Diana C. Mendez and Albert E. Dotson, Jr. Appointed to Miami-Dade Special Task Force To Reduce Inefficiencies In Procurement
Miami, FL - Bilzin Sumberg is pleased to announce that Public-Private Partnerships Partner Diana C. Mendez and Chief Executive Officer & Managing Partner Albert E. Dotson, Jr. have been appointed to Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Chairman Anthony Rodriguez’s Special Task Force To Reduce Inefficiencies In Procurement. Diana was additionally selected unanimously by the Task Force members to serve as the Chair of the task force.
The inclusion of Diana and Al is a testament to both their deep relations with local government and their extensive knowledge and experience regarding best practices and technical nuances in public procurement. Diana, who currently serves as the Co-Chair of the State and Local Committee of the American Bar Association (ABA) Public Contract Law Section, and is a member of the Steering Committee for the ABA Model Procurement Code Revision, said, “I'm honored to be able to contribute to Chairman Rodriguez's distinguished task force. Procurement inefficiencies create significant barriers to meeting the needs of various stakeholders as the County grows, and I'm committed to helping develop a more streamlined, transparent system that serves the County's needs effectively."
The mission of the task force is to help identify and eliminate bureaucratic obstacles that hinder progress on Miami-Dade County projects. “Our current procurement process is bogged down by over 200 pieces of legislation and an average of 100 individual steps per request,” Rodriguez said in a recent social media post. “For contracts exceeding $1 million, it takes over 349 days to procure. This inefficiency not only drives up costs but also creates an uneven playing field, favoring only those who can afford to navigate the delays. “The Special Task Force To Reduce Inefficiencies In Procurement will carry out an in-depth evaluation of current procurement laws, codes, and procedures to simplify operations, cut expenses, and enhance transparency and accountability.”
As a member of Bilzin Sumberg's Public-Private Partnerships (P3) & Government Contracting team, Diana counsels real estate developers, infrastructure companies, public utilities, transportation companies, design and engineering firms, and diverse concessionaires on matters involving public administrative, procurement, and transactional law. She advises clients through all phases of the government procurement process, including teaming arrangements, proposal preparation, responsiveness and responsibility review, minority and disadvantaged business enterprise certifications, contract negotiations, administrative bid protests, and bid protest litigation.
Handling federal and local government procurement contracts and compliance, Al has represented infrastructure companies, public utilities, transportation companies, design and engineering firms, and diverse concessionaires on matters involving public administrative, procurement, and transactional law. He also represents real estate developers in securing land use, zoning and other government approvals and permits for large-scale real estate developments. Al routinely negotiates economic development incentive programs on behalf of major U.S. corporate clients.
Al has served as key legal representation in connection with large-scale infrastructure projects that have shaped the County, such as Brightline’s passenger rail service and the County’s $5 billion Ocean Outfall project, in addition to major transit-oriented developments, such as those at Grove Central and Dolphin Station.
About Bilzin Sumberg
At Bilzin Sumberg, we empower our clients to achieve extraordinary results through our expertise and creative solutions. Our dedication to providing practical and personalized attention spans a broad spectrum of practices, focusing on complex matters that require a high level of expertise and sophistication.
Guided by our guiding principles of integrity, trust, and empathy, we build strong, enduring relationships with our clients and partners. By leveraging relationships, we deliver tailored solutions that make a lasting impact. Our competencies include antitrust, trial and litigation, construction law, corporate and securities, environmental law, CMBS, restructuring and finance, government relations, joint ventures, private wealth planning, public-private partnerships, and real estate. For more information, please visit bilzin.com.
