Design & Build Case Study:

San Francisco, CA

How San Francisco Built a Qualified Vendor Base to Support Green Infrastructure

“The vendor list started as a way to reduce barriers for grant recipients, but it quickly became a powerful tool to connect people with green infrastructure practitioners with the right expertise.”

– Willis Logsdon, SFPUC

Contractor training on a construction site

Project Description

In the early 2010s, when the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) began to increase its investments in  green infrastructure, it encountered a significant challenge: most local contractors lacked the specific experience needed for high-quality green infrastructure construction outcomes. To reduce risks, avoid costly change orders, and ensure long-term functionality, SFPUC developed a comprehensive approach to contractor engagement and training. This effort included creating pre-bid training programs for capital projects and vendor lists for the green infrastructure grant programs, all designed to support the pool of qualified contractors capable of building successful green infrastructure projects across the city.

Best Practices in Action

Recognizing that green infrastructure is a relatively new field for many local contractors, SFPUC prioritized upfront capacity building and began to develop technical resources in the early 2010s. One of the key resources developed for their capital projects is a structured pre-bid contractor training program which includes technical modules like permeable pavement installation and infiltration gallery construction with quizzes built in throughout. These intensive trainings are a pre-bid requirement, with specific expectations on who on the team (e.g. the foreman or installers) must complete certain modules. While it takes time for contractors to complete these trainings, their firm earns a certification that qualifies them to bid on future projects. This pre-bid requirement reduces the risk of change orders and ensures that contractors have the necessary knowledge to meet specifications before construction begins. The training is also referenced in the project specs, which allows the construction management team to enforce the content of the training as project requirements. SFPUC also provides follow-up “tailgate trainings” on-site during construction to educate the contractor about milestone expectations.

In 2019, the idea for a vendor list emerged as a support resource for both commercial and residential  green infrastructure grant programs. The SFPUC conducted strategic outreach and research to to populate this list, which includes contractor profiles indicating whether they have completed SFPUC’s  green infrastructure training and/or other relevant certifications.  These lists serve as a valuable resource for property owners and third-party grantees, making it easier for them to identify potential vendors for commercial and residential scale green infrastructure grant projects. 

The SFPUC’s training and vendor lists continue to evolve as needs change. The trainings were adapted to an online format during the COVID-19 pandemic, and quizzes can now be administered online. The vendor list outreach expanded as SFPUC launched their residential green infrastructure program, prompting SFPUC to employ innovative strategies such as going to local garden supply centers to help get small local contractors on the vendor list. These processes help SFPUC ensure a pool of capable, informed contractors ready to deliver high-quality work.