Under the leadership of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County continues to earn national recognition for innovation in government. The County’s Strategic Procurement Department (SPD) has been awarded the 2026 National Procurement Institute (NPI) Achievement of Excellence in Procurement (AEP) Award, one of the highest honors in the public procurement profession. The award marks the 23rd time Miami-Dade County’s procurement organization has received the prestigious distinction, recognizing the administration’s commitment to transparency, innovation, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
Founded in 1968, the National Procurement Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing excellence in public procurement through education, professional development, and collaboration. The AEP Award is presented annually to agencies that demonstrate exceptional achievement in innovation, professionalism, productivity, leadership, and electronic procurement. This year, Miami-Dade County is one of only 216 agencies nationwide to receive the honor.
The latest recognition reflects SPD’s ongoing efforts to modernize how the County conducts business. In addition to the AEP Award, the department recently received three National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Awards for innovative technology initiatives that are improving efficiency and strengthening public service.
Among the award-winning projects is an Artificial Intelligence Tool for Competitive Selection Committees that replaces a traditionally manual process with an intelligent application capable of matching project requirements with the expertise of qualified County employees. The technology improves efficiency, enhances transparency, strengthens compliance, and helps ensure evaluation committees are composed of the most qualified subject matter experts.
SPD also earned national recognition for its AI Assistant for Procurement, launched in August 2025. The conversational platform provides procurement professionals with immediate access to County policies, procedures, templates, and training materials. By delivering consistent, policy-aligned guidance, the assistant reduces research time, improves decision-making, and allows staff to devote more time to strategic priorities that benefit residents and businesses.
A third NACo award recognized the department’s transformation of Miami-Dade County’s Vendor Compliance and Due Diligence Process. Through automation, standardized compliance templates, integrated SharePoint tracking, and Microsoft Power Automate workflows, the initiative reduced processing times by approximately 50 percent while improving accountability and eliminating redundant work across departments.
While earning national accolades for innovation, SPD is also helping deliver one of the County’s most significant public safety investments—the new Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department campus. The project, which seamlessly integrates with the existing Turner Guilford Knight (TGK) Detention Facility, will modernize critical detention operations and improve services throughout the criminal justice system.
The new campus will include a state-of-the-art Booking and Release Center, a centralized warehouse, Corrections Headquarters, a 500-car parking garage, canine facilities, and additional support amenities. Designed to improve the efficiency of intake, release, and inmate transfers, the Booking and Release Center will feature a large vehicle sallyport, temporary housing for up to 195 arrestees, medical and classification areas, records offices, and four courtrooms dedicated to first appearances for the Clerk of Courts, State Attorney, and Public Defender.
The four-story Corrections Headquarters has also been designed with employee wellness and operational efficiency in mind, incorporating natural lighting, collaborative workspaces, fitness facilities, training rooms, dining areas, and other modern amenities that support the County’s workforce.
Together, these achievements highlight the Strategic Procurement Department’s vital role in delivering innovative solutions, responsibly managing public resources, and supporting transformational projects that improve the quality of life for Miami-Dade County residents. As the department celebrates another year of national recognition, its work continues to demonstrate that effective procurement is about far more than purchasing—it is about building stronger government and a stronger community.
Manny Cid, Assistant Director, Small and Local Business Development
