Pasadena Company Could Win $4.3 Million Pasadena Water and Power Contract

Pasadena-based Staples and Associates, Inc. would be one step closer to becoming the city’s chosen contractor to implement commercial direct-install utility programs if a city council committee approves today.

Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) has recommended a new three-year contract with Staples. The company provides energy efficiency programs for residential and commercial users, for the installation of beneficial electrification and energy- or water-conservation devices, equipment and services for the City’s Water and Energy Direct Install Program (WeDIP).

Since 2013, PWP has offered WeDIP to help small businesses and commercial customers reduce their annual electricity and water usage by installing energy and water saving measures and devices. The current program serves about 300 small business customers per year, of which about 82 percent are assisted living facilities, churches, local businesses, restaurants and lodging facilities in Disadvantaged Community (DAC) areas. The program results in average annual savings of 16 acres-feet of water and about 2.7 kilowatt hours of energy, PWP said in an Agenda Report.

In its recommendation, PWP said its net cost for the program will be about $3.9 million over the three-year term of the contract. This follows reimbursement from a $1.2 million grant in 2018 from the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) given so PWP could expand coverage of the WeDIP in the DAC census tract area.

“The program contributes to meeting PWP’s energy and water saving goals while providing economic savings and efficiency benefits to the Pasadena business community,” PWP said in the report. “Many small businesses operate on narrow profit margins and are unable to participate in PWP’s commercial rebate programs that require up-front investment in energy and water retrofits by the customer.”

Staples and Associates, Inc., also called Staples Energy, was one of three contractors that submitted their proposals after a Request for Proposals was issued in April for the water and energy commercial direct-install program.

PWP said Staples Energy has over 15 years of experience implementing commercial direct-install programs for utilities. Its latest contract with Pasadena, in the original amount of $3.7 million, for the execution of WeDIP expired on July 31.

The new contract PWP is recommending will  be for $4.3 million, PWP said in the report.

The City’s Municipal Services Committee has included the recommendation in its meeting agenda for Tuesday, August 10.

Members of the community may access the meeting through http://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=9 or through www.pasadenamedia.org.

The meeting begins at 4 p.m.