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MINUTES PREPARED BY:
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REPORT:
Bryce Stephenson-Pickett, Commission Reporter, (305) 375-1296
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1A
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INVOCATION AS PROVIDED IN RULE 5.05 (H)
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REPORT:
Commissioner Cohen Higgins led the invocation.
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1B
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ROLL CALL
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REPORT:
Chairman Bermudez convened the Government Efficiency and Transparency Ad Hoc Committee (GETC) meeting at 1:10 p.m.
In addition to the Committee members, the following staff members were present:
~ Chief Utilities and Regulatory Services Officer Roy Coley, Office of the Mayor;
~ Chief Integrity Officer Brenda Kuhns-Neuman, Office of the Mayor;
~ Ms. Namita Uppal, Director and Chief Procurement Officer, Strategic Procurement Department (SPD);
~ Assistant County Attorneys (ACA) Monica Rizo, Eddie Kirtley and Jose Ortega; and
~ Deputy Clerks Kerry Khunjar Breakenridge and Bryce Stephenson-Pickett.
ACA Monica Rizo announced that Agenda Items 1G1 Supplement and 1G1 Supplement No. 2 were added to today�s GETC meeting agenda.
It was moved by Commissioner Cohen Higgins that the Committee approve today�s GETC agenda, with the aforementioned changes. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Regalado, and upon being put to a vote, passed 4-0 (Commissioner Gilbert III was absent).
Commissioner Cohen Higgins requested Agenda Item 2B be bifurcated in order to be amended.
Commissioner Regalado requested Agenda Item 2C be bifurcated in order to be amended.
Commissioner Regalado moved to consider Agenda Items 2A and 2D be considered simultaneously. This motion was seconded by Commissioner Cohen Higgins, and upon being put to a vote, passed by a vote of 4-0 (Commissioner Gilbert III was absent).
NOTE: Agenda Items 2A and 2D were forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (Board) with a favorable recommendation.
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1C
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PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
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REPORT:
Commissioner Cohen Higgins led the Pledge of Allegiance.
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1D
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REASONABLE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO BE HEARD AS PROVIDED IN RULE 6.06
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REPORT:
Chairman Bermudez opened the reasonable opportunity to be heard; seeing no one come forward to speak, the reasonable opportunity to be heard was closed.
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1E
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SPECIAL PRESENTATION(S)
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1E1
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250507
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Discussion Item
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Juan Carlos Bermudez
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ORAL PRESENTATION FROM THE FOLLOWING DEPARTMENTS/DIVISIONS:
- STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT
- SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
- RER-PERMITTING
- RER-DEM
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Presented
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REPORT:
Small Business Development
Ms. Uppal introduced the presentation, expressing commitment to Mayor Levine Cava's WISE305 program and excitement about the announced merger between the Office of Small Business Development and Strategic Procurement Department. She introduced Ms. Lori Johnson, Small Business Development Section Chief, to present key facts and programs.
Ms. Johnson presented an overview of the Small Business Development office, established in 1984 to promote economic growth of small and local businesses in Miami-Dade County. She explained that the office ensured participation opportunities in construction, architectural, engineering, and procurement projects through a race and gender-neutral program.
Ms. Johnson noted the primary functions included recruiting local businesses, conducting certifications, and certifying participants in Florida Department of Transportation Disadvantaged Business Enterprise and Federal Aviation Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business programs. She reported the office received approximately 110 applications monthly and maintained 1,700 certified firms with multiple certifications.
Ms. Johnson advised that additional responsibilities included project review and analysis, compliance monitoring, business outreach assistance with capital funds, training, technical assistance, bonding, and financial assistance. She stated the office hosted annual workshops with Strategic Procurement teams and various chambers to recruit and mentor interested firms.
Ms. Johnson advised that in Fiscal Year 2023-24, SBD reviewed over 2,000 projects for small business measures and administered the Miscellaneous Construction Contract and Equitable Distribution Contract pool programs. She noted the expedited contract program awarded 850 projects valued at $265 million, benefiting individual commission districts.
Ms. Johnson explained the administration's annual capital program review policy to identify opportunities for local firms, emphasizing the multiplier effect of small business spending in the community at an estimated 2.23 percent rate, creating jobs, salary increases, and infrastructure growth.
Commissioner Cohen Higgins inquired about the certification process starting point for small businesses.
Ms. Johnson directed interested parties to the small business website: https://www.miamidade.gov/global/business/smallbusiness/home.page which provided detailed program breakdowns and eligibility requirements. She noted that while certification was online, staff provided individual assistance for those needing support.
Commissioner Regalado addressed challenges small businesses faced in responding to RFP processes, noting the time-consuming and costly nature requiring specific expertise. She emphasized the importance of pairing small businesses with larger companies due to infrastructure limitations and asked Ms. Johnson to address payment processes.
Ms. Johnson explained that all SBD programs included prompt payment language with dedicated staff working with awarded firms and intervening with capital departments for construction projects. She noted that staff met with firms to explain payment and invoicing processes and worked with departments to ensure small businesses were identified in systems for 14-day invoice turnaround. Ms. Johnson stated that when payments were delayed, SBD intervened through teams working with contractors and departments while educating businesses before and after contracts.
Ms. Johnson highlighted the successful mentor prot�g� program pairing new firms with larger companies and noted that payment delays typically resulted from incomplete invoices or attempts to invoice for incomplete work.
Commissioner Regalado acknowledged invoice problems and emphasized that many firms lacked expertise for future cost projections, making partnerships valuable for gaining experience in seasonal cost variations and market demand fluctuations.
Chairman Bermudez inquired whether payment timing to small businesses was tracked as a metric.
Ms. Johnson explained it was a standard rather than a tracked metric, as SBD did not make payments. She noted capital departments and procurement client departments handled payments and SBD requested firms to provide invoice submission notifications and received monthly documentation from Finance about invoices pending over 30 days.
Ms. Uppal noted that the administration produced payment timing reports, though she was uncertain about frequency and whether they captured 14-day or 30-day timeframes. She committed to reviewing existing reports to determine if payment timing was already being addressed.
Chairman Bermudez emphasized the importance of payment metrics being available to both the administration and legislative body, noting small businesses could be significantly impacted by payment delays. He inquired about cross-training protocols to address staff absences.
Ms. Johnson stated that multiple individuals typically reviewed invoices, ensuring coverage during staff absences, though she could not speak directly to all departments' payment processes.
When asked about efficiency improvements beyond staffing, Ms. Johnson identified system monitoring as a priority, emphasizing proactive attention to system gaps in INFORMS, B2G, and other processing systems to address issues before they caused problems.
Strategic Procurement Presentation
Ms. Uppal began by noting March as Procurement Month, acknowledging County professionals who worked on procurements and contracts but often went unrecognized. She cited an example from the previous day where Aviation and PortMiami received credit for a contract award while her procurement staff went unacknowledged.
Commissioner Cohen Higgins apologized for not recognizing the procurement team and commended their extraordinary work.
Ms. Uppal presented data on procurement challenges and delays consistent with the Mayor's WISE305 program. She reported that her team managed 1,065 active contracts and 204 active pools valued at $12.2 billion, with 12,035 registered vendors. Ms. Uppal note in 2024, the team worked on 134 adopted agenda items valued at $2.5 billion, with the County's annual contract spend at approximately $2.9 billion, including 338 awarded contracts and 1,825 contract modifications. She highlighted the Procurement Training Academy and Vendor Training Academy launched in 2023, conducting 127 training sessions for procurement professionals and 81 for vendors, with occasional requests from other jurisdictions.
Ms. Uppal outlined SPD's responsibilities which included managing solicitations, negotiations, and establishing contracts through various competitive methods including ITBs, RFPs, qualification processes, piggybacking, professional consultants notices, design-build requests, and public-private partnerships. She noted that staff also managed bid waivers, legacy systems, designated purchases, unsolicited proposals, training academies, vendor registration, and INFORMS system support.
Ms. Uppal explained that department responsibilities included bidding under pools, Equitable Distribution Program work with Small Business Development, construction contracts through MCC programs, emergency declarations, scope of work development, and contract management post-establishment.
Ms. Uppal displayed a binder containing 209 pieces of legislation impacting procurement processes, including 57 federal and 52 state legislative requirements. She emphasized the need for compliance while acknowledging complexity, noting that many rules protected process integrity and required careful consideration before changes. Ms. Upal explained that the RFP process comprised 100 action items requiring coordination with client departments, county attorney's office, small business development, risk management, RER, selection committees, vendors, Inspector General, and ethics offices. She noted that SPD proposed reducing RFP timeframes from current 251 days to 90-120 days for projects under $1 million, and from 349 days to 120-150 days for projects over $1 million, contingent on internal changes and Board adoptions including cone of silence amendments, protest process modifications, and selection committee formation improvements.
Ms. Uppal pointed out that similar timeframe reductions were proposed for architectural and engineering RFPs: 90-120 days up to $5 million and 120-150 days over $5 million.
Ms. Uppal reviewed vendor registration requirements including 13 Board-adopted requirements with notarization and affidavits, proposing amendments to maintain responsibility while simplifying and expediting processes. She advised that vendor due diligence involved 23 different checks including federal requirements and Board-added requirements like Google searches and legal case reviews. Ms. Uppal noted some requirements resulted from Board feedback about missed information.
Ms. Uppal explained that Board memorandums required 42 requirements each, with 159 memorandums in 2024 totaling approximately 6,600 total requirements. She reiterated that SPD recommended working with the Board to develop simplified forms providing essential information while streamlining approval processes.
Commissioner Cohen Higgins thanked Ms. Uppal for showcasing the depth and diligence required for procurement processes. She emphasized the Board's role in making SPD's job easier rather than more difficult, expressing hope that simplifying processes would expedite procurement. Commissioner Cohen Higgins suggested emailing the presentation to all commissioners and looked forward to reducing excessive legislative requirements.
Chairman Bermudez invited Appropriations Committee members to join future presentations, which Commissioner Cohen Higgins agreed to facilitate.
Commissioner Regalado clarified that federal and state requirements were mandatory when using those funding sources. She acknowledged asking Ms. Uppal to perform both procurement duties and system updates simultaneously, expressing patience and commitment to working together on improvements.
Chairman Bermudez emphasized the team concept's importance while noting procurement as a critical improvement area. He referenced the 209 legislative requirements and stressed streamlining the 66 resolutions as essential.
He requested a copy of the 100-step RFP checklist, referencing "The Checklist Manifesto" concept while noting that 100 steps seemed excessive. He raised concerns about post-award appeal processes where entities could restart processes before finalization rather than following proper legal procedures.
Regarding the eight-department coordination requirement, Chairman Bermudez inquired about metrics for tracking time across departments during RFP development.
Ms. Uppal explained that SPD tracked time from proposal receipt to process end but did not track interdepartmental flow time due to system limitations.
Commissioner Regalado suggested document review systems that could capture departmental input and track completion status, though acknowledging this would add complexity to existing processes.
Chairman Bermudez emphasized the need for technological solutions to improve efficiency and monitoring, noting culture change requirements. He praised Ms. Uppal's ambitious timeline goals while expressing concern about instances where processes had taken significantly longer than average.
When asked for one efficiency improvement suggestion, Ms. Uppal requested permission to review legislative requirements and determine where changes could be made without impacting process integrity, bringing recommendations to the Board.
Chairman Bermudez encouraged Ms. Uppal to be candid with all Board members when proposing changes, emphasizing that the process required an honest assessment from both administrative and legislative perspectives.
RER Permitting Presentation
Ms. Lourdes Gomez explained that RER's approach to efficiency was driven by necessity, as the department's 1,284 staff positions required constant focus on customer service due to direct daily interactions with customers at the West Dade permit center. This direct customer contact created an urgent need for immediate response to customer concerns.
Ms. Gomez outlined RER's organizational structure, which comprised several key divisions: the Office of Resilience and Economic Development (which reported directly to the mayor), Construction Permitting Division, Environmental Resources Management Division, Planning, Zoning and Platting functions, Boards and Code Administration, Consumer and Neighborhood Protection Division, and Administration. Within the Administration division, she highlighted the Business Architecture Unit, which worked closely with the Information Technology Department to deploy technology throughout RER.
Ms. Gomez reviewed the department's primary technological achievement: the implementation of electronic capture of development activity through the Gold Key online permitting system. She explained that this was a custom, in-house solution developed collaboratively with ITD after determining that available vendor solutions were inadequate for their specific needs. The Gold Key system had successfully increased transparency for customers, provided critical management data, and significantly reduced processing times through concurrent electronic reviews supported by comprehensive metrics and analytics.
Building on the technology discussion, Ms. Gomez explained the complexity of building permits, noting that they represented the culmination of all applicable land development regulations and involved coordination with multiple county departments as well as the State Department of Health. She provided specific metrics to illustrate the system's scope, revealing that the Gold Key system registered 1.66 million activities annually, capturing everything from plan reviews to invoicing and enforcement activities across
Ms. Gomez reported that building permitting included 350,000 initial reviews and 300,000 rework reviews annually, with plan review cycles averaging two to three reviews before final permit approval.
Chairman Bermudez inquired whether the department tracked timelines for this process, which Ms. Gomez confirmed was comprehensively tracked.
Ms. Gomez continued with performance data, noting that the department issued over 58,000 building permits annually. Of particular interest was her explanation that 11,000 of these permits were issued electronically through pre-programmed automated review processes. She described this as an AI-like system that had been operational for over 15 years, using approved products, contractor licenses, and dimensional data to generate automatic permit dispositions.
Regarding performance standards, Ms. Gomez emphasized that RER maintained aggressive timeline goals, with concurrent electronic review processes enabling five business days for residential permitting and ten business days for commercial permitting. She explained that daily reporting provided real-time visibility into volumes, delays, and pending items across all construction trades, which enabled agile resource deployment when backlogs were identified.
Transitioning to staffing challenges, Ms. Gomez stressed that staffing consistency was critical to performance, noting that vacancies directly led to late plan reviews. To address this challenge, RER proactively used supplemental contract staff and competed directly with the development industry for qualified professionals who possessed the specific credentials and experience required for construction plan review. She noted that the department encouraged multidisciplinary credentialing among existing staff to amplify resource utilization across different specialties.
Ms. Gomez addressed customer service improvements, explaining that the Gold Key system provided complete transparency by giving customers access to reviewer names, timeframes, disposition comments, appointment scheduling capabilities, and direct email links to staff. She announced that RER was actively working with the Department of Health to obtain delegation of septic reviews, which would be incorporated into RER's processes by October 1st, addressing historical staffing issues in that specialized area.
Building on service delivery improvements, Ms. Gomez discussed how the department had continued virtual inspection services that were initially implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining approximately 10% of daily inspection volume through virtual means. She highlighted the implementation of on-demand same-day virtual inspections that could be completed within 30 minutes of customer requests.
Additional service enhancements included various expedited options, specialized small business and homeowner assistance teams, paid concierge services offering five-day maximum turnaround times, and free expedited service specifically for affordable housing projects. Ms. Gomez concluded this section by describing the MeetQ appointment system, which provided guaranteed appointment access with both supervisors and individual plan reviewers, serving dual functions of customer service and quality assurance for management oversight.
Transitioning to environmental permitting, Ms. Gomez provided an overview of RER's Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM), emphasizing both achievements and remaining challenges. She reported that 90% of DERM's construction-related plan reviews were completed within 48 hours with full transparency to customers through existing Gold Key implementation.
However, she identified a critical gap where less than 10% of DERM's permitting activity remained outside the Gold Key system, creating transparency and accessibility problems for customers who could not independently track their application status. These non-integrated permits included contaminated site remediation, tree removal permits, air permits, and various class permits for wetlands and coastal construction, with processing times ranging from 5 to 30 days.
Ms. Gomez emphasized that these non-integrated environmental permits, while representing a small percentage of total volume, often involved economically significant projects requiring multiple approvals before construction permits could be finalized. Customers seeking permits for docks, for example, were entirely dependent on contractor communications about application status, creating potential for miscommunication and frustration.
She identified full Gold Key implementation across all DERM functions as an urgent departmental priority, expressing confidence that completing this technological transition would drastically reduce complaint calls about DERM processes that commissioners regularly received.
Ms. Gomez outlined RER's collaboration with the Information Technology Department on an accelerated two-year implementation plan to expand existing building permitting and environmental permitting systems throughout all DERM functions. Class 1 and 4 permits were already under development for completion during 2025, while Class 2, 3, 5, and 6 permits (primarily drainage-related) had begun analysis phases. Pollution remediation permits for contaminated sites would be the next major implementation focus.
Beyond technological enhancements, Ms. Gomez described organizational changes designed to improve customer service. The department had relocated approximately 50 wastewater-related staff from downtown offices to the West Dade permit center to provide better customer co-location and facilitate coordination between related specialties. This consolidation was expected to improve both customer access and internal operational efficiency.
Ms. Gomez concluded the DERM discussion by outlining additional planned improvements including continued migration away from legacy systems, completion of full Gold Key implementation, expanded evaluation of artificial intelligence applications, deployment of body cameras to all 300+ inspection staff by year's end, and continued development of analytics and dashboard systems for real-time assessment of customer needs and requests.
Chairman Bermudez commended Ms. Gomez for her comprehensive and detailed presentation, noting her consistent willingness to provide thorough information about departmental operations. He indicated strong support for expediting full Gold Key implementation across all DERM functions, though noted that the lack of a committee quorum prevented immediate formal action on this priority.
Commissioner Regalado agreed with the assessment that digitizing all permits would significantly reduce complaint calls, emphasizing that most concerns arose from transparency issues rather than substantive problems with permit decisions. When customers could not track their applications' progress, they naturally assumed problems existed even when applications were progressing normally.
Chairman Bermudez raised concerns about ongoing complaints regarding municipal coordination, particularly related to grease trap requirements.
Ms. Gomez explained a common scenario where proactive municipal business tax enforcement led to businesses discovering they needed county construction permits for previously unapproved uses. When municipalities identified businesses operating without proper business tax licenses and required them to obtain permits, these businesses often discovered they needed infrastructure upgrades such as grease traps for their specific use types. She noted this created challenging situations where businesses found themselves unable to obtain permits due to required infrastructure improvements, while simultaneously facing municipal pressure to comply or shut down. Ms. Gomez noted that RER worked to expedite reviews and develop consent agreements to minimize business disruptions, though small businesses faced particular challenges when bound by lease obligations during extended permitting processes.
Chairman Bermudez thanked Mayor Levine Cava for her recent proactive steps toward expense reduction and efficiency improvements without compromising service delivery. He emphasized that direct services represented local government's primary function, and the day's presentations demonstrated appropriate stewardship of taxpayer dollars through efficient, consistent processes designed to maximize service delivery.
Chairman Bermudez referenced discussions from the previous day's Appropriations Committee, where Commissioner Cohen Higgins had suggested providing incentives to department directors for achieving efficiency results. While expressing agreement with incentivization concepts, he emphasized the critical importance of cultural change where excellence was an expected practice rather than behavior requiring special rewards.
Chairman Bermudez stressed that the committee represented a rare opportunity�particularly with the addition of new standing committees and a substantially new Board composition�to implement meaningful cultural transformation throughout county operations. This change could not be achieved solely by the 13 elected commissioners or even with mayoral support; it required buy-in from all levels of county government.
Chairman Bermudez emphasized that efficiency needed to become embedded in the county's organizational culture rather than remaining an aspirational goal. He noted that while changes could not happen overnight, they could begin immediately with comprehensive commitment to cultural transformation from all participants in county operations. He praised recent mayoral initiatives as exemplifying the collaborative approach discussed during the committee's first meeting, where improvements were framed as joint administrative and legislative responsibilities rather than partisan or territorial issues.
Concluding his remarks, Chairman Bermudez specifically acknowledged RER as an example of a department that had made significant cultural changes to improve operations while recognizing the need for continued evolution. He praised Ms. Gomez's presentation as demonstrating how departments could tell their efficiency stories through metrics and transparency, thereby controlling the narrative about their performance rather than allowing perceptions to develop independently.
Chairman Bermudez concluded by emphasizing that some efficiency improvements would require joint action between the legislative and administrative branches. He specifically noted that the 66 resolutions affecting procurement processes represented an area where commissioners shared responsibility for creating complexity and therefore bore responsibility for streamlining operations.
Chairman Bermudez announced that the following month's presentations would feature the Office of Management and Budget, Internal Compliance Department, and People and Internal Operations Department. He thanked all presenters for their thorough preparation and comprehensive presentations, noting that the collaborative spirit demonstrated throughout the meeting provided optimism for achieving meaningful improvements. He emphasized the importance of all participants continuing to work together toward cultural transformation, reiterating that success would require everyone to examine existing practices without regard to personal attachments to particular processes or requirements.
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1F
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DISCUSSION ITEM(S)
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1G
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PUBLIC HEARING(S)
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1G1
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250248
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Ordinance
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Roberto J. Gonzalez
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ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; AMENDING SECTION 2-1 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF AGENDA ITEMS TO COMMISSIONERS; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE
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Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation following a public hearing
Mover: Raquel A. Regalado
Seconder: Danielle Cohen Higgins
Vote: 4 - 0
Absent: Gilbert, III
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REPORT:
ACA Rizo read the title of the foregoing proposed ordinance into the record.
Chairman Bermudez opened the public hearing and seeing no one appear wishing to speak, the public hearing was closed.
There being no discussion, the Board proceeded to vote on the foregoing ordinance as presented.
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2/19/2025
Adopted on first reading by the Board of County Commissioners
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2/19/2025
Tentatively scheduled for a public hearing by the Board of County Commissioners
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1G1 Supplement
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250596
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Supplement
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FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT TO ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; AMENDING SECTION 2-1 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF AGENDA ITEMS TO COMMISSIONERS; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE
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Forwarded to BCC
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1G1 Supplement No. 2
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250597
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Supplement
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SOCIAL EQUITY STATEMENT TO ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS; AMENDING SECTION 2-1 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA; PROVIDING FOR ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF AGENDA ITEMS TO COMMISSIONERS; PROVIDING SEVERABILITY, INCLUSION IN THE CODE, AND AN EFFECTIVE DATE
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Forwarded to BCC
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2
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COUNTY COMMISSION
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2A
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250436
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Resolution
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Danielle Cohen Higgins
Juan Carlos Bermudez
Kevin Marino Cabrera
Sen. Rene Garcia
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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO CONDUCT AN EFFICIENCY REVIEW OF CERTAIN COUNTY POLICIES AND PROVIDE A REPORT WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON SUNSETTING, ELIMINATING, REPEALING, OR MODIFYING ANY OUTDATED POLICIES
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Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation
Mover: Raquel A. Regalado
Seconder: Danielle Cohen Higgins
Vote: 4 - 0
Absent: Gilbert, III
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2B
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250454
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Resolution
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Danielle Cohen Higgins
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RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE POLICY STATEMENTS AND DIRECTIVES IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23, WHICH RELATES TO THE RE-PROCUREMENT OF REPLACEMENT CONTRACTS AND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, DIRECTS THE COUNTY USER DEPARTMENTS TO TIMELY PROVIDE COUNTY PROCUREMENT STAFF DRAFT CONTRACTUAL SCOPES OF SERVICES AND SPECIFICATIONS NO LATER THAN TWO YEARS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF SUCH CONTRACTS; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO ENSURE FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE TIMELINES AND REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23 AND THIS RESOLUTION; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO CONFIRM COMPLIANCE WITH THE DIRECTIVES SET FORTH IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23 AND THIS RESOLUTION IN ANY RECOMMENDATION FOR AN AWARD OF A REPLACEMENT CONTRACT OR CONTRACT EXTENSION REQUEST SUBJECT TO BOARD APPROVAL; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO COMPLY WITH THE POLICY STATEMENTS AND DIRECTIVES SET FORTH IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23 AND THIS RESOLUTION REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS PERFORMED BY THE COUNTY USER DEPARTMENT, THE STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, OR SUCCESSOR DEPARTMENT; AND AMENDING IMPLEMENTING ORDER NO. 3-38, THE MASTER PROCUREMENT IMPLEMENTING ORDER, CONSISTENT WITH THIS POLICY
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Amended
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REPORT:
(See Agenda Item 2B Amended; Legislative File No. 250658)
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2B Amended
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250658
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Resolution
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Danielle Cohen Higgins
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RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE POLICY STATEMENTS AND DIRECTIVES IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23, WHICH RELATES TO THE RE-PROCUREMENT OF REPLACEMENT CONTRACTS AND, AMONG OTHER THINGS, DIRECTS THE COUNTY USER DEPARTMENTS TO TIMELY PROVIDE COUNTY PROCUREMENT STAFF DRAFT CONTRACTUAL SCOPES OF SERVICES AND SPECIFICATIONS NO LATER THAN TWO YEARS BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF SUCH CONTRACTS; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO TAKE ALL NECESSARY ACTIONS TO ENSURE FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE TIMELINES AND REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23 AND THIS RESOLUTION; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO CONFIRM COMPLIANCE WITH THE DIRECTIVES SET FORTH IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23 AND THIS RESOLUTION IN ANY RECOMMENDATION FOR AN AWARD OF A REPLACEMENT CONTRACT OR CONTRACT EXTENSION REQUEST SUBJECT TO BOARD APPROVAL; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO COMPLY WITH THE POLICY STATEMENTS AND DIRECTIVES SET FORTH IN RESOLUTION NO. R-658-23 AND THIS RESOLUTION REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS IS PERFORMED BY THE COUNTY USER DEPARTMENT, THE STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT, OR SUCCESSOR DEPARTMENT; AND AMENDING IMPLEMENTING ORDER NO. 3-38, THE MASTER PROCUREMENT IMPLEMENTING ORDER, CONSISTENT WITH THIS POLICY AND TO CONFORM WITH SECTIONS 2-8.1 AND 2-8.1.6 OF THE CODE, INCLUDING ORDINANCE NO. 24-122, WHICH INCREASED THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE�S THRESHOLDS OF DELEGATED AUTHORITY FOR THE AWARD AND REJECTION OF COMPETITIVE CONTRACTS [SEE ORIGINAL UNDER FILE NO. 250454]
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Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation with committee amendment(s)
Mover: Danielle Cohen Higgins
Seconder: Raquel A. Regalado
Vote: 4 - 0
Absent: Gilbert, III
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REPORT:
Pursuant to Commissioner Cohen Higgins�s request, ACA Jose Ortega advised the foregoing proposed resolution would be amended to update references within Implementing Order No. 3-38, the Master Procurement Implementing Order, to the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee�s threshold of delegated authority for the award and rejection of competitive contracts to be consistent with Sections 2-8.1 and 2-8.1.6 of the Code of Miami-Dade County, including Ordinance No. 24-122.
Commissioner Regalado raised concerns about coordination problems between County departments when making technology purchases. She explained that departments often used specific software programs, but the formal bidding process and purchasing decisions were handled by the Information Technology Department (ITD). Commissioner Regalado inquired about accountability when multiple departments were involved in technology purchases and who was responsible for identifying potential procurement conflicts.
Ms. Namita Uppal responded that contracts were managed in the INFORMS system, with her staff responsible for notifying departments about contract expiration timeframes so they could begin providing procurement staff with necessary scope of work to prepare Requests for Proposals (RFPs). She noted that some contracts were managed directly by departments, which were responsible for ensuring the re-procurement process began timely. Ms. Uppal emphasized that each contract had a designated responsible department.
Commissioner Regalado noted that the Board recently required all procurement to be managed through INFORMS, making information access easier with centralized contracts. She recommended developing a streamlined notification process to disseminate contract information and suggested that once notification was sent, the Board should be informed that the procurement process had started. Commissioner Regalado highlighted her concerns about legacy systems and software changes occurring mid-contract, which could result in delays when items reached the Board.
Ms. Uppal explained that Mayor Levine Cava had directed SPD to review standardization of different processes across all County departments, working toward one central procurement supply chain organization while ensuring all procurement professionals followed the same rules and regulations.
Commissioner Cohen Higgins explained that this resolution reaffirmed Resolution No. R-658-23, which was necessary because contracts were still being presented to the Board after their expiration terms. She emphasized that while procurement occurred in SPD, Ms. Uppal required coordination and cooperation from department directors. Commissioner Cohen Higgins noted that contracts could not be advertised for new procurement without receiving full scopes of work from departments two (2) years in advance. She explained that the foregoing proposed legislation sought to send a message to department directors about working together and being mindful of resolutions and mandates to allow SPD to accomplish their processes timely. Commissioner Cohen Higgins stressed the need for comprehensive scopes of work rather than perfunctory descriptions, and noted the floor amendment updated outdated implementing order references.
Commissioner Regalado acknowledged the scope issue but argued that breakdown occurred earlier in the notification process. She suggested implementing accountability checks at different points and recommended committee chairs conduct check-ins on contract progress.
Chairman Bermudez agreed with both commissioners' sentiments but emphasized that accountability should not rely solely on committee chairs - the system should work automatically. He noted it was concerning that nearly two years after adopting the resolution, contract issues persisted. While supporting committee chair notifications, he stressed that streamlining and effectiveness were the committee's primary responsibilities.
There being no further discussion, the Committee proceeded to vote on the foregoing resolution as amended.
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2C
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250422
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Resolution
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Raquel A. Regalado
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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO INCLUDE A COMPLETE CONTRACT IN ALL REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) SOLICITATIONS OR, ALTERNATIVELY, DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE JUSTIFICATIONS WHY IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTY TO NOT INCLUDE A COMPLETE CONTRACT AS PART OF THE RFP SOLICITATION; AND DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO WORK WITH OUTSIDE INDUSTRY AND VENDORS DURING THE PROCUREMENT AND RE-PROCUREMENT PLANNING PROCESS IN FORMULATING THE CONTRACT TO BE INCLUDED IN RFPS
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Amended
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REPORT:
See Agenda Item 2C Amended; Legislative File No. 250645, for the amended version.
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2C Amended
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250645
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Resolution
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Raquel A. Regalado
Sen. Rene Garcia
Eileen Higgins
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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO INCLUDE A COMPLETE CONTRACT IN ALL REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS (�RFP�) SOLICITATIONS OR, ALTERNATIVELY, DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO PROVIDE JUSTIFICATIONS WHY IT IS IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE COUNTY TO NOT INCLUDE A COMPLETE CONTRACT AS PART OF THE RFP SOLICITATION; AND DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO WORK WITH OUTSIDE INDUSTRY AND VENDORS DURING THE PROCUREMENT AND RE-PROCUREMENT PLANNING PROCESS IN FORMULATING THE CONTRACT TO BE INCLUDED IN RFPS [SEE ORIGINAL ITEM UNDER FILE NO. 250422]
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Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation with committee amendment(s)
Mover: Kevin Marino Cabrera
Seconder: Raquel A. Regalado
Vote: 4 - 0
Absent: Gilbert, III
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REPORT:
Commissioner Regalado stated that she had been working with procurement staff to address time-consuming RFP negotiations, with Agenda Items 2C and 2D being direct responses to this effort. She advised that the foregoing proposed resolution required complete contracts to be included in RFPs, with proposers required to raise contract term issues immediately rather than negotiating for eight or nine months.
Commissioner Regalado emphasized that this requirement applied to both proposers and County administration and noted no additional terms should be added after Board RFP approval. She reiterated the goal was streamlining negotiations for goods, services, and housing contracts by requiring actual contracts rather than boilerplate versions, with minimal negotiation on non-material terms.
Commissioner Cabrera inquired whether this would include contract acceptance as part of RFP bidding.
Commissioner Regalado confirmed that proposers would need to identify objections to material terms in their RFP responses, which would be considered by the selection committee and assessed for non-compliance by County attorneys.
Commissioner Cohen Higgins asked whether SPD currently circulated contracts with all RFPs.
Ms. Uppal confirmed that draft contracts were included in goods and services RFPs as required by County attorneys, and the proposal process allowed companies to identify term objections for selection committee evaluation. She noted that negotiation teams ensured terms could not materially alter contracts, but acknowledged that complex RFPs required longer review timeframes.
Commissioner Regalado offered to work with Ms. Uppal on streamlining complex contracts while noting that as staff was urged to expedite contract awards, the negotiation process needed limitation through enhanced accountability measures.
Chairman Bermudez noted the resolution included exceptions allowing the County Mayor to provide justification for not including complete contracts when in the County's best interest. He supported the concept while recognizing that complex contracts required flexibility.
Commissioner Regalado provided examples of proposers changing prices after lengthy negotiations, emphasizing that the resolution aimed to reduce negotiating time and prevent both proposers and staff from adding material terms post-RFP approval.
Chairman Bermudez emphasized controlling what was manageable, noting that awards came from the County and staff should be aware of entities prone to delaying processes. He expressed hope for clear timelines and messages about timeline importance.
Commissioner Regalado proposed adding language to Section 2 stating that no terms materially altering the original RFP or vendor's original proposal shall be negotiated or incorporated into the final contracts.
There being no further discussion, the Committee proceeded to vote on the foregoing resolution as amended.
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2D
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250425
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Resolution
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Raquel A. Regalado
Eileen Higgins
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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO REQUIRE THE INCLUSION OF A STANDARDIZED MASTER DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT OR SIMILAR INSTRUMENT WITH ALL COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF COUNTY PROPERTY WITH AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING; ESTABLISHING CERTAIN GUIDELINES FOR SUCH COMPETITIVE SOLICITATIONS; PROVIDING FOR EXCEPTIONS; AND DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO HOLD A DEVELOPER ROUNDTABLE OR FORUM
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Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation
Mover: Raquel A. Regalado
Seconder: Danielle Cohen Higgins
Vote: 4 - 0
Absent: Gilbert, III
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3
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DEPARTMENT(S)
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4
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COUNTY MAYOR
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5
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COUNTY ATTORNEY
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6
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CLERK OF THE BOARD
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7
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REPORT(S)
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8
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ADJOURNMENT
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REPORT:
There being no further business to come before the GETC, the meeting was adjourned at 3:35 p.m.
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| 8/7/2026 |
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Agenda Key: 5239 |