Procurement Management

Cone of Silence

Communication

When the Cone of Silence is in effect, any communication shall be in writing, unless one of the exceptions apply. All potential vendors, service providers, bidders, lobbyists and consultants shall file a copy of any correspondence concerning a particular RFP, RFQ or bid with the Clerk of the Board. County staff shall, in turn, file a copy of any response with the Clerk of the Board.

Written communications may be in the form of e-mail, with a copy to the Clerk of the Board at clerkbcc@miamidade.gov.

• Exceptional oral communications
  One of the exceptions allows a member of the County's Vendor Assistance Unit staff, or the procurement agent or contracting officer responsible for the particular RFP, RFQ or bid, to communicate orally with any person, but only if the communication is limited strictly to matters of process or procedure already contained in the corresponding solicitation document.
• Rules of thumb
  Questions of process or procedure generally consist of "who" "what" "where" and "when." A "why" or "how" question will usually not be within the scope of the exception, unless a reply is possible merely by citing a particular page or section of the solicitation document.
   
  An answer or response that requires more than one sentence (referring, for example, to a particular page or section of the solicitation document) will usually not be within the scope of the exception.
• If not within the scope of the oral exception
  If an oral inquiry calls for an answer or response that is not within the scope of the exception, kindly request that the question be presented in writing, via e-mail if convenient, copy to the Clerk of the Board, and advise that a response will, in turn, be given in writing.

Any information that changes, adds to or clarifies the terms, provisions or requirements of the solicitation document shall, as always, be conveyed equally to all competitors in a solicitation addendum.