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Council approves issuing RFP for public utilities management study; award expected in November
Summary
The Sandy City Council voted 6-0 to direct staff to issue a request for proposals for a management study of the Public Utilities Department. The RFP mirrors prior fire department study deliverables; staff set aside $75,000 and expect to award by November and start the contract by January.
The Sandy City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to authorize issuance of a request for proposals to conduct a management study of Sandy’s Public Utilities Department.
Justin Sorensen, assistant director of the council office, presented a draft RFP that follows a 2023 council policy requiring periodic independent reviews of city departments. “To kick off this process, we solicited feedback from each of you, from our public utilities leadership, from administration, from purchasing and from the public utilities advisory board members,” Sorensen said. He said the deliverables in the draft largely mirror the earlier fire department management study because that report produced recommendations the council found useful.
Councilmember Marcy Hausman, who moved to issue the RFP, said she wanted the study to include prioritized recommendations, timelines and cost analysis similar to the fire-study deliverables. Sorensen said those expectations are included under the RFP’s deliverables section. Council discussion also covered cross-department implications: members asked whether consultants would consider connections between utilities recommendations and impacts to other city functions such as public works and parks; Sorensen and City Administrator Shane Pace said cross-department ties would arise naturally because utilities infrastructure often runs under streets and park strips.
The RFP’s facilities, equipment and technology section excludes a citywide in-depth fleet policy analysis — an explicit asterisk in the draft — because the city recently completed a separate fleet review. City staff said consultants may still assess fleet needs specific to public utilities (facilities, vehicles and equipment requirements) but are not being asked to redo a citywide fleet policy study.
Budget and timing: Sorensen said the council previously allocated $50,000 from an earlier year and added $25,000 in the current fiscal year for these periodic studies, leaving $75,000 identified for the project. The RFP timeline in the packet calls for award in November and a contract start no later than January.
Formal action: Councilmember Marcy Hausman moved to issue the RFP as presented; the council approved the motion 6–0. The motion directs staff to publish the RFP and begin the vendor selection process. The council office will return to the body with vendor recommendations and a proposed contract once bids are evaluated.
