CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of RFP 25-034, Testing and Commissioning Engineer, to Albrecht Engineering LLC for an amount not to exceed $365,000 and for a two-year term
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DEPARTMENT: Electric Utility
SUBMITTED BY: Brian Groth, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Naperville Electric Utility (Utility) has a need for Relay Testing and Commissioning Engineering services. Relays detect power system faults or disturbances and send commands to open breakers or reconfigure electrical system equipment. Without properly functioning relays, the Utility’s equipment would not safely and efficiently operate resulting in possible catastrophic damage to assets such as underground cable and transformers. NERC is the North American Electric Reliability Corporation. It is a not-for-profit regulatory authority that regulates the electric grid. PRC-005-6 is a specific Standard that they issued regarding relay testing and routine maintenance. Per NERC PRC-005-6, distribution utilities should do routine testing on relay protection systems. There are approximately 650 relays throughout 17 substations that need to be tested on a regular six-year maintenance cycle according to NERC PRC-005-6 and industry best practice.
The Utility has hired a new Relay Testing and Commissioning Engineer, who will require time and mentorship to become fully proficient. Partnering with an experienced engineering firm specializing in relay testing, commissioning, and fault analysis will enable the Utility to complete scheduled projects effectively, address current gaps, and support the development of the Utility’s internal team for long-term success.
In January 2025, the Utility issued RFP 25-034, Testing and Commissioning Engineer, in order to establish a 2-year strategic partnership with a testing and commissioning engineering firm. The goal of the partnership is to support on-going capital and maintenance projects while simultaneously mentoring Utility staff so the utility can be self-sufficient in the long term.
DISCUSSION:
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Advertisement Date: |
01/08/2025 |
Notices Sent: |
464 |
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Opening Date: |
01/30/2025 |
Planholders: |
33 |
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Proposals Received: |
07 |
Proposals were received from the following vendors:
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Albrecht Engineering LLC |
RC Jasik & Associates LLC |
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GERS USA LLC |
SEL Engineering Services, Inc |
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KCS Corp |
TRC Engineering, Inc |
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Quad Plus |
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A selection team comprised of staff from the Naperville Electric Utility (NEU) and Transportation Engineering Department (TED) evaluated the proposals, which were scored based upon the criteria set forth in the RFP:
1. Capability, Capacity and Qualifications of the Proposer (40%)
2. Suitability and Quality of the Approach/Methodology (40%)
3. Milestones and Deliverables (10%)
4. Outcomes to be Achieved (10%)
After reviewing and scoring the proposals, the selection committee invited the top 2 vendors, Albrecht Engineering LLC and RC Jasik & Associates LLC, to attend interviews and conduct demonstrations. Following the completion of the interviews and demonstrations, the selection committee rescored the vendors. The vendor with the highest qualification score, Albrecht Engineering LLC, is recommended for award. The table below provides a summary of the final qualification scores:
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Vendor |
Qualification Score |
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Albrecht Engineering LLC |
94.5 |
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RC Jasik & Associates LLC |
78.9 |
The term of the contract is two years from the date of execution of the Consultant Services Agreement to May 19, 2027, with two one-year options to extend.
FISCAL IMPACT:
CIP #: N/A
Contract testing and commission engineering services are expensed to the Architect and Engineering services account listed below. The Electric Utility included $115,000 in the 2025 budget for contracted engineering support for non-capital related items. The requested award can be accommodated within the 2025 budget, and staff will ensure sufficient funding is included in future budgets to support the out years associated with this award.
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Account Number |
Fund Description |
Total Budget Amount |
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40321300-531301 |
Electric Utility Fund |
$115,000 |