Date:

July 26, 2013

To:

Lester Sola
Director
Internal Services Department

Thru:

Miriam Singer, CPPO

Assistant Director
Internal Services Department

From:

Pearl P. Bethel, CPPB

Procurement Contracting Officer 2
Chairperson, Evaluation/Selection Committee

Subject:

Report of Evaluation/Selection Committee for RFP No. 851, Misdemeanor Diversion

Services

The County issued a solicitation on behalf of the State Attorneys Office (SAO), Eleventh Judicial Circuit
of the State of Florida to obtain proposals from capable and qualified firms or entities for the purpose of
providing Misdemeanor Diversion Services for eligible offenders in the Criminal and Traffic Divisions of
the County Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The solicitation allowed for the selection of up to three
firms for the purpose of providing management and supervision services for eligible offenders diverted
from prosecution. Once awarded, the work will be assigned to the Providers by the SAO as equitably as
possible.
The Evaluation/Selection Committee (Committee) has completed the evaluation of proposals submitted
in response to the solicitation following the guidelines published in the solicitation.
Committee meeting dates:
April 12 & 15, 2013 (kick-off meetings)
May 3, 2013 (evaluation meeting and scoring)
July 17, 2013 (oral presentations, re-scoring, and recommendations)
Verification of compliance with contract measures:
Not applicable since no contract measures were assigned to this solicitation.
Verification of compliance with minimum qualification requirements:
The solicitation did not have any minimum qualification requirements.
Local Certified Service-Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise Preference:
Veterans Preference was considered in accordance with the applicable ordinance.
proposers qualified for the preference.
Summary of scores:
The preliminary scores are as follows:
Pre-Oral Presentations
Proposer

Technical
Score
(max.500)

1. Advocate Program, Inc.

2. National Corrective Group, Inc. dba
Corrective Solutions
3. Court Options, Inc.
4. Judicial Correction Services, Inc.
5. Miami Dade Community Services, Inc.

493.75
443.3
441
411.7
364

None of the

Page 2
Memo to Lester Sola
Report of Evaluation/Selection Committee for RFP No. 851, Misdemeanor Diversion Services

6. Professional Probation Services, Inc.

297.7

The Committee decided to hold oral presentations with the four highest ranked Proposers, 1) Advocate
Program, Inc., 2) National Corrective Group, Inc. dba Corrective Solutions, 3) Court Options, Inc. and 4)
Judicial Correction Services, Inc.
The final scores are as follows:
Post-Oral Presentations
Technical
Score
(max.500)

1.
2.
3.
4.

Advocate Program, Inc.

Court Options, Inc.
Judicial Correction Services, Inc.
National Corrective Group, Inc.
dba Corrective Solutions

485
482
437
427

Local Preference:
Local Preference was considered in accordance with applicable ordinance, but did not affect the
outcome as the two highest ranked Proposers are local.
Other information:
On May 6, 2013 the County received a letter from one of the appointed Committee Members, Retired
Judge Tom Petersen, identifying concerns he had with the instructions given by the Chairperson, Pearl
Bethel to the Committee. Judge Petersen specifically referenced the Cone of Silence and its
applicability to communications among members of the Committee outside of a publicly noticed
meeting. The County prepared a response addressing Judge Petersens concerns and acknowledging
that although Ms. Bethels direction to the Committee members regarding not communicating outside of
a publicly noticed meeting was correct, she did incorrectly attribute that requirement to the Cone of
Silence Policy, instead of the Sunshine Law that prohibits such communications.
On May 23, 2013, the County received a second letter from Judge Petersen indicating that a portion of
the Selection Committee meeting for the Oral Presentations on May 22, 2013 may have been
inconsistent with the Sunshine Law. The Selection Committee met prior to the oral presentations and
discussed the questions that would be asked of the vendors in the public meeting. Staff conducted a
detailed review of the events that transpired, consulted with the Director of the Commission on Ethics
and the County Attorneys Office, and, in an abundance of caution, reconvened the Committee on July
17, 2013 to redo the oral presentations in the Sunshine. The Post-Oral Presentation scores listed
above are the scores of the second meeting held in strict compliance with the Sunshine Laws.
Negotiations:
The Committee recommends that the County enter into negotiations with the two highest ranked
Proposers, Advocate Program, Inc. and Court Options, Inc. The following individuals will participate in
the negotiations:
Pearl P. Bethel, Procurement Contracting Officer, Internal Services Department
Ted Mannelli, Executive Director, SAO
Don Horn, Chief Assistant State Attorney for Administration, SAO
Joe Mansfield, Division Chief, County Court

Page 3
Memo to Lester Sola
Report of Evaluation/Selection Committee for RFP No. 851, Misdemeanor Diversion Services

Consensus Statement: The solicitation allowed for up to three firms to be selected for award. The
Committee determined that the two highest ranked firms, Advocate Program, Inc. and Court Options,
Inc. were clearly defined as such due to the large point differential between the two highest ranked and
two lower ranked firms. Both firms have the necessary qualifications, relevant experience, technical
capacity and experienced personnel to meet the needs of the County and SAO. Both firms have 1)
experience in managing and supervising offenders in the SAOs Misdemeanor Diversion Services
Program, 2) demonstrated a level of financial security to successfully operate the Misdemeanor
Diversion Services Program, and 3) documented past performance of a successful completion of the
Programs, as well as, a small recidivism rate for, first time offenders. The Program will be funded solely
through the payment of fees by offenders with no additional cost to the County or SAO.
Copies of the score sheets are attached for each Evaluation/Selection Committee member, as well as a
composite score sheet.

Approved
____________________________
Lester Sola
Director

__________
Date