Electrical Design Services for Streetlights for the Riverwalk Rehab Bike/Ped Scale Lighting Project

The City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department is soliciting proposals for electrical design services for the Riverwalk Rehab Bike/Ped Scale Lighting Project under RFQu c402509, with responses due July 30, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. A California-licensed electrical engineer is required.

The scope encompasses electrical design and preparation of construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates for approximately 21 decorative pole-mounted LED streetlights along the San Lorenzo Riverwalk between Riverside Avenue and the San Lorenzo River Trestle Bridge, spanning approximately 1,860 linear feet. Fixtures will be mounted at approximately 16-foot heights matching existing pathway fixtures. The design must incorporate power distribution and lighting controls fed from existing City services.

The contract term is three months with renewal options at the City's discretion. The work is funded through a grant from the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) program awarded to the City on July 1, 2025. The vendor must register with the California Department of Industrial Relations and comply with prevailing wage requirements under California Labor Code. Required consultant insurance includes Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), Professional Liability/Errors and Omissions ($2 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), Automobile Liability ($1 million), and Workers' Compensation with statutory limits.

Proposals are evaluated on a 100-point scale: vendor qualifications (50 points), project team composition and experience (40 points), and overall proposal quality (10 points). The City will request a fee schedule only from the highest-ranked vendor and will negotiate a firm contract. If negotiations fail, the City will proceed to the second-ranked vendor. The City intends to announce award on August 21, 2026, with contract commencement tentatively scheduled for September 2026. A non-mandatory field visit is scheduled for June 30, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Questions are due July 21, 2026. The City will consider exceptions to specifications or terms, though exceptions contradicting City terms or not in the City's best interest may result in disqualification.