Summary#
Montréal city council approved a 36-month framework agreement with Infrarouge Kelvin inc. for specialized inspections of the Montréal Electrical Services Commission’s underground structures. The goal, as city staff describe it, is to support safe access to those structures.
- The firm must provide thermal imaging, partial-discharge inspections of medium-voltage cables, and checks of low-voltage components when the City requests them.
- The agreement is for an estimated $523,596.15, taxes included. Work is scheduled to begin September 1, 2026.
- The City approved the services agreement and authorized the Commission’s president to sign it on the City’s behalf. The resolution also requires an evaluation of the firm’s performance.
What it means for you#
- Residents and businesses: The decision does not directly change your rights, services, or fees. It hires a specialist to inspect underground electrical structures before workers or outside contractors access them.
- The City and the Commission: They can request these services under the agreement. The decision does not set a required number of inspections.
- Infrarouge Kelvin inc.: It receives the agreement after a public call for tenders. Two bids were submitted and both were found compliant. The selected firm had the highest final score; its bid was also lower than the other bid.
Money#
The agreement is estimated at $523,596.15, taxes included; city staff say the Commission’s operating budget has credits for the three-year period.
- The amount is 1% above the City’s latest estimate and 3% below the other compliant bid.
- The materials do not state a renewal option.
What is unclear#
- The agreement is for services provided on request, but the materials do not say how many inspections are expected or how the final amount will depend on work requested.
- City staff describe the term as 36 months or until the available budget is used up. The resolution itself approves a 36-month agreement; the materials do not explain how the end date would be affected if the budget runs out sooner.
Case for#
- City staff say the Commission needs certified specialists and equipment it does not have to carry out these inspections.
- The inspections support safe access to underground structures. The selected bid was both the highest-scoring and the lower-priced of the two compliant bids.
Case against#
- Only two bids were submitted, so the materials show limited competition.
- The price is 1% above the City’s estimate, and the materials do not explain how much work the estimated amount is expected to cover.