Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
MARCH 19, 2026
Subject
SUBJECT: ENERGY AND CLIMATE CONSULTANT SERVICES
Action
ACTION: AWARD CONTRACT
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
AUTHORIZE the Chief Executive Officer to:
A. AWARD a cost-plus fixed fee, task order-based Contract No. AE131392EN088, with TRC Engineers, Inc. (CA) for Energy and Climate Consultant Services, for a three-year base term in an amount Not-To-Exceed (NTE) $18,078,000, plus two, one-year options in an amount not to exceed $3,111,000 for each option year, for a total NTE amount of $24,300,000, subject to the resolution of any properly submitted protests, if any;
B. AWARD individual Task Orders and modifications up to the authorized NTE contract amount of $3,900,000 or the project’s authorized budget, whichever is less.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro’s energy choices have far-reaching implications for climate, air quality, community health, and the stability of our transportation network. Recognizing this, Metro has made long-term commitments to energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, greenhouse gas reductions, climate adaptation, and systemwide energy resilience. These commitments have been in place since 2007, and are reaffirmed through the Board-approved 2019 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, 2025 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Update, the 2025 Energy Master Plan (EMP), and the 2020 Moving Beyond Sustainability (MBS) Strategic Plan and updates.
Energy and climate challenges are inseparable - more than half of Metro’s climate strategy is dependent on energy management, energy resiliency, and renewable generation. Success, therefore, requires an integrated, fully coordinated approach. The recommended award for Contract No. AE131392EN088 for energy and climate consultant services provides that structure. This contract enables Metro to primarily implement the EMP and MBS-related strategies, protect human health and the environment, and ensure reliable operations while advancing a renewable, resilient, and cost-efficient energy future.
Background
BACKGROUND
Metro’s transition to a cleaner and more resilient transit system requires advanced energy planning and technical support. Metro’s current Energy and Climate Consultant Services contracts-awarded in 2021-have provided essential capacity to deliver analyses, modeling, design guidance, and policy support for energy management, renewable deployment, and climate risk and adaptation planning. These consultant resources supported key milestones, including the development of Metro’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, the establishment of a climate and energy resilience framework, and the integration of greenhouse gas reduction and climate policy into Metro’s capital programs.
Looking forward, Metro’s 2025 EMP confirms that energy demand will continue to rise sharply as the agency electrifies its bus fleet, expands rail service, deploys systemwide charging infrastructure, and meets Board-adopted climate commitments. Electricity consumption is projected to triple by 2050, and annual energy costs could grow from $95 million today to more than $500 million, driven by electrification, utility escalation, and grid constraints.
Meeting these challenges requires coordinated, agency-wide implementation of the EMP’s strategies-reducing and managing energy use, expanding onsite renewable energy and storage, strengthening resilience against outages, and ensuring continuity of operations for riders who depend on Metro every day. Award of Contract No. AE131392EN088 ensures Metro has the right expertise available at the right time to carry this work forward efficiently, cost-effectively, and without interruption.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
Energy has become a strategic requirement for Metro’s operational reliability, fiscal stability, and climate commitments. As the system expands and our bus fleet electrifies, Metro’s reliance on a resilient, well-managed energy supply will only increase. Proactive planning is essential to ensure we can maintain service and meet growing energy demands in a region facing grid instability and escalating costs.
Metro has already demonstrated the value of coordinated sustainability work: reducing resource use, cutting air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, improving operational efficiency, and generating reinvestable revenues through environmental markets. These results show the effectiveness of pairing internal staff with subject-matter experts to deliver technically complex programs.
Since the previous contract was authorized in 2021, Metro has transitioned from primarily planning and strategy development to large-scale implementation of energy and climate initiatives. The Board’s adoption of the Energy Master Plan, the expansion of Moving Beyond Sustainability implementation, and the accelerated transition to a Zero-Emission Bus fleet have significantly increased the scope, complexity, and technical requirements of Metro’s energy programs. In addition to engineering and deployment of charging infrastructure, renewable energy integration, energy supply management, and climate resiliency planning, Metro is now managing these initiatives as part of a broader sustainability ecosystem that integrates energy, climate, infrastructure, operations, and regional partnerships. This ecosystem-based approach requires coordinated technical expertise to ensure that energy investments, operational reliability, emissions reductions, and long-term infrastructure planning are aligned across the agency and with regional partners. As a result, the current contract reflects the expanded level of technical support required to implement these Board-adopted strategies and manage the operational, financial, and reliability challenges associated with Metro’s growing energy portfolio.
To sustain momentum and meet future needs, Metro continues to consolidate energy and climate consulting services under a single contract to align near-term implementation needs with long-range climate targets. Contract No. AE131392EN088 provides the flexible expertise required across engineering, planning, renewable energy deployment, climate adaptation, and resiliency. The consultant team will draw on a range of certified professionals, including licensed engineers, certified energy managers, commissioning agents, and sustainability specialists, to efficiently support Metro’s programs on demand.
Awarding this contract positions Metro to more effectively execute on the short- and long-term climate energy goals of the MBS, the strategies of the Energy Master Plan, build a resilient and clean energy portfolio, and ensure reliable transit service for the communities that depend on us every day. Attachment A lists the major activities the consultant will provide as a service to Metro over the life of this contract.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
The events of 2020 underscored Metro’s role as a lifeline, especially during emergencies. When essential workers and vulnerable residents need mobility, Metro must stay in service. That makes energy reliability a core necessity for continuity of operations, not just a utility issue.
A stable and resilient power supply is fundamental to delivering safe, dependable transit. Metro must be able to operate even when the grid falters.
This Board action advances that goal by supporting the integrated management of Metro’s energy and climate strategies. It strengthens reliability and resiliency, improves energy efficiency and system management, and supports a state of good repair, safeguarding long-term continuity of operations so Metro can serve Angelenos when it matters most.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Contract No. AE131392EN088 will be an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. No funds are obligated until a Metro authorized Contracting Officer issues a task order against a valid project budget. All task orders are to be individually negotiated, and the level of effort is to be fully defined before the authorization of any project-specific funds. Execution of work under those Task Orders within those CWO awards can continue beyond the contract end date.
Obligations and authorizations made within the total Contract Amount will be against specific project or operations budgets which make up the Board-approved Metro budget for any fiscal year. Specific funding for this contract will parallel the project approved by the Board under separate actions. The Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Program Management Officer, and Project Managers for each project will be responsible for developing and overseeing the appropriate annual budgets.
Impact to Budget
The initial source of funds for this contract is included in the FY26 budget in the Sustainability Policy Cost Center 2150 under the following projects 205697: Distributed Energy Resources, 207187 Building Automation Integration Div9, 208615 Non-Revenue Fleet Electric Vehicle Charging, 210805 Energy Resiliency C Line & D18, 290009 Electric Vehicle Parking Equipment, 450001 Energy Conservation Initiative, 450002 Sustainability Design Guide, 450003 Sustainability Environment, and 450004 Carbon Emissions Greenhouse. .
Future task orders are to be negotiated individually, and the level of effort is to be fully defined before any project-specific funds are authorized for projects that would use these services. Task order awards and change modifications will be limited to the level of Board authorized annual or Life of Project budget.
The current funding sources for the existing capital and sustainability projects are operating-eligible funds and the Green Fund. Usage of bus and rail operating eligible funds will be limited to tasks directly associated with Operations.
Equity_Platform
EQUITY PLATFORM
Award of this contract advances Metro’s Equity Platform by delivering energy reliability improvements that protect communities most dependent on transit. Lower-income riders, communities of color, people with disabilities, seniors, youth, and essential workers disproportionately rely on Metro for daily access to jobs, healthcare, and basic services-and they are the first and hardest hit when outages disrupt service. The EMP projects a 200% increase in electricity demand by 2050 and identifies three bus divisions and three park-and-ride facilities already operating in constrained utility zones, underscoring the urgency of strengthening system reliability to avoid disproportionate service impacts on equity-priority riders.
This contract supports tools and services that will help Metro transition from 46% renewable energy today toward 100% by 2035, expand distributed clean energy from 2.6 MW toward the 7.5 MW near-term target, and ultimately enable long-term onsite generation of up to 64 MW with storage-reducing the likelihood that outages leave communities without mobility options. Strengthening onsite power and resilience will particularly benefit frontline bus and rail operations that serve neighborhoods with limited access to private vehicles.
The work embedded in this contract aligns with the EMP’s equity commitments, including continued use of the Equity Toolkit, integration of equity screens into project planning, and sustained engagement with CBO partners. By helping Metro reduce outage vulnerability, manage rising energy costs, and maintain reliable service, this contract advances systemwide equity while protecting those who rely on Metro the most.
TRC Engineers, Inc. (CA) made a 27% Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) commitment on this task order-based contract. However, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that makes changes to the DBE Program, including suspension of goals and enforcement, effective October 3, 2025. Metro is currently reviewing the Interim Final Rule (IFR) to identify necessary program and procedural changes to ensure full compliance. Although the DBE commitment is not a factor in the staff’s recommendation, 10 certified small businesses are participating in this contract. This is noteworthy because small businesses are vital to the economy, as they drive job creation, foster innovation, and strengthen local communities.
Vehicle_Miles_Traveled_Outcome
VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED OUTCOME
VMT and VMT per capita in Los Angeles County are lower than national averages, the lowest in the SCAG region, and on the lower end of VMT per capita statewide, with these declining VMT trends due in part to Metro’s significant investment in rail and bus transit.* Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets align with California’s statewide climate goals, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. To ensure continued progress, all Board items are assessed for their potential impact on VMT.
As part of these ongoing efforts, this item is expected to contribute to further reductions in VMT. This item supports Metro’s systemwide strategy to reduce VMT through operational activities that will support Metro’s need to implement advanced strategies to meet our energy and climate goals and further encourage transit ridership, ridesharing, and active transportation. Metro’s Board-adopted VMT reduction targets were designed to build on the success of existing investments, and this item aligns with those objectives.
*Based on population estimates from the United States Census and VMT estimates from Caltrans’ Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) data between 2001-2019
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
This professional services contract advances Metro’s strategic direction, supporting Initiative 5.2 (sound fiscal stewardship) and Initiative 5.4 (prudent business practices), while aligning with the principles of Vision 2028 Goal #1-providing high-quality mobility options-and Goal #2-delivering outstanding trip experiences.
The Energy and Climate Services contract will help implement the MBS and the Energy Master Plan by improving operational efficiency, expanding the use of clean and renewable energy, reducing costly retroactive upgrades, and strengthening the reliability and resiliency of the systems that power Metro’s transit network. This work enables a transparent, data-driven approach to investment decisions, reduces long-term energy costs, and increases on-site clean energy generation-ensuring Metro’s infrastructure remains dependable, cost-effective, and responsive to the needs of riders and communities across the region.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
Metro’s sustainability and resiliency programs are entering a critical phase of execution. With more than 150 initiatives in motion-many tied directly to energy reliability, climate adaptation, and decarbonization-the scale of Metro’s work now demands a flexible, efficient delivery model. Contract No. AE131392EN088 provides that capacity. Rather than permanently staffing every specialized function, Metro can strategically deploy expert support when and where needed, enabling the agency to advance priority work cost-effectively, even under fiscal constraints.
This contract will sustain delivery of the energy and climate commitments outlined in the MBS and the EMP by accelerating clean energy deployment, strengthening energy resilience, and positioning Metro to adapt to emerging grid, climate, and operational risks. This contract also enables Metro to scale resources up or down without long-term overhead, ensuring we can deliver critical work efficiently while preserving taxpayer value.
The alternative-procuring a series of one-off specialty contracts as needs arise-would slow implementation, drive higher cumulative administrative effort, and fragment delivery across programs that must move in coordination. Metro’s sustainability support contracts provide the technical capacity necessary to advance strategic energy program implementation and meet climate objectives. Given the scale and integration of Metro’s energy and climate initiatives, including support for major regional events, a coordinated programmatic contract structure is necessary to ensure efficient delivery. Failing to award this contract could materially delay or jeopardize delivery of the Board-adopted EMP and Metro’s broader climate and resiliency commitments. Awarding this contract allows Metro to maintain momentum and continue building a cleaner, more reliable transportation system for the region.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board approval, staff will execute Contract No. AE131392EN088 and proceed with issuing Task Orders as the need for these services arise. Material activities and work products related to the support provided by this contract will be included in Metro’s annual sustainability report.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Types and Total Value Estimate of Projects - FY26 to FY31
Procurement Summary
Attachment B - Procurement Summary
Attachment C - DEOD Summary
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Cris B. Liban, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer, (213) 922-2471
Uduak-Joe Ntuk, Senior Director, Environmental Compliance/Sustainability, (213) 523-9351
Carolina Coppolo, Deputy Chief Vendor/Contract Management Officer (213) 922-4471
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: Timothy Lindholm, Chief Program Management Officer (213) 922-7297
