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Committee forwards PUC WSIP program‑management awards after questioning procurement and conflicts
Summary
The committee examined PUC requests to waive competitive procurement for program construction management services (CS963) and questioned a possible 10/90 conflict tied to Parsons' prior advice; city attorney and budget staff said the conflict concerns were addressed and the committee forwarded both items with recommendation.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission sought committee approval to authorize the city to execute the construction management component of the Water System Improvement Program program‑management contract (agreement CS963) with AECOM for up to $26 million over seven years. Harlan Kelly, assistant general manager for infrastructure for the PUC, explained the WSIP scope and said the program is moving many projects into construction and needs program management continuity.
Process and conflict issues: Supervisors raised concerns about waiving competitive bidding and a potential '10/90' conflict because Parsons provided advice on a planning document referenced by the RFP. Deputy city attorney Cheryl Adams explained the legal review, saying the city attorney assessed conflict issues and had no record showing AECOM received an unfair advantage; PUC staff and the selection panel described steps taken (non‑disclosure agreements, public posting of the plan) to level the field.
Budget analyst and policy context: Budget analyst Harvey Rose said the board had previously treated the broader procurement choice as a policy decision; although some supervisors criticized the process, others argued delaying a new RFP would increase costs and slow work that the PUC described as time‑sensitive given stimulus and other construction funding.
Decision: After public comment and extended questioning about procurement and best practice, the committee voted to forward both PUC items with a recommendation to the full Board of Supervisors.
