Board adopts stronger workforce standards; PLA required for utility‑scale projects
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Summary
The board approved updates to its Inclusive and Sustainable Workforce Policy and Energy Proposal Evaluation Criteria, requiring project labor agreements for utility‑scale solar, wind and storage (10 MW+), adding quantitative scoring for workforce commitments, and accepting a friendly amendment to prioritize certain small or disabled‑veteran certified contractors in scoring.
The San Diego County Community Power Board of Directors on Feb. 26 adopted revisions to its Inclusive and Sustainable Workforce Policy (ISWP) and the Energy Proposal Evaluation Criteria (EPEC) that embed stronger workforce standards into procurement of long‑term clean energy contracts.
Andrea Torres, director of origination, told the board the updates codify workforce commitments — including prevailing wage or Davis‑Bacon where applicable, skilled and trained workforce/apprenticeship utilization, local hire for San Diego County projects, and union‑maintenance agreements — into solicitation materials and scoring. “The proposed changes to the ISWP would make clear that higher rankings are given to proposals that meet or exceed various criteria,” Torres said, and staff proposed that a project labor agreement (PLA) be required for utility‑scale solar, wind and battery storage projects defined in the policy as 10 megawatts or greater.
Torres explained the EPEC changes would split criteria between utility‑scale and community‑scale projects and permit community‑scale projects to earn high ranks through either PLAs or a prescriptive set of workforce commitments. Board members discussed the proposal’s intent to balance high road standards while preserving opportunities for smaller, community‑scale developers.
Director Fredrick Fisher offered an amendment to add a scoring preference for proposed contractors certified as disabled veteran business enterprises or small businesses by the California Department of General Services, or that commit to include subcontractors meeting those criteria. The chair indicated she was inclined to accept the friendly amendment; the board discussed and then took public comment.
During the public‑comment period, union and labor representatives urged approval. Christina Marquez of IBEW Local 569 said the PLA requirement would provide local hire and apprenticeship opportunities and “provide full family health care and retirement benefits for all construction workers on covered projects.” Carol Kim of the San Diego County Building and Construction Trades Council and other labor speakers similarly urged adoption as a way to ensure quality jobs and local economic benefits. Environmental advocates on the call also voiced support for pairing workforce standards with clean energy goals.
After discussion, the board adopted the ISWP/EPEC updates, including the friendly amendment. Directors requested annual reporting on executed agreements and summaries of workforce commitments to help the board track implementation.
The policy change directs staff to incorporate the new workforce scoring and PLA requirements into future solicitations and to engage early with stakeholders and labor representatives during negotiations.