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Record of Proceedings

Miami-Dade Airport Committee Meeting - July 9, 2025

BCC Committee Meetings — Wednesday, July 9, 2025

BodyMiami Dade County, Florida

SessionBCC Committee Meetings

DateWednesday, July 9, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 2:14:35

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

32:27

Commissioner Hardaman.

32:29

Commissioner Million Orbis.

32:31

Vice Chairman Gonzalez.

32:34

Chairwoman Coin Higgins.

32:37

Good morning, I'm present.

32:38

Please close the chamber doors, please.

32:40

Three members present, we have a quarrel.

32:51

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our airport committee this morning.

32:54

If you can please all join me in bowing your heads for a moment of prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

33:12

We also extend our deepest prayer and condolences to all of the victims of the flash flooding in Texas.

33:18

Um, may their hearts um be guided by your light.

33:23

It is in your name that we pray.

33:25

Amen.

34:26

Oh, I see one person.

34:27

Are you approaching?

34:29

We welcome you.

34:30

Welcome this morning.

34:32

Please give us your name and your address.

34:33

You'll have two minutes to address the body.

34:41

Um I'm here on item three D, so I can I can give remarks now, or I can give remarks when you call the item if you like, Madam Chair, it's up to you.

34:51

Reasonable opportunity to be heard is now open.

34:53

You'll have two minutes.

34:54

If the body has questions on three, you'll have the opportunity, should a member call you to the podium at that time.

35:00

Thank you very much.

35:01

Okay, so um I'm here representing allied contractors.

35:04

They're a little bitter on the airport operations center construction project at the airport.

35:10

Item 3D is uh a memorandum from the airport recommending that you reject all bids.

35:17

Um I don't think that's fair.

35:18

I don't think it's right.

35:20

Um, this is a uh a company that is a small business enterprise, certified with the county.

35:27

They're uh homegrown Miami company, family owned, family operated.

35:32

They spent months and months going through 400 different questions and RFIs on this project and put in a winning bid and beat all the big guys.

35:40

Um they followed all the rules, they did everything properly.

35:45

They sent the airport a communication saying that the after they won the bid saying that everything that the airport asked for is included within the scope.

35:55

Just to clarify that everything that's required to complete the project, um, that everyone knows it's included.

36:02

Um there were specific rules within the ITB that said that line items one through 20 on the bid would be the only items considered.

36:13

So the information in the memorandum before you discussing line items 21, 22, and 23.

36:21

These are all informational items.

36:24

These are items that are for information only, they're not included in the calculation of what's uh of who's the low bidder on the project.

36:33

I don't have any understanding of why this would be a fair justification to reject all the bids on the project.

36:41

Everyone talks about supporting small businesses, moving faster in the procurement cycle, saving money.

36:47

Here's your opportunity to do all of those things, and uh our request would be that you move forward on the project and uh direct the administration to enter into a contract.

36:58

Thank you, Mr.

36:58

Thank you.

36:59

Anyone else wish to address the body?

37:00

Now is your opportunity seeing no one else approach, reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard is now closed.

37:05

To the attorneys, any changes, edits or additions to this morning's agenda.

37:10

Good morning, madam chair.

37:12

Yes, you do have a couple of changes to your final printed agenda.

37:15

The first is the addition of item two A.

37:17

It's a resolution establishing a pool of concessionaires at Miami International Airport and setting policy relating to the use of that pool.

37:25

Excuse me, that's item two A.

37:27

In addition, item one E1 special presentation has been withdrawn by the sponsor.

37:33

I've also been informed uh by the administration that they would like the following items.

37:36

Should they pass today?

37:38

Advanced to the July 16th BCC meeting.

37:41

That's item 3D, 3E, 3F, 3G, and 3H.

37:49

And with that, a motion to set the agenda is in order.

37:51

I'll entertain a motion to set the agenda.

37:54

Do you have an uh a question, Commissioner Hardman?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procurement█████████████████████████████████████████████52%

Aviation And Seaport███████████████████22%

Engineering And Infrastructure███████████13%

Public Works███████8%

Procedural████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Miami-Dade Airport Committee Meeting - July 9, 2025

The Miami-Dade Airport Committee met on July 9, 2025, at 9:00 AM in Commission Chambers. The committee considered several items related to Miami International Airport (MIA) and general aviation airports, including a new concessionaire pool, professional services contracts, a construction contract for runway incursion mitigation, and the rejection of bids for an airport operations center. Key discussion centered on the selection process for engineering firms and the handling of bid discrepancies. The meeting adjourned after approximately two hours.

Public Comments & Testimony

Item 3D – Rejection of Bids for Airport Operations Center Construction: A representative from Allied Contractors, a certified Small Business Enterprise (SBE), argued against the recommendation to reject all bids. He stated that Allied was the apparent low bidder, having submitted a winning bid that was 15% lower than the next closest competitor. He contended that the instruction to bidders clearly stated that only items 1–20 would be considered for award, and that there was no confusion on those items. He requested that the committee direct the administration to enter into a contract with Allied.

Discussion Items

Item 2A – Resolution Establishing a Pool of Concessionaires at MIA: The committee discussed a resolution to create a closed pool of 48 firms that expressed interest in concession spaces at MIA. The pool would be used to fill new or existing concession locations within the airport's developed footprint. Commissioner Hardeman raised concerns about the clarity of the language regarding which firms were included, particularly regarding legacy concessionaires. After discussion, the item was moved and seconded, and passed unanimously.
Items 3A, 3B, 3C – Contracts for Building Recertification Program (Pool of A&E Consultants): These three resolutions would approve contracts with T.Y. Lin International, DDA Engineers, P.A., and E Plus Engineering and Construction, LLC, as part of a $57.3 million pool for building recertification at MIA and general aviation airports. Several commissioners expressed concerns about the lack of oral presentations (which were not required at the time of the solicitation) and the qualifications of the smaller firms, particularly E Plus, which had limited experience with the county. Chairwoman Cohen Higgins moved to defer the items to the September committee hearing to allow for oral presentations from all 13 original proposers. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
Item 3D – Resolution Rejecting All Bids and Re-advertising for Airport Operations Center Construction: The Aviation Department recommended rejecting all bids due to confusion over two bid items (21–23) added in addendum 13. Commissioners Gonzalez and Hardeman questioned the fairness of rejecting all bids, noting that the low bidder, Allied Contractors, had followed the instructions and that the confusion was limited to two items. The Chief Operating Officer requested a deferral to September to allow for further legal review of options, including a possible best and final offer (BAFO). The committee voted to defer the item to September.
Item 3I – Resolution Approving Contract for Runway Incursion Mitigation Project (Hot Spot No. 4): The committee approved a contract with Central Civil Construction Co. for $123,640,605.19. Chairwoman Cohen Higgins asked about the 42% difference between the engineer's estimate and the bid. The Aviation Director explained that the increase was due to market uncertainty from new reciprocal tariff laws effective February 1, 2025, which caused all four bids to be significantly higher. The item was moved and passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

Item 2A: Passed (4-0), forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) with a favorable recommendation.
Items 3A, 3B, 3C: Deferred (3-0) to the September committee hearing pending oral presentations from all 13 proposers.
Item 3D: Deferred (4-0) to the September committee hearing for further review of procurement options.
Item 3I: Passed (4-0), forwarded to the BCC with a favorable recommendation.
Consent Calendar Items (3E, 3F, 3G, 3H, 3J, 3K, and Reports 7A and 7B): Passed unanimously (4-0 or 5-0) and forwarded to the BCC as appropriate.

Meeting Transcript

Commissioner Hardaman. Commissioner Million Orbis. Vice Chairman Gonzalez. Chairwoman Coin Higgins. Good morning, I'm present. Please close the chamber doors, please. Three members present, we have a quarrel. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our airport committee this morning. If you can please all join me in bowing your heads for a moment of prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. We also extend our deepest prayer and condolences to all of the victims of the flash flooding in Texas. Um, may their hearts um be guided by your light. It is in your name that we pray. Amen. Oh, I see one person. Are you approaching? We welcome you. Welcome this morning. Please give us your name and your address. You'll have two minutes to address the body. Um I'm here on item three D, so I can I can give remarks now, or I can give remarks when you call the item if you like, Madam Chair, it's up to you. Reasonable opportunity to be heard is now open. You'll have two minutes. If the body has questions on three, you'll have the opportunity, should a member call you to the podium at that time. Thank you very much. Okay, so um I'm here representing allied contractors. They're a little bitter on the airport operations center construction project at the airport. Item 3D is uh a memorandum from the airport recommending that you reject all bids. Um I don't think that's fair. I don't think it's right. Um, this is a uh a company that is a small business enterprise, certified with the county. They're uh homegrown Miami company, family owned, family operated. They spent months and months going through 400 different questions and RFIs on this project and put in a winning bid and beat all the big guys. Um they followed all the rules, they did everything properly. They sent the airport a communication saying that the after they won the bid saying that everything that the airport asked for is included within the scope. Just to clarify that everything that's required to complete the project, um, that everyone knows it's included. Um there were specific rules within the ITB that said that line items one through 20 on the bid would be the only items considered. So the information in the memorandum before you discussing line items 21, 22, and 23. These are all informational items. These are items that are for information only, they're not included in the calculation of what's uh of who's the low bidder on the project. I don't have any understanding of why this would be a fair justification to reject all the bids on the project. Everyone talks about supporting small businesses, moving faster in the procurement cycle, saving money. Here's your opportunity to do all of those things, and uh our request would be that you move forward on the project and uh direct the administration to enter into a contract. Thank you, Mr. Thank you. Anyone else wish to address the body? Now is your opportunity seeing no one else approach, reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard is now closed. To the attorneys, any changes, edits or additions to this morning's agenda. Good morning, madam chair. Yes, you do have a couple of changes to your final printed agenda. The first is the addition of item two A.

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