REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action to Delegate Authority to the City Manager to Execute Purchase Orders and Negotiate Agreements and/or Amendments with Doble Engineering Company for Test Equipment, PowerBase Software, Relay Testing Software, and Other Services Related to Silicon Valley Power Operations, and to Ratify Amendments and Payments Exceeding City Manager Authority
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the City Manager executed a Master Service Agreement (Agreement) with Doble Engineering Company (Doble) for test equipment, engineering services, report reviews, laboratory testing, and access to technical resources. While the Agreement was signed in 2019, it was effective retroactively on April 1, 2018, with an initial term through March 31, 2020, and includes up to 10 one-year optional term extensions through March 31, 2030. As of March 2025, the total expenditure under the Agreement is $308,980.
In addition to the purchases made under the Agreement, the City has issued purchase orders (outside of the Agreement) to Doble for PowerBase Software and Relay Testing Software (RTS), which supports management and testing of electric protection systems as well as other associated products and services such as gas cylinder calibration. Since 2020, approximately $146,322 has been spent on these software tools outside of the Agreement.
DISCUSSION
Since April 2018, the City has paid Doble $455,302 under both the Agreement and separate purchase orders issued for test equipment support and services. This amount exceeds the City Manager's current authorization of $250,000 under Section 2.105.300 of the Santa Clara City Code. Staff is seeking City Council ratification of expenditures made under the Doble Agreement and related purchase orders that exceeded the City Manager's authority.
The table below details past expenditures:
Fiscal Year of Expense
Master Agreement
Other Purcha...
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