PSA AWARD TO NIFAH AND PARTNERS

Board of County Commissioners · 2026-07-21 · resolution

Resolution approving a contract between Miami-Dade County and Nifah & Partners Consulting Engineers, Inc. as part of a pool of architectural and engineering consultants to provide general engineering and inspection services for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department at Miami International Airport, Contract No. E25AV01C, in a combined maximum amount of $41,353,125.00 for a term of five years with one five-year renewal option. The resolution was adopted by the Board of County Commissioners on 7/21/2026. The contract is for professional architectural and engineering inspection and commissioning services in support of Capital Improvement Program projects for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. The work will be assigned by MDAD on a rotational basis, with no minimum amount of work or compensation committed to any one firm. The contract is part of a pool of five architectural and engineering consultants. The other four agreements are HDR Engineering, Inc. (Contract No. E25AV01A), Ardurra Group, Inc. (Contract No. E25AV01B), EAC Consulting, Inc. (Contract No. E25AV01D), and CES Consultants, Inc. (Contract No. E25AV01E). The scope includes routine construction inspection services, threshold inspection services, commissioning services, quality assurance, progress reporting, and performance documentation. The vendor address is 7300 N. Kendall Drive, S# 711, Miami, FL 33156. The contract has a base contract amount of $25,000,000.00, an OTR contract amount of $12,500,000.00, and a grand total of $41,353,125.00. The work will begin only after the Aviation Department issues a service order to Nifah. The term becomes effective upon execution of the agreement by all parties. The Competitive Selection Committee recommended the third highest-ranked firm, Nifah, to negotiate this PSA. The Negotiation Committee began negotiations with Nifah on March 3, 2026, and concluded negotiations on March 10, 2026. The Request to Advertise was filed with the Clerk of the Board on August 18, 2025. A total of sixteen proposals were received by the submittal deadline of October 14, 2025. One firm, Apex One Home Inspections Corp., did not meet the prequalification/technical certification requirements and was deemed non-compliant. Fifteen firms were deemed compliant with the 18 percent Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Architectural & Engineering (A&E) contract measure. The sub-consultants/subcontractors for this project are Bermello Ajamil & Partners, LLC, Vic Thompson Company, SDM Consulting Engineers, Inc., DDA Engineers, P.A., Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., Assurance Consulting Engineers, LLC, Alleguez Architecture, Inc., EXP US Services, Inc., and Nutting Engineers of Florida. The contract manager is Sylvia Novela, 305-876-7048, and the project manager is Richard Cabrera, 305-869-3481. The project is in the Adopted Budget and Multi-Year Capital Plan. The funding sources include Future Financing (80% of Grand Total) and Reserve Maintenance Fund (20% of Grand Total). The project is in District 6, represented by Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis, but the impact is county-wide as the airport is a regional asset. The resolution authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor's designee to execute the contract and exercise its termination provisions. The contract has a maximum total award amount of $41,353,125.00, inclusive of a 10 percent contingency of $3,750,000.00 and $103,125.00 for the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The base contract amount is $25,000,000.00 with a contingency allowance of $2,500,000.00 and an Inspector General fee of $68,750.00. The OTR contract amount is $12,500,000.00 with a contingency allowance of $1,250,000.00 and an Inspector General fee of $34,375.00. The Miami-Dade County has expanded Miami International Airport's Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan from $9 billion to $12 billion. The modernization plan includes major upgrades to terminals, concourses, runways, and other key infrastructure. The services will be used for various types of projects, including, but not limited to, the construction and renovation of buildings, civil projects ranging from roadways to airfield aprons, and the installation and upgrade of mechanical and electrical equipment. The PSA is the third of five agreements recommended for award. The other four agreements are included on today's agenda as companion items. The work will be assigned among the PSAs by MDAD on a rotational basis, based on workload, capabilities, schedule(s), familiarity with the location(s), infrastructure, and conflicts of interest mitigation. No minimum amount of work or compensation has been committed to any one firm. The expertise of licensed architects and engineers is essential for the provision of the services. The services include routine construction inspection services, threshold inspection services, commissioning services, quality assurance, progress reporting, and performance documentation. The work authorized by this PSA will begin only after the Aviation Department issues a service order to Nifah. Work will continue based on the issuance of subsequent service orders. Each service order shall specify the scope of work, including deliverables, completion time, and the total compensation for the authorized services. The five-year term of this PSA becomes effective upon the execution of the agreement by all parties. The term shall remain effective until all services are completed or until those service orders in force at the end of the term have been completed or accepted, whichever occurs later. All firms were evaluated in accordance with Section 2-10.4 of the Miami-Dade County Code, Implementing Order 3-34, and Administrative Order 3-39. In accordance with the legislation, Nifah is the recommended firm. The Competitive Selection Committee evaluated all responsive and responsible proposals and deemed the information sufficient to determine the qualifications of the teams. The CSC scored and ranked the proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria outlined in the solicitation. By majority vote, the CSC decided to forego Second-Tier proceedings and recommended the third highest-ranked firm, Nifah, to negotiate this PSA. The Negotiation Committee was approved by the County Mayor's designee on January 30, 2026. The Negotiation Committee began negotiations with the third-highest ranking firm, Nifah, on March 3, 2026, and concluded negotiations on March 10, 2026. The vendor's principal address is 7300 N. Kendall Drive, S# 711, Miami, FL 33156. The percentage of employee residents is 14%. The principal is Samuel N. Nifah, P.E., 100%. The due diligence conducted by MDAD included verifying corporate status and that no performance or compliance issues exist. There were no adverse findings relating to vendor responsibility. A review of the County's Capital Improvements Information System showed that the recommended vendor has an average evaluation score of 3.8 out of a possible 4.0, indicating good performance. According to the Firm History Report provided by SPD, within the last three years, Nifah has received one contract as a Prime Contractor totaling $500,000.00. For the period April 2016 - June 2022, Nifah received seven contracts as a Prime Contractor with a value of $892,801.00. The total amount awarded to Nifah as prime is $1,392,801.00. The applicable ordinances and measures include In-house Capabilities Resolution R-1204-05, Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act Florida Statute 287.055, Local Preference Code Section 2-8.5, Local Certified Veteran Business Enterprise Preference Code Section 2-8.5.1, Small Business Enterprise - Architecture and Engineering Code Section 2-10.4.01 and Implementing Order 3-32 (SBE - A&E: 18 percent), Sea Level Rise Ordinance 14-79, Sustainable Buildings Program Implementing Order 8-8, and Office of Inspector General Fee Code Section 2-1076. The Small Business Enterprise - Services Code Section 2-8.1.1.1.1 and Implementing Order 3-41, Small Business Enterprise - Goods Code Section 2-8.1.1.1.2 and Implementing Order 3-41, Art in Public Places Code Section 2-11.15, and Buy American Iron and Steel Procurement Program Ordinance 21-22 are not applicable. The resolution was introduced on 5/19/2026. The final action was on 7/21/2026. The agenda date was 7/21/2026. The agenda item number was 8A5. The Aviation and Seaport Committee forwarded the item to the BCC with a favorable recommendation on 6/8/2026. The item was assigned to the Office of Agenda Coordination on 5/19/2026. The County Attorney was assigned on 5/19/2026. The report was by Dave Murray. The item has 129 attachments. The status is Adopted. The reference is R-609-26. The file type is Resolution. The requester is the Aviation Department. The cost is not stated. The sponsors are none. The registered lobbyist is none listed. The sunset provision is no. The effective date is not stated. The expiration date is not stated. The index is none. The legislative history shows the Board of County Commissioners adopted the item on 7/21/2026 with a pass. The Aviation and Seaport Committee forwarded the item to the BCC with a favorable recommendation on 6/8/2026 with a pass. Jimmy Morales assigned the item on 5/19/2026. The Office of Agenda Coordination assigned the item on 5/19/2026. The County Attorney was assigned on 5/19/2026. The report was by David M. Murray. The due date was 6/1/2026. The header is from Daniella Levine Cava, Mayor, to Honorable Chairman Anthony Rodriguez and Members, Board of County Commissioners. The subject is Contract Award Recommendation to Nifah & Partners Consulting Engineers, Inc. for Professional Architectural and Engineering Inspection and Commissioning Services (Pool); Contract No. E25AV01C. The staff recommendation is to approve a competitive award of a PSA to Nifah titled: 'Professional Services at Miami International Airport - General Engineering & Inspection Services (Pool), Contract No. E25AV01C' with a term of five years term and one five-year renewal option. The scope of services under this PSA will ensure that all work is performed in accordance with approved plans, meets required quality standards, and that all building systems operate as intended. The services include routine construction inspection services, threshold inspection services, commissioning services, quality assurance, progress reporting, and performance documentation. Although MIA is in District 6, represented by Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis, the impact of this agenda item is county-wide as the airport is a regional asset. The delegated authority authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor's designee to exercise the provisions thereof, including the authority to execute Contract No. E25AV01C and the authority to exercise the termination provisions, and to exercise all relevant authority granted to the County Mayor or County Mayor's designee pursuant to Sections 2-285 and 2-285.2 of the Miami-Dade County Code. The fiscal impact/funding source is that this PSA is valued at $41,353,125.00 with a term of five years with one five-year renewal option. The project is in the Adopted Budget and Multi-Year Capital Plan. The funding sources are Future Financing (80% of Grand Total) and Reserve Maintenance Fund (20% of Grand Total). The track record/monitor is the designated staff contact to track and monitor this contract is Contract Manager: Sylvia Novela, 305-876-7048, and Project Manager Richard Cabrera, 305-869-3481. The background states that the Aviation Department's robust CIP continues to propel the transformation of MIA into a world class aviation hub capable of meeting the region's growing demands. Under the proposed PSA, Nifah will deploy a team of highly experienced engineers and certified technicians to support this effort through comprehensive threshold and construction inspection services. Their responsibilities will include overseeing critical construction phases, monitoring contractor performance, and ensuring adherence to all applicable codes, standards, and project specifications. In addition, Nifah will lead the commissioning of complex building and operational systems across a wide range of airport facilities and infrastructure. This commissioning process involves rigorous testing, verification, and documentation to confirm that each system performs reliably, integrates properly with other airport operations, and meets the design intent. By validating system integrity and functionality before projects enter service, Nifah helps safeguard passenger safety, operational efficiency, and long term asset performance. Together, these services play a vital role in ensuring that all CIP projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with regulatory and operational requirements, ultimately supporting MIA's continued evolution into a premier global gateway. The procurement history states that the Request to Advertise was filed with the Clerk of the Board on August 18, 2025. A total of sixteen proposals were received by the submittal deadline of October 14, 2025. The proposals submitted by one firm, Apex One Home Inspections Corp., did not meet the prequalification/technical certification requirements pursuant to the Notice to Professional Consultants (NTPC) and were deemed non-compliant. Consequently, their proposal was not evaluated by the Competitive Selection Committee (CSC). On November 6, 2025, the Strategic Procurement Department (SPD) Project Review and Analysis Unit reviewed the proposals and deemed that the fifteen firms were compliant with the 18 percent Small Business Enterprise (SBE) Architectural & Engineering (A&E) contract measure established for this project including: HDR Engineering, Inc.; Ardurra Group, Inc.; Nifah & Partners Consulting Engineers, Inc.; EAC Consulting, Inc.; CES Consultants, Inc.; JSM & Associates, LLC; CSA Central, Inc.; GFT Infrastructure, Inc.; Conemco Engineering, Inc.; Ally Engineering Services, Inc.; Keith and Associates, Inc. d/b/a/Keith; A. D. A. Engineering, Inc.; The Roderick Group, LLC d/b/a Ardmore Roderick; SGM Engineering, Inc.; and Atkinsrealis USA, Inc. Pursuant to County Resolution No. R-62-22, which amended Implementing Order 3-34, and became effective on July 11, 2022, the CSC was provided with all reports and findings of the OIG and the Office of the Commission on Ethics and Public Trust (COE) regarding any Proposer and their proposed subcontractor(s) for consideration while scoring in accordance with the applicable criteria identified in the solicitation. On October 27, 2025, the OIG notified the CSC Coordinator that no reports or findings were located for this E25AV01 project. On November 7, 2025, the COE responded that a search of its closed complaint files for complainants and respondent data fields was performed, and none were found, indicating there were no problems found with the Prime or the subconsultants who participated in the proposal. On January 13, 2026, at the First-Tier meeting, the CSC evaluated all responsive and responsible proposals and deemed the information sufficient to determine the qualifications of the teams. The CSC was tasked with evaluating the experience and qualifications of the Proposers and scored and ranked the proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria outlined in the solicitation. By majority vote, the CSC decided to forego Second-Tier proceedings and recommended the third highest-ranked firm, Nifah, to negotiate this PSA. The Negotiation Committee was approved by the County Mayor's designee on January 30, 2026. The Negotiation Committee began negotiations with the third-highest ranking firm, Nifah, on March 3, 2026, and concluded negotiations on March 10, 2026. The vendor recommended for award is Nifah and Partners Consulting Engineers, Inc. The principal address is 7300 N. Kendall Drive, S# 711, Miami, FL 33156. The local address is 7300 N. Kendall Drive, S# 711, Miami, FL 33156. The number of employee residents is 14%. The principal is Samuel N. Nifah, P.E., 100%. The sub-consultants/subcontractors for this project are Bermello Ajamil & Partners, LLC, Vic Thompson Company, SDM Consulting Engineers, Inc., DDA Engineers, P.A., Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., Assurance Consulting Engineers, LLC, Alleguez Architecture, Inc., EXP US Services, Inc., and Nutting Engineers of Florida. The due diligence states that pursuant to R-187-12, MDAD conducted due diligence in accordance with the Strategic Procurement Department (SPD) guidelines to determine vendor responsibility, including verifying corporate status and that no performance or compliance issues exist. The lists referenced include the Capital Improvements Information System, the SBD Division database, Sunbiz, the Tax Collector's Office, convicted vendors, debarred vendors, delinquent contractors, and the federal excluded parties list. Also examined as part of this due diligence: Florida Division of Business and Professional Regulation. There were no adverse findings relating to vendor responsibility. A review of the County's Capital Improvements Information System showed that the recommended vendor has an average evaluation score of 3.8 out of a possible 4.0, indicating good performance. According to the Firm History Report provided by SPD, within the last three years, Nifah has received one contract as a Prime Contractor totaling $500,000.00. For the period April 2016 - June 2022, Nifah received seven contracts as a Prime Contractor with a value of $892,801.00. The total amount awarded to Nifah as prime is $1,392,801.00. The applicable ordinances and measures are listed in the table. The in-house capabilities resolution R-1204-05 is applicable, and MDAD evaluated and determined that MDAD does not have the in-house capabilities to perform threshold inspections and construction services due to the multidisciplinary expertise and workforce size required for services in this discipline. The Consultants' Competitive Negotiation Act Florida Statute 287.055 is applicable. The Local Preference Code Section 2-8.5 is applicable. The Local Certified Veteran Business Enterprise Preference Code Section 2-8.5.1 is applicable. The Small Business Enterprise - Architecture and Engineering Code Section 2-10.4.01 and Implementing Order 3-32 is applicable with SBE - A&E: 18 percent. The Small Business Enterprise - Services Code Section 2-8.1.1.1.1 and Implementing Order 3-41 is not applicable. The Small Business Enterprise - Goods Code Section 2-8.1.1.1.2 and Implementing Order 3-41 is not applicable. The Sea Level Rise Ordinance 14-79 is applicable, and pursuant to Miami-Dade County Ordinance 14-79, all activity as a result of this contract, including building elevation, installation of mechanical and electrical systems, and building and infrastructure design plans shall consider sea level rise projections and potential impacts as best estimated at the time of the project, using the regionally consistent Unified Sea Level Rise Projections, during all project phases including but not limited to planning, design, and construction, in order to ensure that infrastructure projects will function properly for fifty years or the design life of the project, whichever is greater. The Sustainable Buildings Program Implementing Order 8-8 is applicable, and all activity shall comply with the County's 'Sustainable Buildings Program', more specifically, (i) Resolutions No. R-617-17; (ii) Sections 2-1 of the Miami-Dade County Code; BCC Rule 5.10 and Chapter 9; Article III, Section 9-71 through 9-75, of the Code, in addition to Implementing Order (I.O.) 8-8, which established a County policy to incorporate, wherever practical, Green Building Practices into the planning, budgeting, design, construction, operations, management, renovation, maintenance and decommissioning of public projects. The Art in Public Places Code Section 2-11.15 is not applicable. The Buy American Iron and Steel Procurement Program Ordinance 21-22 is not applicable. The Office of Inspector General Fee Code Section 2-1076 is applicable. The document is signed by Jimmy Morales, Chief Operating Officer. The document does not state any public comment or stakeholder sentiment.