LAFCO authorizes up to $100,000 contract with Local Power to start in‑city renewables RFP after heated debate

The Local Agency Formation Commission voted to authorize its executive officer to enter a contract with the consultant Local Power for an amount not to exceed $100,000 to begin work on an RFP and related tasks for in‑city renewable resources under the Clean Power SF program.

Staff context: Nancy Miller, interim executive officer, and Mike Campbell of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission explained the contracting history: SFPUC holds a not‑to‑exceed $500,000 contract with Local Power and has about $390,000 remaining on that agreement for program development work. Miller said the commission is being asked to authorize an initial, narrowly defined contract amount of up to $100,000 for specified tasks (tasks 1, 8 and part of 9 in the staff memo) to start drafting a renewable‑project RFP and related preparatory work; further task orders and deliverables would be approved before funds are spent.

Debate: Several commissioners objected to the timing and scope. Commissioner Schmeltzer moved to continue the item until a SFPUC‑approved term sheet existed; concern centered on whether drafting RFPs now would precommit city funds before SFPUC final action and on the breadth of the consultant's proposed scope. Commissioner Mercarini (spelled variously in the transcript) and others pressed for tight deliverables and monitoring, and said they opposed spending the full $390,000 without firmer evidence of need. Miller and Campbell said much of the detailed data and analysis that would inform a full scope of work resided with SFPUC staff; Miller said she would not task work beyond the limited first increment absent agreement and said some advocates had indicated they would not proceed unless the larger amount were funded.

Public advocates and contractors urged moving forward. Advocates from the Local Clean Energy Alliance, Global Exchange and the Sierra Club defended the larger planning scope as necessary to develop a credible local build‑out plan, with one speaker noting similar data‑collection work in Sonoma cost roughly $300,000. "Without those resources, without those assets, there is no program that the public could really support," Al Weinreb of the Local Clean Energy Alliance said.

Vote and outcome: The motion to authorize the executive officer to enter into a contract up to $100,000 passed in a roll call vote: Chairperson Campos — Aye; Vice Chair Mercarini — Aye; Commissioner Avalos — Aye; Commissioner Schmelzer — No. The chair emphasized the authorization does not guarantee the entire $100,000 will be spent and that further task orders and deliverable reviews will precede payments.

What happens next: The authorized contract can be executed to allow limited preparatory work (draft RFP and narrow tasks), but staff will return with specific task orders, deliverables and reports before expending funds. Commissioners and advocates continue to press for a coordinated SFPUC–LAFCO approach to ensure the local build‑out planning informs procurement and community benefits.

Vote provenance: motion by Commissioner Avalos, second by Commissioner MacCarrini; roll call recorded by the clerk.