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PUAB tables resolution on analog opt-out as AMI program manager RFP moves forward
Summary
The Public Utility Advisory Board discussed the city's Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program manager RFP, vendor interest and funding options, and tabled a proposed PUAB resolution urging an analog opt-out option until the next meeting on May 15.
The Public Utility Advisory Board on Monday discussed the city’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) procurement and a draft PUAB resolution recommending an analog opt-out option for customers, then voted to table the resolution until the board’s May 15 meeting.
Board members and city staff said the AMI process is currently in the procurement stage for a program manager who would lead communications, vendor selection and the business-case refresh. “The AMI RFP went out and we’re collecting those now for the program manager. Again, that’s not for the meters, that’s not for the technology, that’s for basically a projectprogram manager to help us through the whole project,” a city program staff member said during the meeting.
City staff gave a procurement timeline: the RFP was issued on March 24; a pre-proposal conference took place April 4; proposals were due April 25; the evaluation window is April 28 through May 15; the city is targeting City Council approval June 2 and a contract award June 3. Staff said the pre-proposal conference drew about a dozen interested companies and that the responses to the program-manager RFP are still arriving.
Board members pressed staff on financing. “We need to understand all of the economics and that’s why this program manager is going to help us do is get to the economics and come to numbers and then we can bring forward here’s how much it is and here’s our plan we think to pay for it,” a city program staff member said. Board members suggested a range of options could be used to fund AMI — bonds, reserves, grants or financing — and that the preferred funding mix will depend on the final capital estimate.
The other substantive item was a draft PUAB resolution the board circulated urging that any AMI deployment provide an analog opt-out (manual meter reads) for customers who do not want automated metering. Supporters said publishing the recommendation now would signal to council and the market that the board wants an opt-out option. One board member said, “I just want the council to get this and not wait 2, 3 months down the road and then all of a sudden, well, we can’t do an off path.” Opponents argued the board should wait until the program-manager selection and the refreshed business case are further along so the board and council would have more technical and financial information.
After discussion a board member moved to table the resolution to the May 15 meeting; the motion carried. The board recorded that the tabling was to allow more information to be gathered as the RFP evaluation and business-case refresh proceed.
The board also approved minutes of the Jan. 16, 2025 meeting at the start of the session by voice and roll call.
