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A Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement Between the Village of Oak Park and Elevate Energy for the Operation of the Oak Park Energy Navigator in an Amount not to Exceed $500,000 and Authorizing its Execution
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Introduction
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This item is a resolution approving a professional services agreement with Elevate Energy for the operation of the Oak Park Energy Navigator (OPEN) program.
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Recommended Action
Adopt the Resolution.
Prior Board Action
The Board has taken the following prior action(s):
• On November 11, 2025 the Village Board approved an amendment to the PSA for program design to allow for the inclusion of Soft Launch services and to allow for the Soft Launch to provide input for the final program design.
• On July 22, 2025, the Village Board voted to approve Resolution 25-226 to approve the contract with Elevate Energy for program design for an Energy One Stop Shop.
• On August 1, 2022 the Village Board adopted the Climate Ready Oak Park plan which includes action BD06: Implement an enhanced "one-stop shop" program to provide coordinated energy, resiliency, and health housing retrofits for highly vulnerable community members. Include terms to maintain permanent affordability.
Background
The 2024-2025 Village Board Goals include the goal (5.1.d.ii): Revise the current Village’s housing rehabilitation programs to a multi-year program to encompass electrification, renewable energy, climate resiliency, and healthy housing retrofits for highly vulnerable community members to maintain affordability.
The Board goal aligns with several actions within the Climate Ready Oak Park (CROP) plan, specifically within the goal area “Establish Programs to Support Building Decarbonization”. Actions BD03, BD05, and BD06 all align with the concept of a One Stop Shop.
The One Stop Shop concept was identified through the development of the CROP plan. The community group, Oak Park Climate Action Network (OPCAN), deemed the concept to be significantly important and decided to form the Climate Coaches program to serve in the role while the Village developed the One Stop Shop more formally. In their first year, the Climate Coaches program had 18 volunteer coaches who worked with 103 residents. The most popular requests through the Climate Coaches program were for information and assistance about available grants, rebates, and tax credits, installing rooftop solar, and switching from gas to electric heating. The Village’s One Stop Shop will build on the Climate Coaches’ work by providing full audits and roadmaps for making residences (single household up to mid-sized multihousehold) healthier, more efficient, and fully electric.
In May of 2025, the Village of Oak Park issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for two contracts. The first contract is for the design of the One Stop Shop. The proposer selected for Contract 1 will be able to negotiate Contract 2 for the implementation and administration of the program designed under Contract 1. The Village received four proposals from extremely qualified firms. After evaluating the proposals against the criteria outlined in the RFQ, the Village selected Elevate Energy based on their extensive experience and similar programs established in other communities.
The Village Board approved Contract 1 on July 22, 2025. Elevate’s proposal for Contract 2 included a soft launch in 2025 before a full launch of the program implementation in FY2026. Staff identified the need to include the “soft launch” as part of the program design phase and amended Contract 1 to include the Soft Launch services. Doing so helped the Village and Consultants to test some of the assumptions made based on stakeholder engagement and try best practices identified from other communities to ensure that they work and achieve the desired outcomes in Oak Park.
The current proposal and agreement are for the operations of the program designed during the initial contract. The contract for 2026 is not to exceed $500,000. Within this budget, the One Stop Shop, now called the Oak Park Energy Navigator (OPEN), hopes to engage up to 80 properties to receive the full assessment, including blower door testing and thermal imaging, and receive a Home Energy Roadmap. Participants of OPEN will have ongoing access to their Energy Navigator, who will help identify financial incentives and provide assistance in evaluating bids for project work. OPEN will also include a help desk phone number available to residents who are participating as well as residents who have not received the full assessment but who have questions. The not to exceed budget also includes services from Elevate’s Outreach and Marketing teams to provide workshops, engage with Community Based Organizations, and design the program messaging to meet the needs of the Oak Park Community.
Timing Considerations
Approving the Resolution now will allow for the full program launch to occur in March 2026.
Budget Impact
The do not exceed amount for the attached contract is $500,000. These funds are allocated in GL#2310.41020.101.570852.0000.
Operating Impact
During Contract 1, staff from the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, Development Services, Communications, the Diversity Equity and Inclusion Office, and Neighborhood Services spent approximately 120 combined hours. This included managing the Contract, reviewing materials, biweekly meetings with Elevate, attending outreach events, and providing input to the Energy Navigator process.
During Contract 2 staff anticipate the following time commitment:
• The Office of Sustainability and Resilience will spend approximately 6 hours weekly managing the Contract and approximately 60 hours over the course of the Contract conducting in-person community engagement activities.
• Staff from related departments and offices (Neighborhood Services, Development Services, DEI, Communications) may dedicate up to 6 hours monthly, combined, in functions which support the Contract, such as marketing assistance, communication to residents, and providing feedback on operations and results of the contract.
No additional staff will be required to manage the contract.
DEI Impact
During Contract 1, Village Staff worked closely with Elevate to ensure that the program was designed in a way to provide benefits to vulnerable households.
During Contract 2, the goal is for 40% of the households served to meet one or more of the following vulnerability criteria:
• Household income is below 80% of the Area Median Income
• Household contains individuals with disabilities or who are over the age of 65.
• Households which are rent-burdened (Housing costs exceed 30% of income)
• Households which are energy-burdened (energy costs are >6% of income)
To reach these vulnerable households, Elevate and the Village are partnering with Community-Based Organizations serving these populations. CBOs include Beyond Hunger, Oak Park Regional Housing Center, and Housing Forward. The Village will also conduct outreach at popular community events and reach out to additional community partners.
All program documents will be available in English and Spanish. In addition, Elevate will have access to the Village’s interpretation services for uses related to program operation and events.
Community Input
During Contract 1 Elevate and the Village conducted significant stakeholder outreach:
• Outreach to multifamily building owners
• In-person stakeholder engagement session
• Interviews with OPCAN climate coaches
• Soft Launch participant feedback
• Presentation and input from the Environment and Energy Commission
Staff Recommendation
Adopt the Resolution to approve Contract 2 for the full launch of the Oak Park Energy Navigator.
Advantages:
• Achieves a significant milestone related to the Climate Ready Oak Park (CROP) plan and Village Board Goals by implementing action BD06 from CROP.
• Provides a valuable service to Oak Park residents to facilitate meaningful energy retrofits in their homes to improve comfort and safety, manage rising energy costs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Provides a valuable service to Oak Park residents by guiding them to available financial resources to make significant investments in the energy usage of their properties, including directing homeowners to the Climate Ready Energy Grants and Loans.
Disadvantages:
• The proposed program represents a significant financial investment.
Alternatives
Alternative 1:
The Board can elect not to adopt the Resolution and not approve the full launch of the Oak Park Energy Navigator.
Advantages:
• The money allocated for the One Stop Shop will not be expended.
Disadvantages:
• The Village will not be providing a valuable service to its residents.
• The Village will not achieve the CROP action or Village Board Goal.
Alternative 2:
The Board can elect not to adopt the Resolution and direct staff to issue a new RFP for one-stop shop services.
Advantages:
• There are no advantages to this alternative.
Disadvantages:
• This alternative will significantly delay implementation of the One Stop Shop.
• This alternative will result in the loss of progress made with the current consultant and the Staff time invested in this proposed project design.
Anticipated Future Actions
In Quarter 4 of 2026, Village Staff will report on the Oak Park Energy Navigator progress and results and will make a recommendation for program design and budget for fiscal year 2027.
Prepared By: Lindsey Roland Nieratka, Chief Sustainability Officer
Reviewed By: Jack Malec, Assistant to the Village Manager
Approved By: Kevin J. Jackson, Village Manager
Attachment(s):
1. Resolution - Elevate PSA 3
2. Elevate PSA 3
3. Elevate Full Launch Proposal