Supervisors press Department of the Environment on sole‑source approach for $2.4M EV grant; item continued
April 06, 2022 | San Francisco County, California
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A resolution to accept a California Energy Commission grant intended to accelerate vehicle electrification in San Francisco was continued after supervisors and the Budget and Finance Committee’s Budget Analyst raised procurement and process concerns.
The grant—read into the record as approximately $2.3 million (BLA referenced $2.4 million)—would fund an electric‑vehicle ready blueprint over March 28, 2022 to March 29, 2024. Department of the Environment staff told the committee the award supports two primary projects: a fast‑charging plaza in a state‑designated disadvantaged neighborhood and a pilot to provide 35 electric bicycles to app‑based delivery workers.
Joseph Swise of the Department of the Environment asked the committee to accept non‑substantive amendments and sought a two‑week continuance to resolve questions with the Office of Contract Administration (OCA) about whether the award should be processed as a grant or a technical service agreement.
The Budget Analyst, Nick Bernard, said the original BLA recommendation was revised after he concluded there were policy issues. "There was a missed opportunity here to have done a competitive process," Bernard said, criticizing the sole‑sourcing of subcontractors and urging the Board to treat approval as a policy decision.
Supervisor Caffey said "time is never an argument to be used to waive competitive bidding," and Supervisor Marr and others voiced concern about subsidizing large private firms and about outreach to community groups that work with low‑wage delivery workers.
The committee accepted the Department’s non‑substantive amendments on a roll call (3–0) and then voted to continue the item to the call of the chair to allow further review and coordination with OCA and supervisors’ offices; both votes were unanimous (3–0).
What’s next: The department will return with clarified procurement documents and responses to BLA questions before the committee takes a final vote.
The grant—read into the record as approximately $2.3 million (BLA referenced $2.4 million)—would fund an electric‑vehicle ready blueprint over March 28, 2022 to March 29, 2024. Department of the Environment staff told the committee the award supports two primary projects: a fast‑charging plaza in a state‑designated disadvantaged neighborhood and a pilot to provide 35 electric bicycles to app‑based delivery workers.
Joseph Swise of the Department of the Environment asked the committee to accept non‑substantive amendments and sought a two‑week continuance to resolve questions with the Office of Contract Administration (OCA) about whether the award should be processed as a grant or a technical service agreement.
The Budget Analyst, Nick Bernard, said the original BLA recommendation was revised after he concluded there were policy issues. "There was a missed opportunity here to have done a competitive process," Bernard said, criticizing the sole‑sourcing of subcontractors and urging the Board to treat approval as a policy decision.
Supervisor Caffey said "time is never an argument to be used to waive competitive bidding," and Supervisor Marr and others voiced concern about subsidizing large private firms and about outreach to community groups that work with low‑wage delivery workers.
The committee accepted the Department’s non‑substantive amendments on a roll call (3–0) and then voted to continue the item to the call of the chair to allow further review and coordination with OCA and supervisors’ offices; both votes were unanimous (3–0).
What’s next: The department will return with clarified procurement documents and responses to BLA questions before the committee takes a final vote.
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