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Record of Proceedings

Miami-Dade Policy Council Meeting – June 8, 2026: Contract Award and Routine Approvals

BCC Committee Meetings — Monday, June 8, 2026
BodyMiami Dade County, Florida
SessionBCC Committee Meetings
DateMonday, June 8, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 11:59
Transcript — Verbatim
0:29

Commissioner Gilbert.

0:30

I'm here.

0:31

Commissioner Milian Orbis.

0:33

Vice Chairman Gonzalez.

0:35

Chairman Rodriguez.

0:37

Present.

0:38

You have a quorum.

0:40

All right.

0:40

Uh please stand for the prayer this morning, led by Commissioner Orbis.

0:56

Good morning, everybody.

0:57

Please bow your heads.

0:59

Dear Lord, please uh gather us here today as we meet to make decisions for the future of our community and guide us, guide everybody who's in this room, guide the administration, our commission, and look out for our community.

1:12

In your name we pray.

1:14

Amen.

1:16

Legends to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

1:26

Liberty and Justice for all.

1:35

All right.

1:36

Madam and Mr.

1:37

Attorney, can we move into reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard?

1:42

Yes, you may.

1:43

All right.

1:43

Well, reasonable opportunity is now open.

1:46

I have no uh speakers registered to speak, so reasonable opportunity is also now closed.

1:52

Can I have a pen?

1:54

Thank you.

1:55

Um is it in order to set the agenda at this time?

1:58

Yes, it is.

1:59

All right, I'll entertain a motion.

2:01

Motion to set the agenda.

2:03

Short move by Commissioner Orbit, seconded by Commissioner Cohen Higgins.

2:06

On favor, signify by saying aye.

2:08

All opposed, nay.

2:10

Show the agenda set.

2:12

All right.

2:12

Any bifurcations to my colleagues.

2:17

Um 3A bifurcated.

2:24

Um I move the balance of the agenda, Mr.

2:26

Chair.

2:27

All right, show it move the balance move by Commissioner Cohen Higgins, seconded by Commissioner Orbis.

2:31

On favor, signify by saying aye.

2:33

Aye.

2:33

All opposed, nay.

2:35

All right, on three A.

2:37

Um I was actually gonna bifurcate it as well, uh, Commissioner, but I'll let you um I'll let you be recognized first if you well, I was just I just had questions because the uh I think there's like a uh substantial monetary difference, but the point didn't kind of track with that, and I was wondering what was the deciding factor in actually moving on.

2:58

Do we have people here from those companies?

3:02

Is um is Namita here?

3:08

Um I'm looking, sorry, Chair.

3:11

Let's see.

3:11

Where's everybody I kind of want to know what's funny?

3:21

The director is on her way.

3:24

Okay.

3:24

All right.

3:25

So here's here's what I was and I'll let Commissioner Gilbert kind of hear his thoughts, and I think he but I actually was gonna pull this or bifurcate this item as well, colleagues, because I did see that the so this is a a debris removal uh contract, just to I guess monitor it, like the the management company of of our debris, only in the event of a uh uh of a disaster, right?

3:49

Of a hurricane.

3:50

So this isn't like something that that I understand we pay for um you know every year only when activated.

3:57

But the difference between the recommended uh bidder and the second place bidder is about ten points.

4:07

It's not it's not a big difference.

4:09

And but the second place bidder is nearly a million dollars less expensive in a time when obviously we're discussing budgetary cuts left and right.

4:20

Uh are you replacing uh nomina this morning?

4:24

Uh yeah, I hear nominate is on her way, but I can speak a little bit to the contract.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████████████████████████44%
Procurement██████████████████████████████████34%
Budget Equity Analysis██████████████████████22%
Summary of Proceedings

Miami-Dade Policy Council Meeting – June 8, 2026

The Miami-Dade Policy Council met on June 8, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Commission Chambers. The meeting opened with an invocation led by Commissioner Milian Orbis, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a reasonable opportunity for public comment (no speakers registered). The council approved the agenda and then proceeded to discuss a single bifurcated item (3A) regarding a disaster debris removal monitoring services contract. All other items on the agenda were approved without discussion as part of the consent calendar.

Consent Calendar

  • Items 2A through 2F (commission resolutions) and item 6A (approval of Clerk's summary of minutes for March 9, 2026) were moved and approved by voice vote. These included resolutions on a sister cities agreement with Lima, Peru; designating the American flamingo as the official bird of Miami-Dade County; a feasibility study for a low-interest revolving loan program for FOG compliance; neighborhood planning exercises for the Horse Country area; competency restoration treatment for incarcerated individuals; and authorization to purchase ANDE Rapid DNA systems with grant funds.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public registered to speak during the reasonable opportunity period.

Discussion Items

  • Item 3A – Disaster Debris Removal Monitoring Services Contract: The council considered a resolution to approve a contract with Tetra Tech, Inc. in the amount of $190,070,000 for an initial five-year term with a five-year renewal option. The contract would be used only after a disaster (e.g., hurricane) to monitor debris removal contractors for FEMA reimbursement. Commissioner Gilbert expressed concern that the second-place bidder, Thompson Consulting Services, was nearly $1 million less expensive and had comparable qualifications, including executives who previously worked for the top-ranked bidder. Commissioner Cohen Higgins noted the lack of administration staff to answer questions and questioned why Tetra Tech was recommended despite the cost difference. Commissioner Milian Orbis supported saving money. The council voted to recommend the second-place bidder, Thompson Consulting Services, instead of Tetra Tech. The motion passed 4-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Vote on Item 3A: The council approved a motion to recommend Thompson Consulting Services as the awardee for the disaster debris removal monitoring services contract, subject to final hearing. The vote was 4-0 in favor.
  • Consent Calendar Approval: The remaining agenda items (2A–2F and 6A) were approved unanimously without discussion.
  • Direction to Administration: The council directed the administration to provide a written explanation of the procurement scoring rationale to the commissioners' offices following the meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Commissioner Gilbert. I'm here. Commissioner Milian Orbis. Vice Chairman Gonzalez. Chairman Rodriguez. Present. You have a quorum. All right. Uh please stand for the prayer this morning, led by Commissioner Orbis. Good morning, everybody. Please bow your heads. Dear Lord, please uh gather us here today as we meet to make decisions for the future of our community and guide us, guide everybody who's in this room, guide the administration, our commission, and look out for our community. In your name we pray. Amen. Legends to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. Liberty and Justice for all. All right. Madam and Mr. Attorney, can we move into reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard? Yes, you may. All right. Well, reasonable opportunity is now open. I have no uh speakers registered to speak, so reasonable opportunity is also now closed. Can I have a pen? Thank you. Um is it in order to set the agenda at this time? Yes, it is. All right, I'll entertain a motion. Motion to set the agenda. Short move by Commissioner Orbit, seconded by Commissioner Cohen Higgins. On favor, signify by saying aye. All opposed, nay. Show the agenda set. All right. Any bifurcations to my colleagues. Um 3A bifurcated. Um I move the balance of the agenda, Mr. Chair. All right, show it move the balance move by Commissioner Cohen Higgins, seconded by Commissioner Orbis. On favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. All opposed, nay. All right, on three A. Um I was actually gonna bifurcate it as well, uh, Commissioner, but I'll let you um I'll let you be recognized first if you well, I was just I just had questions because the uh I think there's like a uh substantial monetary difference, but the point didn't kind of track with that, and I was wondering what was the deciding factor in actually moving on. Do we have people here from those companies? Is um is Namita here? Um I'm looking, sorry, Chair. Let's see. Where's everybody I kind of want to know what's funny? The director is on her way.

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