HomeMy WebLinkAboutAttachment ACITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager
FROM: Milton Vickers, Senior Advisor
to the City Manager on behalf
of the Mayor
BACKGROUND
DATE: February 21, 2017
SUBJECT: $20,000.00 from the Mayor's
Anti -Poverty funds for Miami Lighthouse for
the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.
The City of Miami ("City") created the Anti -Poverty Initiative to address poverty and focus on providing
support to its residents.
Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. (the organization), now serves nearly 15,000
people each year and reaches and additional 3,300 through community education and outreach programs.
With the merger of the Miami Dade Optometric Physicians Association's Dr. Bruce Heiken Memorial
Fund in 2007, the mission was expanded to include comprehensive eye exams and prescription glasses for
underserved schoolchildren throughout Florida using our fleet of mobile eye care units and network of
optometrists. The allocation shown above will allow the organization to continue the following programs:
Early Intervention Program, Pre -Kindergarten Program, Transition Program, Year -Round Braille and
Technology Literacy Program, and Hieken Children's Vision Program.
As they are familiar with the needs of the community and requirements imposed by the City, it would be
advantageous to the City to expedite the allocation and waive procurement requirements at this time.
Providing these funds to the organization will allow more youth to obtain these services immediately, with
no added time for the procurement process, which could take over 30-40 days.
RECOMMENDATION
In light of the above stated, approval of a waiver of the formal requirements of competitive sealed bidding
methods as not being practicable or advantageous to the City as set forth in the City Code of Ordinances, as
amended, specifically Section 18-85 (A), and the affirmation of these written findings and the forwarding of
the same to the City Commission for ratification by a four-fifths vote is respectfully requested.
PPROV /DISAPPROVAL: