REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Cascadia Consulting Group, Inc. for Climate Action Plan Update Services [Council Pillar: Sustainability]
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara adopted its Climate Action Plan (CAP) on December 3, 2013, as required by the City's 2010-2035 General Plan. The goal of the CAP is to establish policies that will reduce the City's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions consistent with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32 or AB32). AB 32 required the California Air Resources Board to achieve a reduction of GHG emissions for the State to 1990 levels by the year 2020.
Senate Bill 32, passed in 2016, expanded upon AB 32 by requiring a further reduction in GHG emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Additionally, State Executive Orders were passed in 2005 and 2012 targeting reductions in GHG emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
The City needs to update the CAP to establish GHG reduction strategies that meet the 2030 and 2050 GHG emissions reduction targets. City staff has begun work on a comprehensive CAP update, completing an inventory of Citywide GHG emissions for the City's 2018 Climate Action Plan Annual Report. Further work on the CAP update requires the technical assistance of a specialized consultant.
DISCUSSION
In June 2019, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Climate Action Plan Update Services using the City's e-procurement system. The City received four proposals as follows:
* Cascadia Consulting Group, Inc. (Seattle, WA)
* Eastern Research Group, Inc. (Sacramento, CA)
* ICF Jones & Stokes, Inc. (San Francisco, CA)
* Integral Group (Oakland, CA)
Evaluation: A four-member evaluation team with representation from the Community Development, Electric, and Public Works Departments was formed to evaluate the proposals. Each team member independently evaluated and scored the proposals.
Pro...
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