Primary Department: County Engineer
Primary Department Head/Elected Official: Milton Rahman, PhD, P.E., PMP, CFM, County Engineer
Managing Department: County Engineer
Managing Department Head/Elected Official: Milton Rahman, PhD, P.E., PMP, CFM, County Engineer
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Investment Memo
Investment Memo Type: Final Investment Memo
Project Name: Generator and Backup Power Systems
Project ID (if applicable): MFGEN
Vendor Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWBE Current Achievement (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable):
Justification for 0% Grant Indirect Costs Rate (if applicable): N/A - Not a grant item
Incremental Authorization Requested: $8,857,000
Total Estimated Project Cost: $65,210,000 (FY27-31)
Request Summary:
title
Request for approval of a Final Investment Memo for the Generator and Backup Power Systems project, for an initial authorization of $8,857,000 for FY 2027.
end
Project Description:
These funds are intended to support new construction in the coming fiscal year and the continuous lifecycle management and resiliency upgrades for county facilities. These Project will identify and address all required upgrades and enhancements of Generator and Backup Power systems in County facilities that are currently maintained by Office of the County Engineer. This includes Generators, Backup Power Systems, Solar Panels, Alternative Energy Systems, Storage, Control, Distribution, and any related Infrastructure.
Below are the planned allocations; there might be changes in the County’s needs that result in minor operational changes and funding for the projects throughout the Fiscal Year. The County Engineer is Authorized to adjust scope and projects at their discretion within the program. Any additional financial authorizations would go through Commissioners Court approval.
Anticipated Project Expenditures and Timeline:
|
Project Scope Breakdown |
Estimated Cost |
Estimated Completion |
|
1910 Historic Courthouse - Generator and Related Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$608K |
FY2030 |
|
HCSO Academy Building - Generator and Related Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$289K |
FY2030 |
|
Administration Building - Full Facility Generator and Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$622K |
FY2028 |
|
Annex 14 - Courthouse Generator, Related Upgrades and Temporary Equipment |
$205K |
FY2027 |
|
Annex 24 - CSCD Generators and Electrical System Repairs and Upgrades |
$68K |
FY2027 |
|
Annex 31 - Courthouse Generator and Electrical Upgrades |
$182K |
FY2027 |
|
Burnett-Bayland Rehabilitation Center - Generator and Electrical Upgrades |
$341K |
FY2027 |
|
Cavalcade Health Center - Generator and Electrical Upgrades |
$287K |
FY2027 |
|
Civil Courthouse - Generator and Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$973K |
FY2028 |
|
Congress Plaza - Generator and Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$475K |
FY2029 |
|
County Facilities - Temporary Generators For Emergency Needs |
$136K |
FY2027 |
|
Criminal Justice Center - Generator and Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$934K |
FY2029 |
|
Humble Health Clinic - Generator and Electrical Upgrades |
$159k |
FY2027 |
|
IFS Forensic Lab - Temporary Generator with ATS |
$192k |
FY2027 |
|
Jury Assembly Plaza - Generator and Electrical Upgrades |
$386K |
FY2027 |
|
Juvenile Justice Center - Generator and Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$557K |
FY2030 |
|
PETS Vet Clinic - Generator and Electrical Upgrades |
$382K |
FY2027 |
|
Shelia Jackson Lee Admin Building - Generator and Electrical Upgrades (Design) |
$600K |
FY2030 |
|
Sylvester Turner Admin Building - Generator Replacement and System Upgrades (Design) |
$629K |
FY2030 |
|
FY 2027 Authorization |
$8,025K |
|
|
Contingency |
$832K |
|
|
FY 2027 Total Authorization |
$8,857K |
|
Justification & Alternatives:
This program seeks to construct critical improvements and repairs to county power systems that will significantly address Energy Efficiency, Disaster Operations, and Resiliency. All projects will upgrade the existing facilities-related infrastructure to current significantly more resilient standards. All projects will meet or exceed MWBE compliance goals for HC.
Failure to maintain, modernize, and upgrade the County’s existing facilities will result in significant loss in operational costs, delays to support services during disasters, and loss in energy efficiency and savings within county facilities. Many county facilities will meet current backup requirements for critical infrastructure and have to be closed during critical events.
Not funding this would lead to continued negative impacts to critical county services and facilities necessary during repetitive power outages and disasters. Tenants would lose time serving the public while relocating to alternate locations or being unable to provide critical government services at all. Delays in upgrade and repair project timelines may increase costs due to increased deterioration of infrastructure, potential bid increases, and an increase in material and labor costs.
There are no known, practical alternatives for a backup power system that will provide uninterrupted power to facilities. The only alternative is to forego investing in these systems and simply allow the facilities to be without power when the grid goes down. Stakeholders are all the Harris County staff who serve within these facilities, and the citizens who are served by these facilities.
Anticipated Impact on Other Funds (If Applicable):
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Fund Code |
Description |
Estimated Cost |
Funding Method (Existing or Future Budget Request Required) |
Estimated Date of Needs |
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$- |
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- |
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$- |
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- |
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Total |
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$- |
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- |
County Strategic Plan Goal: 2. Connect our community with safe, reliable, equitably distributed, and well-maintained infrastructure.
County Strategic Plan Objective: R: Enhance disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and resiliency.
Justice/Safety Initiative (Goal 1): N/A
Infrastructure Initiative (Goal 2): N/A
Economy Initiative (Goal 3): N/A
Health Initiative (Goal 4): N/A
Climate/Resilience Initiative (Goal 5): S3: Increase accessibility and reliability of County cooling and warming centers.
Housing Initiative (Goal 6): N/A
Previous Court Action:
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Date |
Agenda Item # |
Action Taken |
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Address: Countywide
Precinct(s): Countywide
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Fiscal and Personnel Summary |
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Service Name |
Generator and Backup Power Systems |
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Current Fiscal Year Cost |
Annual Fiscal Cost |
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Labor |
Non-Labor |
Total |
Recurring Expenses |
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Funding Sources |
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Existing Budget |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Current Budget |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Additional Budget Request |
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Certificate of Obligation |
$ |
$3,175,000 |
$3,175,000 |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Choose an item. |
$ |
$ |
$ |
$ |
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Total Additional Budget Request |
$ |
$3,175,000 |
$3,175,000 |
$ |
|
Total Funding Request |
$ |
$3,175,000 |
$3,175,000 |
$ |
|
Personnel (Fill out section only if requesting new PCNs) |
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Current Position Count for Service |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Additional Positions Request |
- |
- |
- |
- |
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Total Personnel |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Anticipated Court Date: 10/15/2026
Anticipated Implementation Date (if different from Court date): Click or tap to enter a date.
Emergency/Disaster Recovery Note: Not an emergency, disaster, or ARPA related item
Legal funding compliance confirmed by: Paige Abernathy, First Assistant County Attorney-Legal Operations, 10/1/2026
Department Approval by:
Ross Hosket, P.E., CFM, ENV-SP, Director - Building Operations Services
Samuel Peña, Chief Operating Officer
Office of County Engineer
OMB CIP Team Approval by: William McGuinness, Director-Capital Projects & Infrastructure, 10/2/2026
________________________________________
Commercial Paper Request (For OMB use only):
Receiving Department: County Engineer
Project PeopleSoft ID: MFGEN
CP Series Description: N/A
OMB Financial Management contact: N/A