In an effort to get work out on the street as quickly as possible, Miami-Dade County has extended and expanded its Economic Stimulus Plan (ESP) which fast-tracks the process of awarding contracts for County capital projects.

The national economic slowdown and housing market has significantly impacted the local building industry with a loss of thousands of jobs over the last year.  In July 2008, the County created a one-year ESP to accelerate the process whereby architects, engineers and contractors compete for County contracts.  The expedited process, which eliminates some steps and consolidates others, reduces the timeline for bid awards by up to four months.

The ESP, which to date has accelerated nearly $500 million in County contracts, was scheduled to sunset in July 2009.  However, an amended  Economic Stimulus Ordinance, proposed by Mayor Carlos Alvarez and approved by the Board of County Commissioners on June 30, 2009, keeps the expedited contracting process in place until 2011.  Additionally, the amended version further it expands the ESP's scope by including the acquisition of goods and services funded by federal dollars under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). 

"Feedback from the business community regarding the County's economic stimulus efforts has been overwhelming positive, "said Johnny Martinez, director the Office of Capital Improvements, which coordinates the program for the County's 19 capital departments.  "Our goal is straightforward-we want to get the work out on the street as quickly as possible."

The program has been instrumental in fast-tracking contracts for projects ranging from work at the Port of Miami to extensions of the County's water and sewer system. 

The new ARRA component of the program is designed to help the County to meet guidelines that require fast spend-out rates for federally funded projects.  It is anticipated that the federal dollars will have to be expended in a 90 to 120 day time frame.  The inclusion of ARRA projects-including both goods and services-will put the County in the position to swiftly put the federal money to work.