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Commission approves $20,000/month task order with Ramba Consulting after debate over costs and role
Summary
The commission approved a task order with Ramba Consulting Group LLC for up to $20,000 per month to provide legislative and executive-branch lobbying services. Supporters said the firm was instrumental in securing a veto of state legislation; critics questioned spending and asked for regular reporting on lobbying activities.
The North Miami Beach commission voted to approve a task order with Ramba Consulting Group LLC for legislative and executive-branch lobbying services at a rate of $20,000 per month.
Procurement staff said the firm had previously been engaged under a manager-authorized task order and had been paid $30,000 earlier in the year; a subsequent task order at $20,000/month required commission approval because it exceeded manager-level authority. The city attorney and commissioners described the firm's work in Tallahassee and said its early outreach helped secure a veto of a state bill that would have affected city revenues. "That veto didn't just happen," the city attorney said, crediting active executive-branch engagement.
Some commissioners and members of the public questioned whether the fee represented the best value and asked for more transparency on what the monthly retainer covers. Commissioner Sue urged staff to circulate a regular report on lobbying activity and noted other retainers the city has in place. Procurement said additional lobbyist firms are on a prequalification pool and task orders are used for specific projects.
What happens next: Commission approved the task order; staff said the task order can be terminated and described earlier task orders (March–April and August payments) to demonstrate continuity of service. Commissioners requested periodic briefings on lobbying efforts.
