CITY OF SAN ANTONIO
OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
INTERDEPARTMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE
TO: Erik Walsh, City Manager
FROM: Douglas R. Melnick, AICP, ISSP-SA, CNU-A, Director, Office of Sustainability
COPY: Audit and Accountability Committee; Ben Gorzell, Jr., CPA, Chief Financial Officer; Troy Elliot, CPA, Deputy Chief Financial Officer; Kevin Barthold, City Auditor; David McCary, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Post Solicitation Briefing for an agreement between the City of San Antonio and Blink Charging Company for Publicly-Accessible Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure on City Property
DATE: January 19, 2021
In accordance with the SA Climate Ready Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), the City will consider an agreement with Blink Charging Company (Blink) to install, own and operate electric vehicle charging infrastructure on City property and manage associated software, marketing and customer interface elements in a manner that is cost neutral to the City. The agreement will facilitate a City contractor to be able to apply for funding through the Texas Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Program (TxVEMP) for Light Duty Zero Emission Vehicle Level 2 Charging Equipment projects. This project supports the City’s goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ground-level ozone attributed to the transportation sector by encouraging cleaner fuel technologies, including electric vehicles. City staff works closely with CPS Energy to share information and best practices related to energy and utility policy.
In December 2019, the City reviewed information submitted in response to a Request for Information (RFI) to gain clarity on elements to include in a potential future Request for Proposals (RFP) and/or within a grant application for charging infrastructure through the TxVEMP administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
On July 1, 2020, a Request for Proposals (RFP) was released to select a firm to supply Publicly-Accessible Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Infrastructure on City Property. The City of San Antonio’s Office of Sustainability requested proposals for cost-neutral business models with third-party electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) providers to install, operate, maintain, and own publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure on City property. The initial contract term is for 1 year with 4, 1-year options to renew.
On July 31, 2020, five proposals were received and were deemed eligible for evaluation. The evaluation committee representatives were Douglas R. Melnick, AICP, ISSP-SA, CNU-A, Director, Office of Sustainability; Julia Murphy, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer; Harley Hubbard, Sustainable Transportation Manager, Office of Sustainability; Gopinath Akalkotkar, City Architect, Public Works Department; Aurora Perkins, Parking Administrator, Center City Development and Operations Department; and Russell Huff, Assistant Director, Finance Department.
The evaluation committee met to discuss and score all proposals on September 3, 2020. The committee shortlisted the top three respondents for interviews. The committee reconvened on September 14, 2020 for interviews which were followed by final discussion and scoring. The committee recommends awarding the contract to the highest-ranked respondent, Blink.
On November 16, 2020, after a briefing by the Office of Sustainability, the City Council Community Health and Equity Committee approved a motion for full City Council consideration of the contract with Blink.
On December 10, 2020, after a briefing by the Office of Sustainability, the City Council approved a motion to delay consideration of the contract until additional briefings could be held.
This item is scheduled for Council consideration on February 4, 2021.