Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Staff ReportsNovember 1, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-04-23-at-2.03.59-PM.png

As expected, Harris Corp. is taking a battle over a major state law-enforcement radio contract to an appeals court. The Melbourne-based company Thursday filed a notice of appeal of a decision by the Department of Management Services (DMS) to award the contract to Motorola Solutions, according to the 1st District Court of Appeal website. DMS Secretary Erin Rock last month […]

Jim RosicaOctober 8, 2018

The Department of Management Services (DMS) will enter into final negotiations with Motorola Solutions to take over the state’s law enforcement communications network, the company announced Monday. DMS Secretary Erin Rock issued a final order, accepting a recommendation by Administrative Law Judge J. Bruce Culpepper to dismiss a protest by Harris Corp., which previously had the contract. The order was not posted Monday morning; […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 5, 2018

A Tallahassee judge has ruled for Motorola Solutions in a bid protest over the statewide law enforcement radio system, a deal potentially worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Administrative Law Judge J. Bruce Culpepper filed an 86-page recommended order Wednesday with the Department of Management Services (DMS), suggesting the agency “enter a final order dismissing the protest” by Harris Corp. […]

Jim RosicaJuly 18, 2018

Screen-Shot-2017-07-05-at-3.03.19-PM.png

Simone Marstiller, a retired appellate judge, has been appointed to the Florida Supreme Court’s Judicial Management Council. Marstiller now is with the Gunster law firm’s appellate and government affairs teams, based in the Tallahassee and Tampa offices. The council “serves as high-level management consultants to the Supreme Court and (is) responsible for assisting the chief justice in proactively identifying trends, potential crisis situations, […]

Peter SchorschJune 26, 2018

It’s only been eight years since Tallahassee’s “Taj Mahal” courthouse scandal made headlines, sparking an investigation into the state’s decision to fund a lavish $48 million building for the 1st District Court of Appeals. Granite counter tops, flat screen TVs and framed artwork were among the building’s high-end amenities. Now, it appears another Taj Mahal, […]

Jim RosicaJune 19, 2018

Lawyers on Monday filed recommendations as to how an administrative law judge should rule in a bid protest over the statewide law enforcement radio system, a deal potentially worth in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The recommended orders from Motorola Solutions and the Department of Management Services (DMS) were filed under seal, however, meaning they are […]

Jim RosicaMay 10, 2018

Screen-Shot-2018-05-10-at-2.28.00-PM.png

Harris Corp., already fighting its loss of a more than half billion-dollar state radio contract, now is suing over allowing winning bidder Motorola to use its radio towers. The Melbourne-based communications company filed suit Wednesday afternoon in Leon County Circuit Civil court against the Department of Management Services (DMS) and the Agency for State Technology — one day […]

Jim RosicaMay 9, 2018

Motorola’s bid for a statewide law enforcement radio system is based on an “unknown design,” one that “no one knows what it’s going to look like” and that it “may never be able to deliver,” an attorney for Harris Corp. told an administrative law judge Tuesday. Furthermore, the state’s decision to go with Motorola is […]

Staff ReportsApril 30, 2018

Work on the Senate side-grounds of the Florida Capitol and its underground parking garage is nearing an end after the garage was first closed in May 2016. It was shut down when its primary support girder showed signs of stress after years of water intrusion. “Structural work inside the Senate parking garage was completed last […]

Jim RosicaApril 23, 2018

A month after losing a contract for the state’s first responder radio system, Harris Corp. has filed a public records lawsuit in Tallahassee. The Melbourne-based company filed its complaint last week. It seeks an “expedited hearing” after it asked for information that its competitor, Motorola Solutions, says is covered by a “trade secrets” exemption. The state on March […]

Tag: Department of Management Services
A rose by any other name ...

Harris appeals state’s radio contract decision

A half-billion dollar payday: Motorola wins final OK for state radio contract

Motorola prevails in bid protest over multi-million dollar radio contract

Personnel note: Simone Marstiller appointed to Judicial Management Council

Taj Mahal Part Deux?

Judge close to decision in radio system bid protest

Lawsuit: You can’t use our radio towers, Harris Corp. tells state

Technology, towers at issue in state radio system bid protest

Construction on Capitol grounds, underground nears completion

Harris files open records suit over statewide radio contract