TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute an agreement for a two-year term with Langham Consulting Services, Inc. to conduct a nationwide search and selection process for a Meter Reading Service Vendor and provide project management services for the full implementation of the meter reading service transition in an annual amount not to exceed $360,400. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Southern California Edison (SCE) has been providing manual gas and water meter reading services to the City for the past 19 years. Since SCE was already reading its own electricity meters, the City was able to piggyback on that service and contract with SCE to use its meter reading staff to perform the same service for the City-owned gas and water utilities, at the annual cost of $1.3 million. The fourth amendment of the agreement with the City will expire in less than two years, on April 30, 2010.
SCE has informed the City of its intent to migrate to automatic meter reading, and they are currently in the process of eliminating all manual meter reading services for the City and throughout their service area. As a result, SCE will not request to extend the existing agreement after April 2010. As such, the City must commence procurement of meter reading services to conduct monthly reading and reporting on all 90,000 water meters and 146,000 gas meters in the City as soon as possible. Annual gas and water revenues are approximately $232 million and are contingent upon effective and timely meter reading services.
Significant technological advances in the meter reading industry over the past two decades require hiring a consultant with extensive meter reading and system implementation experience to ensure the most qualified vendor is selected and fully operational prior to the termination of the existing agreement. City Council approval is being requested to enter into a contract with Langham Consulting Services, Inc., to conduct a nationwide search and selection process for a m...
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