the Consultant Team, led by Monrad Engineering, was awarded a one year and $100,000 contract to conduct applied research in order to develop a replacement strategy for the City’s increasingly obsolete LPS streetlights with newer technology (LED). This contract was previously modified to a total amount of $141,000.
The SLEDS Project has been an opportunity for Flagstaff to demonstrate to other municipalities an innovative lighting solution for dark sky preservation with Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology that achieves municipal objectives for safety and cost effectiveness and astronomical objectives for maintaining dark skies. This has helped guide the SLEDS team as we worked towards a Flagstaff lighting solution.
Staff presented a summary of the SLEDS program along with an anticipated budget to replace all of the luminaires in Flagstaff to the Citizen's Transportation Tax Commission (CTTC) in early 2018. The Dark Skies lighting project was included in the CTTC's proposed program which was recommended by the City Council to be on the November 2018 ballot. In November 2018 Flagstaff voters passed Proposition 419 which identified $8,000,000 for Dark Skies lighting replacements.
In late 2020 the Flagstaff City Council adopted new Engineering Standards developed through the SLEDS project. These standards are the basis for this purchase contract for LED luminaires.
The Dark Skies Lighting Project is budgeted at $2.6M for FY21/22 for the luminaires. The allocated budget will be spent amongst the five contractors for the specified luminaires they are being awarded. The contracts are an annual renewal term and will be subject to the annual allocated budget for the corresponding fiscal year budget of each renewal.
The SLEDS Project was the result of several years of discussions between the City and the local observatories (USNOFS and Lowell Observatory) and the Dark Skies Coalition, starting in May 2012. At that time, the City found itself in a lighting predicament as Low Pressure Sodium (LPS), the preferred lighting source since 1989, was becoming increasingly more expensive to purchase, quality replacement parts were becoming more difficult to acquire and the City was experiencing structural failures of the pole/mast arm connection due to the size and weight of the LPS fixture, especially in wind prone areas.
In June 2015, Council approved an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with ADOT to secure funding for the SLEDS Project. This was in the form of $100K (FY16) to hire a Consultant Team and $200K (FY16) for test fixtures to support the Consultant Team’s work. All of this funding coming from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), through AZ Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Flagstaff MetroPlan, Surface Transportation Program (STP).
The following excerpt from the SLEDS Request for Proposals summarizes the projects direction and goals: “The City seeks cost effective replacement technologies that (1) maintain or approximate current lighting levels and (2) do not adversely impact the City’s dark sky natural resource or the missions of the Lowell Observatory and the U.S. Naval Observatory. In consideration of cost effectiveness, the City seeks to utilize existing light pole infrastructure."
In September 2015, the Consultant Team, led by Monrad Engineering, was awarded a one year and $100,000 contract to conduct applied research in order to develop a replacement strategy for the City’s increasingly obsolete LPS streetlights with newer technology (LED). This contract was previously modified to a total amount of $141,000.
The SLEDS Project has been an opportunity for Flagstaff to demonstrate to other municipalities an innovative lighting solution for dark sky preservation with Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology that achieves municipal objectives for safety and cost effectiveness and astronomical objectives for maintaining dark skies. This has helped guide the SLEDS team as we worked towards a Flagstaff lighting solution.
Staff presented a summary of the SLEDS program along with an anticipated budget to replace all of the luminaires in Flagstaff to the Citizen's Transportation Tax Commission (CTTC) in early 2018. The Dark Skies lighting project was included in the CTTC's proposed program which was recommended by the City Council to be on the November 2018 ballot. In November 2018 Flagstaff voters passed Proposition 419 which identified $8,000,000 for Dark Skies lighting replacements.
In late 2020 the Flagstaff City Council adopted new Engineering Standards developed through the SLEDS project. These standards are the basis for this purchase contract for LED luminaires.
The Dark Skies Lighting Project is budgeted at $2.6M for FY21/22 for the luminaires. The allocated budget will be spent amongst the five contractors for the specified luminaires they are being awarded. The contracts are an annual renewal term and will be subject to the annual allocated budget for the corresponding fiscal year budget of each renewal.
Financial Impact:
Transportation Tax - Proposition 419 (048-10-119-3459-6-4447) has allocated funding over multiple fiscal years for the complete replacement of the City's roadway lighting system. This includes LED luminaires, new photocells, and new mast arms where appropriate per design specifications.
Policy Impact:
The purchase of modern Dark Skies friendly LED street lighting equipment will support the mission of the City of Flagstaff to protect and enhance the quality of life for all by providing the correct lighting levels that balance public safety, dark skies objectives, and comfortable neighborhood lighting levels.
Connection to PBB Priorities/Objectives, Carbon Neutrality Plan & Regional Plan:
Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives
Carbon Neutrality Plan
Regional Plan
Safe & Healthy Community by ensuring the built environment is safe through the use of consistent standards. Sustainable, Innovative Infrastructure by delivering outstanding services to residents through a healthy, well maintained infrastructure system. Livable Community by providing amenities that support a healthy lifestyle. Environmental Stewardship by actively managing and protecting environmental and natural resources. High quality dark skies friendly street lighting promotes safety on our transportation system, provides a healthier nighttime environment for our residents by reducing residential light trespass and overall reducing the visual sky glow impacts of the municipal lighting system.
Carbon Neutrality Plan
Community Resilience by strengthening existing community systems to create resilience to both short-term shocks and long-term change by incorporating modern long life solid state lighting systems. Decreased dependence on cars by creating inclusive networks for walking and biking that are reliably well illuminated during the nighttime hours.
Regional Plan
Goal E&C.5. Preserve dark skies as an unspoiled natural resource, basis for an important economic section, and core element of community character. Policy E&C.5.1. Evaluate the impacts of the retention of dark skies regarding lighting infrastructure and regulatory changes, land use decision or changes, and proposed transportation developments within the region.
Has There Been Previous Council Decision on This:
There has not been any previous decisions made regarding the purchase of replacement street lighting equipment, however these contracts are built upon the recently completed Street Lighting to Enhance Dark Skies (SLEDS) project that led to the City's adoption of new Dark Skies LED roadway lighting engineering standards.
Options and Alternatives:
- Award the Purchase Contracts to all five contractors as submitted.
- Award Purchase Contracts to a portion of the contractors.
- Do not award the Purchase Contracts and direct staff to re-solicit with a revised scope of work.
- Do not award the Purchase Contracts and direct staff to not procure luminaires.
Background and History:
On December 8, 2021, Procurement staff posted an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for Streetlight Code Compliant Luminaires on the City's PlanetBids electronic bidding platform, and advertised the IFB December 12 and 19, 2021 in the Arizona Daily Sun. On January 11, 2022, the City received five Bids. City Staff had discussions resulting in the request to award contracts to all five contractors that submitted bids. These contractors are deemed qualified to provide the selected products. City staff is requesting approval of award of the Purchase Contracts to the following Contractors:
- Arizona Electrical Supply
- Border States Electric Supply
- Crossroads LED
- Voss Lighting
- Wesco Distribution, Inc.
Attachments
- Arizona Electric Contract
- Exhibit A - Arizona Electric Quote
- Border States Contract
- Exhibit A - Border States Quote
- Crossroads LED Contract
- Exhibit A - Crossroads LED Quote
- Voss Lighting Contract
- Exhibit A - Voss Lighting Quote
- Wesco Contract
- Exhibit A - Wesco Quote