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Appropriations Committee approves extension, RFP plan for CAT AVL transit system
Summary
The committee voted to forward a contract extension for the county's CAT AVL (automatic vehicle location) system and authorized staff to pursue an RFP that will include a proof-of-concept pilot and a multi-year implementation plan for replacement technology.
The Miami-Dade County Appropriations Committee voted in committee to forward a five‑year extension and an RFP plan for the county’s CAT AVL (automatic vehicle location) system, the software and devices that support transit dispatch, vehicle location tracking and scheduling.
The committee's action sends the item to the full Board of County Commissioners for final approval. The motion to advance the item passed in committee after discussion about procurement timing, pilot testing and the eventual multi‑year replacement.
Why it matters: The CAT AVL system controls key operational functions for county transit, including dispatch, vehicle location and scheduling; the department said upgrades and modules are needed to support incoming electric vehicles and to secure operational efficiencies ahead of a longer replacement project.
Beth Goldsmith, chief strategy officer for the Department of Transportation and Public Works, described the current contract and the department’s procurement plan. “This contract supports our CAT AVL system, which comes from Clever. That is, in essence, sort of the the brainchild of our transit operation. So these are the devices and software systems that manage our dispatch operations, the location of all of our vehicles, allows us for tracking, assistance scheduling, connects to our communication network,” Goldsmith said.
Goldsmith said the county plans a competitive RFP with an embedded proof‑of‑concept phase so the county can test candidate technology in its environment before committing to a full replacement. “We are taking a little bit of an alternative approach with this one. Because we've had the system in place since 2013. We want to look at doing a proof of concept phase as part of the RFP process to sort of assist us in making sure that any technology that we select will be successful in our environment,” she told the committee.
Commissioners raised procedural concerns about embedding a pilot in the procurement because of possible bid protests and timing. One member advised staff to brief the board regularly on timing and suggested the administration might need procedural waivers or special rules to manage the pilot‑plus‑RFP approach. A staff member identified in the meeting as “Jimmy” agreed to provide ongoing briefings to commissioners.
Action details: The committee voted to forward the procurement/extension and RFP plan to the full board for consideration. Committee discussion and the motion emphasized (1) a planned five‑year interim contract while a replacement is procured and implemented; (2) an RFP process including a pilot/proof‑of‑concept phase; and (3) an expectation of a multi‑year implementation for the replacement system.
Quotes
• “That is absolutely the expectation, yes, Commissioner,” Goldsmith said when asked if a pilot would be part of the procurement.
• “We'll do extensive briefing,” a staff member said in response to commissioners’ concerns about procurement timing.
Ending
The committee's action advances a plan that aims to balance near‑term operational continuity with careful testing of new technology. The full Board of County Commissioners will consider the extension and the RFP plan at a later meeting.
