02-19-2016 BPU RPT 10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R 1 E N E R G Y 1 L I F E IPW P U B L I C U T I L I T I E S RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: FEBRUARY 19, 2016 ITEM NO: 10 File ID — 16 -0489 — D SUBJECT: FISCAL YEAR 2015 -16 TREE POWER PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $750,000 ISSUE: That the Board of Public Utilities recommend to City Council to approve the issuance of purchase orders to qualified vendors to implement the Fiscal Year 2015 -16 Tree Power Program Free Shade Tree Coupon Campaign in an amount not to exceed $650,000 and $100,000 for the Tree Power Rebate Program. RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Board of Public Utilities recommend that the City Council: 1. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to issue purchase orders to Parkview Nursery, 4377 Chicago Avenue; Parkview Nursery, 3841 Jackson Street; Louie's Nursery, 18550 Van Buren Boulevard and Moon Valley Nurseries, 9501 Lincoln Avenue and make changes to the purchase order amounts based on the variable product demand of each nursery in a collective amount not to exceed $650,000 for the Tree Power Program's Free Shade Tree Coupon Campaign; and 2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to credit customer accounts for trees purchased under this program in a collective amount not to exceed $100,000 under the Tree Power Rebate Program. BACKGROUND The Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) Tree Power Program has been successfully operating for over 14 years. This is an energy efficiency program which provides rebate incentives to RPU electric customers who plant shade trees in locations adjacent to their homes or businesses to help conserve energy and save on summer cooling costs. The program is administered using a dual marketing approach: the Tree Power Rebate Program & the Tree Power Program's Free Shade Tree Coupon Campaign, which gives RPU customers the opportunity to receive a maximum of six trees annually. The Tree Power Rebate Program allows customers to participate by purchasing up to five qualified trees per year. Each qualified tree purchased by the customer is eligible to receive a $25 rebate, which is credited to their RPU electric account. The Free Shade Tree Coupon Campaign was launched by RPU in 2001 and runs annually from March 1 to June 30. Each year, a coupon is printed on the back of the March utility bill that customers can take to a participating nursery to redeem for one free shade tree valued up to $25. The back of the bill strategy was created to ensure that a free tree coupon would reach all RPU electric customers as well as raise awareness for the regular Tree Power Rebate Program. Page 110