Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announces Miami-Dade County is "Open for Business" with new contracting reforms

Today, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced a major initiative to boost small businesses, enhance worker protections and reform County contracting. Reforms under consideration would expand the County’s ability to procure goods and services from local businesses, with an emphasis on minority-owned vendors. The mayor announced as well that her administration will conduct a disparity study to determine areas that warrant improvement. During the event, a group of local business owners shared their success stories in contracting with the County.    

“Small businesses are the backbone of our community, and the county has a unique opportunity to help grow our economy through our procurement process,” said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “The decisions we make about where to spend taxpayer funds and how to provide the highest quality services to our residents and businesses can provide significant impact to our workers, our businesses, and our environment.    

“I am proud to announce my administration’s adoption of our ‘Values-based Procurement Program’ to increase small and local business participation in County contracting and sub-contracting. Values-based procurement will center on small and local businesses, engaging businesses in new ways, improving working conditions, and prioritizing environmental considerations in the County’s supply chain.    

“To our local, small businesses, Miami-Dade County is open for business, and we want to do business with you.”    

A values-based approach to procurement is intended to cut red-tape, and increase transparency, equity, and opportunity. The County has adopted nearly all the recommendations from the Goods and Services Task Force to increase bidding opportunities for small businesses, in response to legislation sponsored by Commission Vice Chairman Oliver Gilbert.    

Despite the implementation of a small business program, many women, Black, and Hispanic-owned local businesses are still prevented from obtaining County contracts. The County is conducting a procurement disparity review to determine what inequalities exist between local businesses and the current procurement system. Miami-Dade’s study will be completed in 2023.