CEO Report

December 16, 2021

Third Appellate District Court Decision | FRA Administrator Site Visit | Cap and Trade Auction Results | CRISI Grant Application | Status Update on RFQ for Project Delivery Services | Year in Review Video | Relevant Materials

THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT COURT DECISION

• We received a favorable decision. On November 30, 2021, California’s 3rd District Court of Appeal issued a decision in favor of the State and the California High-Speed Rail Authority, finding the California Constitution does not prohibit alterations of a bond law approved by the voters for a complex public works project, like the high-speed train system, which do not divert funds from, interfere with or destroy the “single object or work… distinctly specified” in the law.
• Decision clears the way for the state to continue spending bond funds on construction in the Valley and on related projects in the “bookends” – San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angeles basin.

FRA ADMINISTRATOR SITE VISIT

• FRA Administrator toured construction, met with Board Chairman Richards and Boardmember Perea, met with workers and got an update on station area planning from staff.

CAP AND TRADE AUCTION RESULTS

• Preliminary results from November 2021 Cap-and-Trade auction.
  • Authority expected to receive approximately $323 million in proceeds.
  • If all quarters were like this one, we’d have over $1 billion in a year.
  • This represents a new record high for the Authority (Previous high was $252 million in August 2021).
  • High proceeds were largely the result of a record high auction settlement price ($28.26 per allowance versus $23.30 per allowance in August).
  • The sale of additional 2020 allowances previously unsold due to COVID, yielded about $56 million (of the $323 million total).
  • We hope this continues for some time.

CRISI GRANT APPLICATION

• Fresno High-Speed Rail Station Renovation
  • Estimated total project cost $17m – Authority to provide 50% match.
  • Will rehabilitate historic Depot in Fresno that will be a key multi-modal station on the future HSR corridor.
  • Retrofit project will bring facility to current safety, seismic and accessibility standards.
• California High-Speed Rail Pre-Apprenticeship Program
  • Estimated total project cost $3m – Authority will provide a 33% match.
  • In partnership with the City of Selma, the Authority will continue the construction focused pre-apprenticeship/job training program.
  • Enhancements to the program will include rail safety, CPR certification, confined space entry training, traffic control, hazardous waste operations and more.

STATUS UPDATE ON RFQ FOR PROJECT DELIVERY SERVICES

• Program Delivery Support contract procurement timeline (approx.):
  • Late December – Scope of work out to public
  • January 2022 – Board of Directors consideration for approval to release Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
  • February 2022 – Pre-Bid meetings / Small Business outreach
  • May 2022 – Statements of Qualifications due
  • July 2022 – Board of Directors vote to approve contract award
  • July 2022 – Notice to Proceed

YEAR IN REVIEW VIDEO

Click to Watch!

RELATED MATERIALS

• View the December 2021 CEO Report Board Memo.
• View the December 2021 CEO Report PowerPoint Presentation. 
• View the December 2021 Board meeting here.