HomeMy WebLinkAboutA018 - September 8, 2026, Regular Meeting of the Ames City CouncilITEM #:18
DATE:09-08-26
DEPT:ELEC
SUBJECT:ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA
ACQUISITION (SCADA) SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
COUNCIL ACTION FORM
BACKGROUND:
The Electric utility’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system is used to
monitor status and control power flows for interconnections to neighboring utilities, local
distribution, and transmission. Data from SCADA is also used as the basis for billing energy
transactions. The capabilities SCADA provides are crucial to the function of the electric utility.
The existing SCADA system was installed in 2000. Since then, the SCADA software and
hardware have advanced to meet evolving industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Historically, the City maintained the system through support agreements with the current
vendor, which provided routine maintenance and periodic software and hardware updates.
Recently, however, the vendor ’s business practices have changed, making ongoing
maintenance and updates more complex and more costly.
The current vendor no longer supplies the hardware needed to support the current
system nor complete future upgrades, and it has been continually difficult to obtain
vendor customer support when needed. The SCADA system is currently due for
updates, but completing these updates with the current vendor would be significantly
more difficult and costly and any future updates are expected to present the same
challenges.
Staff has determined it would be in the best interest of the Utility to pursue a
replacement of the current SCADA system. Electric staff would like the assistance of an
Engineering consultant, with SCADA system experience, to assemble a specification
for the performance of the new system and support through the replacement process.
The specification will be used to bid out the new system.
On June 5, 2026, a Request for Proposals for the assistance of an Engineering consultant
were issued in AmesBids by Purchasing. On July 7, 2026, ten proposals were received as
shown below.
1
FIRM COST RANKING
Power System Engineering,
Inc.
Madison, WI
$77,735.00 1
Qualus LLC
Lake Mary, FL $185,937.00 2
Clearline Innovation, LLC
Holmen, WI $118,200.00 3
ESTA International, LLC
Sterling, VA $349,023.00 4
Patterson and Dewar
Engineers
Norcross, GA
$177,000.00 5
Utilicast, LLC
Kirkland, WA $236,810.00 6
ENTrust Solutions Group
Warrenville, IL $154,035.43 7
Enetk
Dickensen, ND Non-Responsive
Olsson
Lincoln, NE Non-Responsive
Statistics & Control Inc
West Des Moines, IA Non-Responsive
An evaluation team comprised of City staff reviewed the proposals. The proposals were
evaluated on experience and qualifications of the Firm's project team, the Firm's ability and
quality of services that best meets the needs of the City, suitability and clarity of the Firm's
response, and cost.
Three proposals were non-responsive as their proposals did not meet the City's requirements.
After scores from the evaluation team were totaled, Power System Engineering Inc, of
Madison, WI, has the highest ranked proposal. The price reflects the standardized data
collection and specification writing process they've developed for clients SCADA systems.
Staff is confident in the Firm's proposal due to the Firm's experience, project team experience
and qualifications, and the approach detailed in the proposal after reviewing the example
forms for their standardized SCADA specification process.
The Combustion Turbine Controls Upgrade Capital Improvement Project has seen significant
savings as the result of favorable bids and a scope change involving using a Programable
Logic controller (PLC)-based platform instead of a Distributed Control System (DCS) platform
extension. Due to the importance of the utility's SCADA system, $800,000 of the savings
from the Combustion Turbine Controls Upgrade project were reallocated to replacing
SCADA at the May 26th, 2026, City Council meeting. Staff will use these reallocated
funds to secure the assistance of the Engineering consultant to replace the SCADA
system.
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ALTERNATIVES:
1. Award a contract to Power Systems Engineering, Inc, of Madison, WI, for Engineering
Services for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System Improvements
in the amount not-to-exceed $77,735.
2. Award a contract to another firm.
3. Do not approve the request.
CITY MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
SCADA provides crucial functionality and control of electricity throughout the City as well as
being the basis for billing energy transactions and t he existing SCADA system is in need of an
update. Therefore, it is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council
adopt Alternative No. 1, as described above.
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