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A Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Elevate Energy for The Program Design for An Energy One Stop Shop in An Amount Not to Exceed $125,565 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 program design for an Energy One Stop Shop in an amount not to exceed $125,565 and authorizing its execution.
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Recommended Action
Staff recommend approving the attached professional services agreement with Elevate Energy for the program design for an Energy One Stop Shop. The completion of this contract will aid in the negotiation of a second contract for the implementation and administration of the One Stop Shop.
Prior Board Action
There is no prior Board action associated with this item.
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 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 current resolution is for the approval of Contract 1.
Timing Considerations
The Fiscal Year 2025 Sustainability Budget includes funding for the development of the One Stop Shop. If the contract is approved in July, development can begin and be completed in time to approve Contract 2 and initiate implementation in 2025. The program designed under Contract 1 will inform the budget request for the One Stop Shop operations in Fiscal Year 2026.
Budget Impact
The Village Board approved $300,000 in account #2310.41020.101.570852.000. The current contract is for an amount not to exceed $125,565, leaving $174,435 for implementation under Contract 2 in FY2025.
Staffing Impact
Development of the One Stop Shop will include input and guidance from staff in Neighborhood Services, Development Services, and Sustainability. No more than 80 hours of staff time will be dedicated to participating in design and reviewing drafts.
The Office of Sustainability will be responsible for the administration and management of the contracted work. No more than 40 hours will be required for the administration of this contract.
DEI Impact
The design of the One Stop Shop program will take specific care to identify and overcome barriers to participation in energy efficiency and other housing programs by vulnerable community members. The One Stop Shop will be designed with the intention to meet the CROP plan commitments of directing 40% of public climate and sustainability dollars to the most vulnerable and partnering with the most impacted to create climate and sustainability policies and programs. The One Stop Shop will be designed using stakeholder engagement and will be designed with ongoing stakeholder engagement, monitoring and adaptability to make sure that these commitments are being met.
Community Input
The One Stop Shop concept was identified through the CROP planning process and included as a high-priority immediate action in the final CROP plan.
Village Staff sought input from multiple entities before issuing the RFQ.
• The Environment & Energy Commission reviewed the RFQ at the April 8th meeting and provided feedback incorporated into the final draft.
• Member of OPCAN and the Climate Coaches program reviewed and provided comment in April, which was incorporated into the final RFQ draft.
• Staff from Argonne National Laboratory provided a review of the RFQ as part of the Energy to Communities (E2C) technical assistance funded through the Department of Energy and the National Renewable Energy Lab.
Additional stakeholder input will be sought before finalizing program design.
Staff Recommendation
Approve the Resolution
Advantages:
• The Village will enter into an agreement with a highly qualified vendor to design a program identified as a high priority in the CROP plan.
• Approving the agreement now will allow development to be completed on a timeline to inform the FY2026 budget process.
Disadvantages:
• Staff time will be needed to manage the contract and provide input on design.
• Funds from the Sustainability Fund will be needed to pay the vendor.
Alternatives
Alternative 1:
The board can elect not to approve the Resolution and not hire a contractor to design a one-stop shop.
Advantages:
• No staff time or funding will be expended on this project.
• The Village will continue to promote the volunteer Climate Coaches’ program at no additional cost to the Village.
Disadvantages:
• The Village will not be meeting the intention of the Board Goals or the CROP plan.
• Staff time will be needed to promote the Climate Coaches’ program and to highlight existing grant and incentive programs.
• The Village will continue to have no programs that address energy efficiency in mid-sized multifamily buildings.
Alternative 2:
Do not approve the Resolution and select a different vendor from the proposals received.
Advantages:
• A different proposer may negotiate a lower price for program design.
Disadvantages:
• Village staff identified Elevate Energy’s proposal as the best among those received.
Anticipated Future Actions
Staff anticipate that the final program design will be complete in September of 2025 and that the item will return to the Board to approve the design and Contract 2 for implementation.
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
2. PSA - Elevate Energy
3. Elevate Proposal
4. One Stop Shop RFQ
5. Presentation - Elevate Energy