Miami‑Dade County commissioners voted to reject all proposals for Area A of the Miami International Airport terminal janitorial procurement and directed the county mayor to negotiate contracts with ABM Aviation for terminal/lancet areas and Flagship Aviation for other covered areas, returning a recommendation to the board within 30 days.

Chairman Cabrera opened the discussion saying cleanliness is a top passenger complaint and that “the mediocrity and complacency would not be tolerated,” arguing the county should pursue a new model and consider splitting the work to bring in firms with airport‑specific experience. The county attorney then read the amendment that the board adopted, which directs county staff to negotiate noncompetitive agreements with ABM and Flagship and to report back if the mayor does not support a noncompetitive award.

Why it matters: Commissioners and bidders framed the decision as about passenger experience and operational readiness at MIA, the county’s largest economic engine. Several bidders and current employees told the board the incumbent, CNW Services, has decades of local presence and had been denied flexibility under a prior fixed‑rate contract. Competing firms said modern cleaning technology and different staffing models would produce better and more consistent results.

Public comment and competing claims: More than 60 speakers submitted cards on the item. CNW employees and executives emphasized long tenures and local hiring, with CNW’s president, Matt Noe, saying the company absorbed roughly $3.5 million in additional costs last year amid a roughly 20 percent passenger increase and that CNW’s proposal would add staff and supervisors compared with rivals. Noe said the new contract allows flexibility that the prior contract did not and that CNW proposed “the most advanced smart restroom technology” in its bid.

Representatives for ABM Aviation and Flagship argued a technology‑led, demand‑based approach is more efficient than simply increasing headcount. ABM Senior Vice President Brad Lurie described an “ABM clean” platform that provides real‑time location and condition data to deploy staff where and when passengers concentrate, and said the company uses “productive leads” (supervisors who work alongside crews) rather than a large nonproductive supervisory layer.

Procurement and local preference: Commissioners pressed procurement staff and the selection committee process after discovering CNW ranked third on technical score but rose to first place after local‑preference points were applied. Jimmy Morales, the county’s chief operating officer for procurement, confirmed that local preference points were added after technical scoring and elevated the recommended firm. Chief Procurement Officer Namrata Upal and aviation staff explained the new contract language was designed to incorporate lessons from the prior fixed‑rate agreement by including flexibility, technology pilots, and mechanisms to address increased passenger volumes.

Board action and direction: The board’s adopted amendment (as read into the record) rejects current Area A proposals and directs the county mayor’s office to negotiate with ABM Aviation and Flagship Aviation, then present a competitive or noncompetitive recommendation to the board within 30 days; if noncompetitive award is not recommended, the mayor must provide written reasons and timing for re‑issuing the process. The motion carried on voice vote.

What was not decided: The vote did not name a final contractor or specify contractual terms, staffing totals, or incentive/penalty levels; commissioners explicitly asked the mayor and county staff to include service‑level agreements and consider incentive/penalty frameworks during negotiations. The board also did not adopt a final vendor list or a detailed staffing plan during the meeting.

Voices quoted on the record: Chairman Cabrera said, “the mediocrity and complacency would not be tolerated.” CNW president Matt Noe told the board his company absorbed “$3,500,000” in added costs and that the new procurement “allows for flexibility in passenger traffic.” ABM Senior Vice President Brad Lurie described technology that “allows us to create a demand based system” and said technology plus right processes can lower headcount while improving cleanliness. Commissioner Hardiman pressed both vendors on supervision and accountability, saying the county needs clear on‑the‑ground standards and follow‑up checks from supervisors.

Next steps: County staff are directed to enter negotiations and return to the board within 30 days with the mayor’s recommendation. Commissioners requested that procurement and aviation staff document service‑level agreements, pilot technology deployments, and a plan to honor incumbent employee seniority where applicable.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the amended motion directing negotiations with ABM Aviation and Flagship Aviation; the vote was taken by voice and no roll‑call tally by name was recorded in the meeting minutes.

(Reporting note: Statements and direct quotes are taken from the board meeting transcript; where a participant’s organizational role was stated on the record, the role is given with the name.)