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Bidders urge Miami-Dade board not to reject RFP for independent auditing services
Summary
Two proponents of RFP 25-001 told the board procurement misapplied the district's local preference policy and asked the board to apply the five-point local preference or defer the item instead of reissuing the request.
During the consent and public comment portion of the Dec. 17 meeting, representatives of two competing firms urged the Miami-Dade County School Board not to reject RFP 25-001 for external independent auditing services.
Attorneys and partners representing one proposer said procurement had misapplied School Board Policy 63.20.05 by treating local preference as a tie-breaker rather than as a five-point scoring benefit for a local proposer. Brett (speaker recorded during the public comment) said the eligible local proposer, RSM, should have received the additional five points and that applying the policy would have changed the selection ranking.
Anil Harris, identified in public remarks as a partner at RSM, said the firm is a Coral Gables-based local firm with a long record of serving the district and asked that the board apply the local preference points and evaluate the results rather than reissuing the RFP. He said reissuing procurement would impose unnecessary costs on respondents and staff.
Procurement staff had recommended rejecting and reissuing the RFP; speakers suggested alternatives including applying the policy as written or deferring the item to allow board members time to review the protest and the policy application. The board accepted public comment and proceeded with consent actions; no final substantive rollback of procurement staff recommendations was recorded during the meeting record.
The record shows an active protest filed under Section 120.57 of Florida law and School Board Policy 63.20; bidders asked the board to use its oversight role to ensure policy application was consistent with the RFP documents. The board did not vote on the selection outcome at the public hearing; staff noted the protest and next procedural steps may follow the district's procurement and legal process.
