Permitting Compliance Program and Building Performance Standard Program for the City of Pinole

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to invite proposals from qualified firms to assist the City of Pinole with development of both a permitting compliance program and building performance standard program. A permitting compliance program will streamline and simplify the permitting process, reduce administrative burden, decrease permitting evasion, and increase convenience for both permit applicants and building staff. A building performance standard program will establish a standard for energy use per square foot in commercial and industrial buildings over 20,000 square feet. The ultimate purpose of this programs is to achieve the Pinole Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) goals set for community building decarbonization as well as make progress towards achieving carbon neutrality by 2045.

Background

The City of Pinole is advancing community-wide building decarbonization through multiple, coordinated strategies. In 2024, the City launched the Pinole Energy Enhancement Rebate program (PEER) to help offset project cost of various energy-efficiency measures for single-family and multi-family property owners. The City is also developing an all-electric building virtual concierge—a one-stop platform designed to streamline adoption of electrification measures.

In tandem, the City is also pursuing reach codes to establish stronger standards that support long-term decarbonization goals.  The City also modernized its permitting systems by launching eTRAKiT for online permitting as well as Symbium for instant approval of solar and, just recently, a suite of energy-efficiency permits, significantly improving efficiency and accessibility. Additionally, the City has allocated funds to issue no-cost permit fees for heat pump water heaters and heat pump HVACs. In tandem, the City is developing a water heater loaner program for homes to make any necessary upgrades to accommodate permanent heat pump water heaters. 

The City of Pinole adopted its inaugural CAAP[1] in August 2024 to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, aligning with State goals and reducing the City’s contribution to global emissions. Building energy consumption from fossil fuels makes up approximately 32% of the Pinole community greenhouse gas emissions with building electrification identified as a key strategy.

Central measures in the CAAP’s Building Energy section include

• BE-1 Electrify 100% of new construction in the City in 2024
• BE-2 Electrify existing residential buildings to reduce natural gas consumption by 26% by 2030 and 100% by 2045
• BE-3 Electrify existing commercial and mixed-use (i.e., combined commercial and residential) buildings to reduce natural gas consumption 18% by 2030 and 100% by 2045

Actions under these measures to make progress towards these goals include

• BE-2j Enforce ordinance compliance through a comprehensive permitting compliance program may include, but it is not limited to:
  • Providing dedicated time for routine staff training to incorporate into existing building inspections
  • Imposing fees for noncompliance to offset staff costs and encouraging voluntary compliance
  • Establishing easy-to-understand web-based compliance checklists and permit applications
  • Facilitating online permitting
  • Providing zero-cost permit fees for heat pump installations

• BE-3d Develop a building performance standard program to meet a specific level of energy use per square foot for all commercial and industrial buildings over 20,000 square feet.

Implementation and compliance support, including resources and tools which will be implemented through four stages:

1. Pre-development phase – Stage 1 – Staff to receive technical assistance from the Building Technologies Office in the Federal Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Per the EERE, technical assistance may take the form of:

 ▪ Building stock analyses, including analysis of energy and emission impacts associated with building performance standard adoption

 ▪ Performance target-setting and trajectories

▪ Measure and technology prioritization and packaging

 ▪ Cost-effectiveness analyses

2. Data collection phase – Stage 2 – All commercial and industrial building owners with floor area over 20,000 square feet report electricity and natural gas data through energy star portfolio manager

3. Retro commissioning phase – Stage 3 – All covered building owners complete a retro commissioning process to identify and correct system inefficiencies while identifying opportunities for electrification and downsizing of oversized equipment.

4. GHG Performance Standard – Stage 4 – Implement a building performance standard that requires buildings to meet a specific GHG performance level

The City was awarded Federal grant funds through the California Energy Commission Local Government Building Decarbonization Challenge to support preparation of these programs. The resulting fixed-fee contract and scope of services will be subject to all grant terms and conditions.

The following tables are being provided to help inform more accurate cost proposals as well as avoid duplicative work in order to ensure efficient spending of public funds. This completed and in progress work must be leveraged where feasible in completion of scope of work.    

Table 1: Current and upcoming resources for permitting compliance program development

Table 2: City of Pinole summary of permitting compliance complete and underway work

Table 3: Supporting resources and information for building performance standard program

Project Details

• Department: Community Development Department
• Department Head: Lilly Whalen (Community Development Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-03-26T06:59:00.000Z
• Answers Posted By: 2026-03-28T00:00:00.000Z

Evaluation Criteria

• Understanding of the Work to Be Performed (Scope of Services): 15 points (15 pts) —
  1. • • Clarity and depth of understanding of the City’s objectives and specific project needs.
       • Approach to completing tasks, including innovation, best practices, and community-serving priorities.
       • Feasibility of the proposed approach in relation to the Scope of Services.
• Technical Expertise and Relevant Experience: 25 points (25 pts) —
  1. • • Demonstrated experience with permitting compliance and building performance standard policy/program for public agencies.
       • Expertise in permitting processes, building performance standards and integrating resources.
       • Ability to synthesize technical, operational, and financial considerations into actionable recommendations.
• Familiarity with Local and State Regulations and Requirements: 15 points (15 pts) —
  1. • • Knowledge of City, County, and State regulations relevant to energy codes, permitting, building electrification, and climate goals.
       • Experience aligning work with grant requirements and reporting obligations.
       • Understanding of compliance considerations related to state or federal funding.
• Quality of Proposal and Project Plan: 25 points (25 pts) —
  1. • • Completeness, organization, and clarity of the proposal.
       • Feasibility and detail of the proposed schedule, methodology, and deliverables.
       • Approach to community-serving priorities and municipal operational needs into the proposed plan.
• Cost and Value of Services: 15 points (15 pts) —
  1. • • Cost-effectiveness of the proposal in relation to the scope and quality of services.
       • Transparency in cost breakdowns and adherence to grant budget constraints.
       • Demonstrated efficiencies achieved by leveraging prior City work and avoiding duplication.
• References and Prior Performance: 5 points (5 pts) —
  1. • • Satisfaction of previous clients with similar projects, as demonstrated through references.
       • Proven ability to deliver high-quality work on schedule and within budget.

Submission Requirements

• Respondent Submittals (required) —

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    • Seeking services for hourly rate schedules.
  • Choose Option 2 when you need vendors to provide you with the line items. 
• Evaluation Committee? (required) —

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Questions & Answers