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Miami-Dade County Audit For Supplies Shows Waste and Not Worth the Money.
In Miami-Dade County, an audit was initiated by two commissioners to examine whether buying office supplies exclusively from small local firms was as cost-effective as the previous deal with Office Depot. The results were shocking. Here are the key findings.Costs Soared: The effort to purchase county office supplies only from small local firms resulted in 31% of purchases coming from a large non-local vendor. Nearly $1.7 million of the initial $3.7 million in buys vanished from the county’s warehouse. Clearly, the intent to save costs didn’t pan out as expected.
Tale of Horrors: The audit uncovered various issues, both large and small. For instance, door locks in the county’s warehouse were taped open for three months, leading to missing supplies. But the problems extended beyond mere cost inefficiencies.
Ineligible Bidders: Multiple ineligible bidders received funds from the $12 million pool deal. This lack of oversight raised serious concerns.
Brand-Name Supplies: Some orders were placed for no-substitute brand-name supplies, which can significantly raise costs and create dependence on a single supplier.
Soaring Prices: Prices increased even after lower-price bids had been accepted, indicating a lack of proper control over procurement.
Ignoring Local Business Requirement: The key department failed to consider the county’s order that office supply purchases not subject to federal rules should go exclusively to local and smaller businesses. Instead, they allowed others to bid and purchased from them.
Lack of Monitoring: Despite a memo from Mayor Daniella Levine Cava emphasizing monitoring of companies to ensure local employment and economic impact, the three departments involved did not actively monitor vendors in this regard.
Commissioner Raquel Regalado, who pushed for the audit, emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability. The findings have prompted a criminal investigation ordered by Mayor Levine Cava. This audit highlights the need for better oversight and adherence to procurement guidelines in Miami-Dade County. Hopefully, corrective actions will be taken to prevent such wastage and inefficiencies in the future.
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