To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Purchase a REM/Rate Lite Software License
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent, or designee, on behalf of the Director of Conservation and Development, to execute a purchase order with REM/Rate Lite, LLC, subject to the terms of the REM/Rate Lite service agreement, in an amount not to exceed $1,200, for a software license for the Weatherization Program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No impact to the County General Fund (100% State and Federal Weatherization Program Funds).
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Conservation and Development has partnered with the Employment and Human Services Department for the past 20 years to provide energy-saving home improvements to low-income families throughout unincorporated Contra Costa County, as well as the County’s 19 cities through the Weatherization Program. This funding is provided by state and federal grant programs including, but not limited to, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Energy Crisis Intervention Program, and the Department of Energy.
Currently, the Weatherization Program utilizes REM/Design software to gather data for energy calculations and generate energy audit reports. These reports are used to compute the savings to investment ratio for each weatherization measure, helping determine its cost-effectiveness. However, REM/Design software has been decommissioned and has been replaced with REM/Rate Lite.
Procuring this software requires the County to agree to the REM/Rate, LLC service agreement, which includes mutual indemnification and limited liability language to hold harmless both parties for any claims arising from this purchase.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to approve the purchase may lead to the continued use of outdated and unreliable software, which could negatively affect the Weatherization Program’s effectiveness and compliance.