Municipal Services Committee to Weigh $316,800 Stantec Contract for Hydrogen Fueling Station Oversight

The Municipal Services Committee is scheduled to consider Tuesday whether to recommend that the City Council authorize a $316,800 contract with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. to provide bidding and construction administration services for the Hydrogen Fueling Station project, a key piece of infrastructure tied to Pasadena Transit’s transition to zero-emission buses.

If the City Council ultimately approves the recommendation, the contract would be awarded without competitive bidding under City Charter Section 1002(F), which permits no-bid awards for professional or unique services. The Municipal Services Committee is a Tier 4 advisory body, meaning its vote would be a recommendation only and the full City Council retains final authority. The Committee is scheduled to forward the matter to the full City Council on May 4 for final action.

The proposed contract would consist of a base amount of $288,000 plus a $28,800 contingency for any necessary additional services. According to the staff report from the Departments of Public Works and Transportation, the contract would also be granted an exemption from the Competitive Selection Process set forth in the Competitive Bidding and Purchasing Ordinance under Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.049(B), which allows such exemptions where the best interests of the City are served.

The Hydrogen Fueling Station project would construct a hydrogen fueling facility to support Pasadena Transit’s transition to zero-emission buses, as identified in the Pasadena Zero-Emission Bus Rollout Plan. The facility would be located on City-owned property at 159 South Kinneloa Avenue and would provide the fueling infrastructure necessary to support the planned deployment of hydrogen fuel cell buses. According to the staff report, the project includes installation of a hydrogen fueling station with onsite liquid hydrogen storage, fueling dispensers and canopy, a mechanical equipment enclosure, and associated hydrogen fueling equipment. Additional site improvements would include construction of a parking area, landscaping, pedestrian lighting along South Kinneloa Avenue, and installation of a traffic signal and crosswalk at the intersection of South Kinneloa Avenue and East Del Mar Boulevard.

The project is funded through state grant programs, with the primary funding source being the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, administered by the California Department of Transportation on behalf of the California State Transportation Agency. The project also receives funding from the Energy Infrastructure Incentives for Zero-Emission Commercial Vehicles program, funded by the California Energy Commission’s Clean Transportation Program and administered by CALSTART.

Stantec’s involvement with the project predates the proposed new contract. On Aug. 15, 2024, the City Manager authorized a contract with Stantec for Phase I — Project Approval and Environmental Documentation services — for an amount not to exceed $112,873. Phase I services, which have been completed, included public outreach, preliminary engineering, conceptual design development, and preparation of technical documentation necessary to support environmental review and project approval. Then on March 17, 2025, the City Council authorized the use of an alternative project delivery method utilizing a Design-Build-Operate-Maintain approach for the project under Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.136.

Under that delivery model, a single entity would be responsible for the final design and construction of the facility, as well as operation and maintenance of the hydrogen fueling station for a defined period following completion. According to the staff report, because the Design-Build-Operate-Maintain contractor would handle final design and construction documents, the previously anticipated consultant scope to prepare plans, specifications, and estimates is no longer required. However, City staff still require specialized technical expertise to oversee the project, given that hydrogen fueling infrastructure involves specialized systems, equipment, safety protocols, and regulatory requirements that are not currently available within City staff.

Under the proposed new contract, Stantec would assist City staff with technical review of design-build proposals, review of design submittals for consistency with the City’s performance specifications, coordination with regulatory agencies and stakeholders, technical guidance during construction, and implementation of a temporary hydrogen fueling system to support Pasadena Transit operations during the transition period.

Total project funding would come from existing budgeted appropriations in the Hydrogen Fueling Station Capital Improvement Program project (75133), with all costs anticipated to be expended through Fiscal Year 2028. According to the staff report, there would be no General Fund impact. Staff also recommends that the Council find the proposed action is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act under Section 21065 and Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines, because the contract is for professional engineering services only and does not constitute approval of or commitment to undertaking the Hydrogen Fueling Station project itself.

The agenda report was prepared by City Engineer Brent Maue, submitted by Director of Public Works Greg de Vinck, with concurrence from Director of Transportation Joaquín T. Siques, and approved by Interim City Manager Matthew E. Hawkesworth.

The Municipal Services Committee is scheduled to meet at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, in the Pasadena City Hall Council Chamber, Room S249, 100 North Garfield Avenue, in Pasadena. For more information call (626) 744-7311 or visit https://www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/agendas/.