CONTACT: Pavi’Elle Phillips
305-995-1334
district1@dadeschools.net

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF DR. STEVE GALLON III

August 13, 2021
At the School Board Meeting of August 18, 2021, School Board Vice-Chair Dr. Steve Gallon III will propose School Board Agenda Item H-10 to ensure a fair, open competitive bidding process for purchases related to the procurement of goods and services funded through COVID-19 federal stimulus funds. The item is being co-sponsored by Chairwoman Ms. Perla Tabares Hantman, Ms. Lucia Baez-Geller, Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall, and Ms. Maria Teresa Rojas

On March 11, 2021, President Joe Biden signed into law The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the 117th United States Congress. Its intent is to speed up the United States recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing recession which was educed as a consequence. Florida is slated to receive approximately $7.4 billion. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the state’s largest school district and having the highest proportion of economically disadvantaged students, is estimated to receive $1.1 billion.

The School Board of Miami-Dade County remains committed to promoting and maintaining a high level of accountability, integrity, and transparency in the operation of the school district, including those that involves expenditures, procurement, and related financial matters. The School Board has worked collaboratively with the Superintendent in developing a cohesive, yet comprehensive plan of action for the use of funds allocated to the District through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, such as over $100 million dollars for technology hardware to be spent over the next three years. The continued provision of School Board leadership must be that which ensures that federal funds are targeted and used as intended and include measures that ensure proper planning, budgeting, accountability, transparency, and impact, as well as an ethos to fair, open, competitive, and inclusive procurement practices.

This item directs the Superintendent to implement the competitive bidding process for all technology related hardware and software, as well as any procurement of goods and services funded through COVID-19 stimulus funds and more specifically, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for expenditures that exceed $50,000.00 single and $100,000.00 aggregate, and to identify spending authority approved by the School Board for such purchases.

“I am thankful for the support and co-sponsorship of my colleagues. This issue is yet another step in the Board’s affirmation of and commitment to a fair, open, competitive, and inclusive procurement process,” said Dr. Gallon. “Doing so will expand competition that results in improved efficiency and overall benefit to the District. It will also provide an opportunity to small, local and minority businesses to participate and access these federal dollars during these economically challenging times.”

To read the full item go to:
http://pdfs.dadeschools.net/Bdarch/2021/bd081821/agenda/h10rev.pdf