Quarterly Meeting of the State Committee of Vendors

DRAFT

Chairman, Randall Crosby called the meeting to order at 8:31 am. Vice Chairman, Kurt Ponchak called the role.

Friday, June 6, 2025      

The following individuals were present:  Randall Crosby, Chairman; Kurt Ponchak, Vice Chairman

District Representatives: Wanda Feldsteen (via Teams), District 1; Colton Knight, District 2; Mark Turner, District 3; Darryl Brinton, District 4; David Stevens, District 5; Kash Ahmed, District 6 Alternate; Jose Quintanilla, District 7; Sead Bekric, District 8; Orlando Ramirez (via Teams), District 9; Antonio Gonzalez, District 10.

Bureau of Business Enterprise Staff:  Bill Findley, Bureau Chief; Alan Risk, Compliance Officer; John Ahler, Business Analyst; Brian Ashworth, Region 1 Business Consultant; Bernie Kaiserian, Region 2 Business Consultant; Jay Payne, Region 3 Business Consultant; Tony Arduengo, Region 4 Business Consultant; Alecia Brown, Region 5 Business Consultant; Yusnay Torrens, Region 6 Business Consultant; Angela Elgaard, Region 7 Business Consultant (via Teams); Mary Ellen Harding, Administrative Services Consultant; Andrea Mendez, Administrative Assistant III

Florida Division of Blind Services Director: Robert L. Doyle

District Alternates/Licensed Vendors: Patrick Martin, District 2 Alternate; Natasha Ginarte, District 3 Alternate; Patti Fulda, District 4 Alternate

Career Technology and Training Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired:  Raven Pulliam; BEP

Guests: T.J. McCormick; Vendor; Ryan Akeley, Vendor; Jim Warth, Vendor

Motion to adopt the agenda made by Knight. Second by Brinton. Adopted unanimously.

Motion to approve minutes from March Quarterly Committee Meeting made by Quintanilla. Second by Ponchak. Adopted unanimously.

Vending Facility Storage Issues: Bill Findley
Discussion centered around the ongoing challenge of storage availability for vendors operating vending routes, particularly those without designated storage facilities on-site. Several vendors (e.g., in Brevard County, Panama City, Fort Lauderdale, Sarasota-Bradenton Airport, Collier County, Brooksville) lack access to storage for their vending operations. Some vendors are using personal homes or shared spaces for storage. The Agency faces difficulty acquiring storage due to Department of Education and Department of Management Services contractual requirements and lack of available space in government buildings.

Solutions discussed: Vendors could acquire their own storage units. The agency could reimburse a portion (e.g., 50%, 75%) or up to a fixed dollar amount. There was also a suggestion to make reimbursement 100% to ensure fairness, especially compared to rest area vendors who typically have on-site storage. Rent larger warehouse spaces and subdivide for multiple vendors which could be cost-effective but may be expensive in urban areas. Use air-conditioned portable units placed on vendor-owned or approved property at an estimated cost: ~$6,000 to purchase or lease. Use commercial food storage services (e.g., restaurant supply warehouses). Commercial facilities would need to be registered in the Florida Marketplace for state payment processing. Explore partnerships with local lighthouses for the blind that may have available space.

Federal dollars (e.g., set-aside funds) may not be used for individual vendor storage for over six months. Only applicable for new licensees or new facilities. Vendors can already deduct storage costs from their monthly reports. Further clarification is needed on how this affects set-aside payments.

The Committee agreed follow up should be to determine if the agency should pursue a formal reimbursement policy, explore funding sources (state vs. federal), investigate feasibility of shared or portable storage options, and consider policy updates to support equitable access to storage.

Change of Venue for December 2025 Committee Meeting: Mary Ellen Harding
Embassy Suites on Jamaican Court was the original meeting location, however, it will be under renovation during the December 2025 meeting. The Alternative proposed venue is Embassy Suites in Altamonte Springs. It is close to the original location with a room rate: $149 per night. It has an on-site restaurant: Omaha Steakhouse, and nearby dining options within walking distance: Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, Yard House, Chili’s, and Longhorn Steakhouse.

Motion to move the December 2025 Quarter Committee of Vendors Meeting to Altamonte Springs Embassy Suites made by Kurt Ponchak. Seconded by Darryl Brinton. A voice vote was held. The motion carried unanimously.

Policy Proposal #1: Repair Threshold Increase: Colton Knight
A proposal was made by the Policies and Procedures Subcommittee to raise the repair threshold requiring consultant approval from $400 to $750. The rationale for the proposal is due to inflation and increased service costs which have made $400 outdated. Concerns raised were lack of internal controls if threshold is raised, a potential for vendors or repair services to inflate prices, and the importance of consultant involvement for warranty checks and budget awareness. Consultants believe that few repairs exceed $400. The proposal was tabled by Colton Knight and seconded by Brinton for further discussion and study.

Policy Proposal #2: Reimbursement Process: Colton Knight
The proposal would allow reimbursements for invoices received after 60 days if the postmark is within the 60-day window. Delays in receiving invoices and check clearance can push vendors past the deadline. Concerns raised were the risk of encouraging vendor procrastination in submitting invoices, the need for clearer policy language and updated forms, and accessibility issues for blind vendors in submitting documentation. Discussion suggested the proposal be referred to the Finance, Budget, and Audit Subcommittee for language refinement, and to consider integrating reimbursement tracking into the inventory system. The proposal was tabled in a motion by Knight and seconded by Ponchak to refer it to subcommittees to collaborate on policy language.

Policy Proposal #3: Type II Placement Preference: Colton Knight
The proposal was to update the Type II policy to give preference (not priority) to licensed vendors without a LOFA (License to Operate a Facility Agreement). The intent was to addresses temporary facility management, especially in cases like vendor death.

Key Points:

Strike all amendment made by Ponchak, second by Knight are as follows: 1) Changes priority to preference, 2) amends the panel composition to include: a regional consultant from outside the region, 3) changes administrative services consultant to BEP employee with knowledge of facility needs, and Committee Chair or Committee Chair’s designee. Voice vote was unanimous in favor of the amendment.

The primary criteria is the panel must still meet the operational needs of the facility when selecting a vendor for a Type II.

Ponchak made the motion to accept Policy 4.2 as amended. Second by Knight. Vote carried unanimously in favor of the amendment.

Bylaw Amendment #2: Emergency Electronic Voting: Colton Knight
The proposal would allow for electronic voting in emergencies (e.g., for Chair/Vice Chair elections or bylaw changes). Discussion:

Outcome: Referred to the subcommittee for refinement and simplification.

Bylaw Amendment #1: Voting Eligibility for Licensees
The proposal is to allow all licensees, regardless of LOFA status, to vote in elections. The voting district would be based on primary residence if the vendor had no LOFA. Only vendors under a LOFA can run for committee positions. Amendments to the proposal were to change “permanent” to “primary” residence.

Risk read the motion for Section 3 to the Committee. Ponchak made a motion to change permanent to primary under Section 3 of the proposal. Second by Knight. Voice vote was unanimous in favor of the amendment.

Risk read the motion for Section 4 to the Committee. A motion made by Knight to change eligible vendor to vendor under a LOFA under Section 4 of the proposal. Second by Ponchak. Voice was unanimous in favor of the amendment.

Director Robert Doyle:
Regarding State budget cuts, the Legislature has reconvened this week. The House and Senate agreed on $2.5 billion in cuts. The Senate aligned with the Governor’s budget but made concessions to the House. For example: the House proposed cutting 52.75 Division of Blind Services (DBS) positions. The Senate agreed to cut ten vacant DBS positions, which the House accepted. DBS must now identify which ten vacant positions to eliminate.

Both House and Senate budgets include increases for general cost adjustments and provisions to draw down federal funds previously available. There are some miscellaneous items the House and Senate have not agreed to relating to some of the lighthouses. The goal for the Legislature is to have a budget completed by June 16, 2025.

A 2% pay increase for State employees is believed to be agreed upon by both the House and Senate, though it is not yet confirmed.

There have been unexpected budget developments in federal funding. The Federal government issued a double cost-of-living increase not included in DBS’s original budget request. However, without authorization to accept all funds, some money may need to be returned. Last year, DBS returned $6 million. This year’s return is expected to be less.

The Federal budget is looking at flat funding based on 2024 for VR programs which is a positive thing given broader cuts in other programs. Also, flat funding is being considered for the blind program which is again a positive given cuts to other programs. There is no funding for training programs under the U.S. Department of Education, Protection & Advocacy programs and direct support for supported employment which is expected to be absorbed by State general VR funds.

Forms and Instructions for LBR are expected this week but not yet received.

Return to Bylaw Amendment #2: Voting Eligibility for Licensees: Colton Knight
Risk read Section 5 to the Committee. Changes reflected the vote by the Committee last year to change simple majority to majority and the word vendors to licensees.

Risk read Section 6 to the Committee. A change was made from the word vendor to licensee.

Risk read Section 7 to the Committee. No change was made.

Risk read Section 8 to the Committee.

Knight made a motion to strike the clause from Section 3 starting with the period at the word “residence” going forward to the end of the sentence. Second by Ponchak.

Ponchak made the motion to adopt Amendment 1 as amended to be sent to all licensees for approval at the biennial seminar. Second by Knight. Voice vote was unanimous in favor of the amendment.

Business Enterprise Program Updates: Bill Findley
Manny Diaz Jr., current Commissioner of Education, is leaving to become interim President of the University of West Florida. Anastasios Kamoutsas, former General Counsel and Chief of Staff, is expected to be appointed as the new Commissioner, pending State Board approval. Findley is planning to leave in September, with the exact date pending.

Efforts are underway to finalize Alan Risk’s appointment as Bureau Chief. An update to the position description for Compliance Officer is being worked on and should be publicly advertised soon. Interviews for the Compliance Officer role are planned prior to Findley’s departure.

Current military contracts are in Panama City (Navy), Key West (Army) $1M per year, Hurlburt Field (Air Force). A new contract with Eglin Air Force Base was recently secured, worth $2.2M/year. The Hurlburt Field extension goes through July; the new contract starts August 1. There is a potential renewal in Panama City starting October 1. Camp Blanding may return to using contracted vendors. Vendor interviews are scheduled in anticipation of the return of the contract. Tyndall Air Force Base arbitration with RSA led to a potential renegotiation or new solicitation for Mess Attendant Services. Applications for military contracts are due June 9th. The exam is scheduled for June 11th and interviews should take place virtually on June 16th.

Concerns: New contracts may pull current vendors from existing facilities, creating a vendor shortage. The current military dining budget is over $6M and may require an increase to budget authority due to new contracts as these are pass-through funds which means the military pays the state, which pays vendors.

Upcoming Events are Atlantic City BLAST October 6–8 and Vistar Buying Show & BLAST Training March 30–April 1, 2026, at Renaissance SeaWorld, Orlando.

Daytona Training Center Updates: Raven Pulliam
Banks and Chand are managing the snack bar. Chand handles paperwork and adds culinary creativity, while Banks manages daily operations. Chand has introduced handmade items and quick-service meals, including soups, salads, and parfaits for the micro market. Joy returned from medical leave, and the team is now fully staffed.

All students have completed training. Training on micro market systems was provided by Cantaloupe representatives, covering product input and report generation. Students lack direct access to the system for hands-on experience, which is seen as a gap in training.

Discussion about expanding training to include military dining and third-party arrangements with Pulliam. Consideration of using external facilities like cafeterias for broader training exposure. There is a call for more consistent and early integration of accessibility training. Need for better tools and simulations (e.g., dummy accounts) for students to practice report generation. Interest in incorporating more real-world tools and experiences, such as inventory management for blind students.

The Committee inquired about preparing students for Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) certification. While new businesses can apply, they must be established first to get the certification. It was suggested to create informational packages to educate students on the benefits and process of certification.

Budget Report: Kurt Ponchak and Bill Findley

Budget: Bill Findley
As of the end of May we have $261K in our set aside account (grants and donations funds). News rack monies also go into that account. We peaked in December at $640K. With 0% and then 3% set aside the amount in the account has gone down. Allowable and unallowable amounts are a murky topic, which is why we are hoping we get approved for receiving state revenue dollars. Set aside is generated because of the Randolph Sheppard Program so when it is paid in it is still considered federal money with federal rules. We had more budget authority for military contracts because we did not get an anticipated contract previously.

The Panama City contract has not made monthly payments for several months. The issue is being resolved and should be certified forward for this fiscal year’s budget authority. Invoices are being submitted and should be caught up in the next two to three months.

Legislation/Spending Authority: Kurt Ponchak
As of the end of May, the program had $261,000 in available cash. By the end of June, projections estimate $290,000–$300,000 in available set-aside funds. The Grants and Donations Trust Fund (set-aside account) peaked at $640,000 in December but has since decreased due to spending and reduced set-aside rates.

If the legislative budget request is approved, the rate will return to 6% in October. A legislative budget request has been submitted for increased spending authority (up to $950,000). If approved, the increased authority would support new equipment, training, and technology upgrades. Ponchak’s concerns included uncertainty around the legislative budget request due to staff turnover and instability in the department and concerns about maintaining a sufficient cash cushion (historically around $278,000–$300,000) to handle emergencies like COVID-19. Some vendors expressed concerns about the equity of varying set-aside rates. The committee emphasized that the annualized approach ensures fairness over time.

Ponchak made a motion to raise set aside to 4% for July–September 2025 and readdress the set aside issue at the August committee meeting. Second by Bekric. The committee voted 10-2 to approve the temporary 4% rate, with plans to revisit the rate in the August meeting.

Vote:
Crosby – Yes
Ponchak - Yes
Feldsteen - Yes
Knight - No
Turner - No
Brinton - Yes
Stevens - Yes
Ahmed - Yes
Quintanilla - Yes
Bekric - Yes
Ramirez - Yes
Gonzalez - Yes

Streaming the Licensure Process for BEP License Holders in Other States: Bill Findley
There may be a number of ways the licensure process for license holders in other states may be licensed in the Florida program. Evaluation of out-of-state vendors at actual facilities before allowing participation would be one way to ensure we are getting good candidates. Consideration of a standardized or core menu for food service facilities was suggested by a committee member. Another suggestion was to explore reciprocity with neighboring states like Georgia. Encouraging innovation and flexibility in vendor operations beyond traditional food service and vending was also suggested.

The potential shortage of qualified vendors in the near future due to a national decline in food service vendors is having an impact on Florida’s program which is a cause for concern. There is a risk of spreading current vendors too thin across facilities. Location-based limitations for implementing delivery services like DoorDash or Uber Eats exist. Ensuring that out-of-state vendors are properly vetted to prevent Florida’s BEP from not getting problematic transfers. Fear of lowering program standards by easing training requirements were expressed by some committee members.

Implementing self-checkout kiosks and online ordering to modernize food service, developing a core menu with flexibility for regional preferences, use of technology to reduce workload on blind vendors (e.g., kitchen ticket printing) and exploring partnerships with colleges for online pre-training modules were discussed by the committee.

Suggestions were to investigate the feasibility of online core training courses with educational institutions.

Encourage the training subcommittee to develop a streamlined onboarding process for vetted out-of-state vendors. Evaluation of current food service facilities for potential upgrades or consolidation. Studying the viability of implementing kiosk and self-service technology in more locations. Consider the possibility of forming a subcommittee to reassess the BEP business model and explore new business opportunities. Developing a formal vetting process for out-of-state vendors, including background checks and performance reviews.

Type II Report: Bill Findley on behalf of Maureen Fink
The Naples Vending Route (Facility 112) is being transitioned to Andrew Willson around July 1. The Brooksville Vending Route (Facility 272) is still active with David Stevens. Palm Beach County Courthouse and related county route locations are pending final agreement language. Pemberton currently manages both Miami FCI and FDC facilities.

Regional & District Updates

Region 3: Jay Payne
Facility 285 - Daytona Beach Vending Route. Laundry equipment was replaced at Blue Springs, Tomoka, and Gamble Rogers State parks May 5th. The PayRange system was added to give another payment option and lessen the burden of collecting currency. A total of seventeen machines were replaced.

Facility 497 – Kennedy Space Center Building M6493 Route A. The Micro Market at OSB-2 was approved. We are awaiting the delivery of the market equipment from Cantaloupe and counter space to be removed from the facility by building maintenance.

Facility 478 - Rest Area I-75 Marion County Northbound. Scheduled to be opened later this June. No specific date has been set yet. Steve Schneider currently is operating Facility 479, which will go out for bid as soon as we get a date for the opening of Facility 478.

District 5: David Stevens
Coleman Prison has been experiencing a slump in sales for the last three months. The last time this happened was in 2023 during the holiday season. Concern was expressed about the national hiring situation and whether that is affecting visitation staff who are considered nonessential personnel.

District 6: Kash Ahmed
A vendor at Kennedy Space Center has a lot of pop-up stands selling grab and go food items. The vendor has sent a letter to Robert Doyle outlining the problem. Sales are taking place in the parking lots outside of Facilities 466 and 403. This has been an ongoing problem for a long time.

Training and Recruiting: Mary Ellen Harding
Three students will begin training at the Center on July 14th. The next class is scheduled to begin around the beginning of November, barring hurricane delays. It was requested that district elections be held prior to the end of July to allow for biennial seminar planning.

Compliance Officer Report: Alan Risk
CEU Compliance Summary (as of June 4, 2025):

Grievance Hearing Report:

Selection Cycle Update:

Special Military Dining Opportunities:

New Licensee Report:

 

Marketing & Site Development: Bill Findley on behalf of Greg Coon
Surveys:
Total Completed (FY24–25 through May): 39 site surveys.

Solicitations:
Total Evaluated (FY24–25): fifteen solicitations.

Proposal Submitted:

Installations:
Machines Installed (FY24–25 through May): 107 machines (112 equivalent with one micro-market conversion)

Opportunities:

Additional Updates:
Miami-Dade County: Evaluating three buildings for snack bar or micro-market services

Federal Permits:

Business Analyst Report: John Ahler
Monitoring Reviews & Vendor Updates:
Forty monitoring reviews were completed in the past state fiscal year (ending June 30). Four coaching reports completed with new vendors — both performing well. One returning vendor and one current vendor are transitioning to different facility types. Support is being provided for the vendor adapting to a new facility type.

Cantaloupe Account Cleanup:
Efforts underway to deactivate old readers and identify active/inactive ones. Consultants and the analyst are reaching out to vendors to verify reader statuses.

Laundry Equipment & PayRange Integration:
There is a new initiative to install PayRange on laundry equipment. Some devices are malfunctioning, there is a learning curve for both vendors and staff. Cash sales on laundry equipment must now be tracked by operators. Reports will be required during monitoring. Positive feedback from parks due to improved payment options.

Quarterly RSA Report:
This report covers the first six months of the federal fiscal year (Oct 1 – Mar 31).

Interstate Revenue:
Revenue for the first six months: $4.39 million. Down from the previous year: $5.46 million. Possible reasons: major location closures for reconstruction. Annual revenue goal: $26 million — currently on track.

Regional & District Updates Continued
Region 1: Brian Ashworth
Surveyed Department of Financial Services, Criminal Investigations Division office in Tallahassee on April 21st resulting in a new permit for this location. We are set to install one snack and one drink as soon as the permit is signed. These two machines will be added to the Eastside Tallahassee Vending Route – Facility 593. On April 30th, we conducted an operator changeover at Facility 423, the I-75 Welcome Center. Mark Turner was awarded the facility on a Type II LOFA after the previous vendor, Larry Miller passed away. On May 14th, I escorted the HQE Systems (Surveillance Camera) team to three different styles of rest areas on I-10 so that they can have a better idea of what materials to order to start installing the camera systems at our rest areas. On May 7th the Larson micro market went live. This is the third market established on the downtown micro market route, Facility 632. Stefan Mitchell has this as his Type I facility and has done a great job of meeting the needs and requests of all three micro markets. Building populations have increased, but vending sales are down slightly from this time last year. 2024 first quarter vend count was 291,806 with sales of $636,993. 2025 first quarter vend count was 276,478 with sales of $632,354.

Security Camera Installation Update:

District 2: Colton Knight
Most vendors in the district are doing well. Ongoing concern was raised again about Mr. Carpenter’s A/C system.

Facility Construction and A/C Upgrade for Carpenter’s facility activity includes:

Motion was made to extend the meeting to 5:15 p.m. by Ponchak. Second by Knight. Passed unanimously.

Region 2: Bernie Kaiserian
Great sales.

Facility 487 – US Post Office Bulk Mail Center Jacksonville. The population has returned. Patty Fulda made over $35K in sales, which could be a vending record. We recently added two more machines in a new break area.

Facility 513 – Downtown Jacksonville Vending Route. Over $50K in net sales in April for Josh Kimrey. Unfortunately, the loss of the Jacksonville Job Corps will hurt the route. May gross sales were approximately $9,600.

Facility 590 – City of Greater Jacksonville - NAS Building 162. April sales of $35,989 may be a facility record. Natasha Ginarte is doing a great job with this route.
Orlando Ramirez took over a Type I at Facility 33 - Duval County Courthouse in May. Hugh Mansfield had operated this café on a Type II for almost two years and has stepped aside for health reasons. Raven brought the three BEP trainees to Jacksonville for a tour of the facilities in May. All three students came into BEP as clients of the Jacksonville office. Operators at two of the oldest rest areas in the State, Facility 406 - Rest Area I-95 Northbound St Augustine (St Johns) & 407 - Rest Area I-95 Southbound St Augustine (St. Johns), recently resolved significant water issues related to the age of the pipes and fixtures at their facilities. They worked with the FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) contractors and contracted plumbers to install shutoffs to their water supplies for better control in the event of future issues. In addition, Facility 407 sales were negatively affected in 2024 as the “1 Mile to the Rest Area” sign was blown down last year. It took about six months for the FDOT to get it reinstalled. We did not know exactly how much it affected the rest area, but April 2025 sales were up over 40% from 2024 sales.

District 3: Mark Turner
Larry Miller passed away. Facility 423 - Rest Area I-75 Hamilton County (Welcome Center) has had the middle portion closed for two weeks for construction. Facility has poor phone reception making it difficult to make calls except in specific spots. Strong concerns were raised about violations of the Code of Conduct regarding a recent grievance. Knight will have the Policies and Procedures subcommittee work on a code of conduct.

District 4: Darryl Brinton
Fulda is happy being back in the Post Office. Ramirez was welcomed to the district. The district is doing well.

Region 4: Tony Arduengo
Facility 161 - West Tampa Vending Route. Reorganized on a changeover to Jeff Estebo now has a storage room.

Facility 396 - East Tampa Vending Route. Reorganized on a changeover to Sam Weaver is now more geographically coherent. Three sets of washers and dryers were added to Hillsborough State Park.

Facility 627 - Tampa Micro-Market Route. Reorganized on a changeover to Jermaine Hicks. The facility’s main storage is now located at the DCF (Department of Children and Families) Tampa location. The previous operator left the vending downtown very low. Hicks has been working to get everything in order again.

Facility 634 - Polk County Vending Route. Currently out for a Type II. Interviews will be held on June 10th. Changeover will occur on June 23rd. The facility needs some consistency as it has had four operators in two years.

Facility 180 - Fort Myers Route. A location was added. Upgraded a drink machine at the Bonita Springs Post Office and replaced a snack machine at the trucker’s weigh station.

Facility 555 - US Post Office Sarasota/Manatee Vending Route. Card readers were replaced.

Facility 112 - Collier-Naples/Lee County Vending Route. Added location at a park and ride. Confirmed all the readers and fixed the lights at Leigh High Acres in preparation for the new operator starting in July.

Facility 436 - US Post Office General Mail Facility Ft Myers. Added a six wide and replaced an old four wide in the back break room.

Facility 555A - Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority. Added a hot drink machine replacing two hot drink machines.

Facility 500 - Pinellas County Route. Job Corp location may be closing. For the last 12 months the location has made $76K of the facility’s $293K in total sales. Around October some machines should be added to the main location of Bay Pines VA, which should help if Job Corps closes.

District 7: Jose Quintanilla
Vendors in the district are doing well. Joey Garcia has had an issue with chargebacks. Suggestions to make chargebacks go away was to turn off multi-vend. Quintanilla is waiting to see if there is any increase in sales at his facility due to the opening of a new theme park.

District 8: Sead Bekric
Vandalism has been reported at Facility 482. The operator reported the crime to law enforcement and offered video, but they did not want to see it.

District 5: Alecia Brown
Facility 431 - (St Lucie County South Bound Rest Area). Patrick Carty has officially signed in effective 5/6/2025.

Facility 640 - (Port of Palm Beach) Type II awarded. The consultant will schedule with awarded operator (Patrick Carty) to complete install around 7/1/2025 to the new facility. Currently in the process of obtaining machinery necessary per agreement.

May’s Selection Cycle currently has three facilities in the region listed, awaiting selection determination/award.

  1. Facility 430 - St Lucie County Northbound Rest Area
  2. Facility 547 - Non-highway South Broward Vending Route
  3. Facility 612 - Broward Sheriff’s Office.

Facility 621 - Fort Pierce Vending Route. Indian River County. The agreement is up for renewal in August of this year. They have expressed an interest in renewing another two years. This is positive news for stability on the route.

Facilities 469 - Palm Beach County Courthouse and 257- Palm Beach County Vending Route. Both facilities awaiting agreement finalization with Palm Beach County, this has and continues to be a process but both facilities and facility operators continue to provide service accordingly, without any disruption.

Currently waiting on a response to the bid for Indian River State College.

District 9: Orlando Rameriz
Everything is fine in his district, there are no concerns with the vendors.
Region 6: Yusnay Torrens
Region 6 continues to show steady progress with multiple facilities demonstrating operational improvements and increased sales performance. Total sales for the period January through April 2025 reached $295,107.36, reflecting a 9.8% increase over the same period in 2024 ($268,809.20).

015 - Dade County Courthouse 1st and 2nd Floors. The Permit Agreement has been renewed. Relocation of personnel to the new building is delayed with August now projected as the tentative move-in date.

156 - Dade County Justice Building. Continuing to provide services, until the County Real Estate Office moves the current tenant out for non-compliance. Colon entered into a contract with Dade County for the Brummer Building right behind the Justice Building. The opening was a total success. We will reconsider it for a Type I within a year as BDS currently has no Agreement with the county. There are no vending machines currently since they have a contract with a county vendor.

Facility 117 – Federal Building Miami 2nd Floor. New machines have been added to the route to replace old machines that were not working properly. Some locations such as Surfside USPS have been merged and closed. The operator took logical measures and moved the machines to other locations to avoid losses.

Facility 348 – State Regional Service Center Miami. Ramirez is efficiently managing this Type II Cafeteria at the State Building. The sales remain below expectations but above the previous third-party sales figures.

Facility 510 - Krome Detention Center Miami. Pemberton has been liquidating inventory and purchasing a limited number of items, getting ready for the upcoming closing of the commissary. However, given increased activity with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) she has had record sales this past month.

Facility 512 - Miami FCI Class I and 2 and Facility 530 – Federal Detention Center Miami. The FCI and FDC prisons were combined as a Type II LOFA. Pemberton has been struggling with the security officers and the memos and times granted for services. FCI has become a challenge, and sales are super low because they do not allow visitors very often, however FDC seems more promising, and sales are great.

Facility 519 - US Post Office Miami (NW 72nd Ave). Ochoa switched to Coke exclusively, received new machines that have been presenting problems already but overall, he is very happy with the outcome mainly for the reduction in prices given the exclusive customer rate.

Facility 568 - US Post Office Opa Locka Airport. Sales remain stable, a couple of machines replaced due to malfunction.

Facility 588 - US Southern Command Doral. Alvarez has done a great job at Southern Command, a lot of repairs and changes were necessary, the micro-market was taken out because it was not viable and replaced with frozen/refrigerated machines. The sales numbers have increased two to three times.

Facility 589 - FAA Miami Program Support Center. A new, free Cantaloupe Kiosk will be installed on June 9th at the FAA to replace the old ParLevel kiosk. Cantaloupe is known for providing better and cheaper services.

Facility 597 - US Customs & Border Protection. New machines have been added at the Airport but after closing the Parole sales will be too low to be considered a Type I soon.

Facility 606 - US Army Special Forces Operations School. Military Dining Facility is currently being operated under the new contract, the officers are pleased with the service they are receiving. Vending route sales remain stable; Gonzalez has been looking into possible expansion in the Keys.

Facility 614 - US Post Office Doral Route. Job Corps Center to be closed. Cuba Broadcasting reopened with limited personnel.

Region 6 Sales Jan-Apr 2024 were $268,809.20.
Region 6 Sales Jan-Apr 2025 are $295,107.36.

District 10: Antonio Gonzalez
Alvarez requested to add Route 588 to his current route due to the loss of a few locations. Financially, it makes sense if the value is around $3,000. No other vendors in the area are interested in Route 588. The route falls within Guillermo’s side of the operational boundary.

Paola Espinoza is in distress. She was interested in the prison contract but did not bid; it was submitted as a single bid for both locations. The prison contract is estimated to be worth $90,000, while the other location is around $30,000–$40,000 gross.

All of the other vendors are doing great.

Region 7: Angela Elgaard
Facility 620 - Panama City Vending Route. Awarded to David Wermuth on April 10th on a Type II.

April 17th drink and snack machines moved into the Operations Center at NAS Saufley Field. This coincides with base staff returning to work after teleworking since 2020.

April 18th new washers and dryers installed at St. Andrews State Park. Payment system PayRange has been installed.

Facility 619 - Panama City NAS. Alton Palmore awarded the facility on a Type II.

Facility 639 – Hurlburt Air Force Base and Topsail Hills Preserve State Park. Bruno Arnold was awarded the facility on a Type II on May 21st. A future addition to the route is Eglin Air Force Base.

District 1: Wanda Feldsteen
Everything is status quo with no issues being reported.

Saturday, June 7, 2025

The following individuals were present:  Randall Crosby, Chairman; Kurt Ponchak, Vice Chairman

District Representatives: Wanda Feldsteen (via Teams), District 1; Colton Knight, District 2; Mark Turner, District 3; Darryl Brinton, District 4; David Stevens, District 5; Kash Ahmed, District 6 Alternate; Jose Quintanilla, District 7; Sead Bekric, District 8; Antonio Gonzalez, District 10.

Bureau of Business Enterprise Staff:  Bill Findley, Bureau Chief; Alan Risk, Compliance Officer; John Ahler, Business Analyst; Brian Ashworth, Region 1 Business Consultant; Bernie Kaiserian, Region 2 Business Consultant; Tony Arduengo, Region 4 Business Consultant; Alecia Brown, Region 5 Business Consultant; Yusnay Torrens, Region 6 Business Consultant; Angela Elgaard, Region 7 Business Consultant (via Teams); Mary Ellen Harding, Administrative Services Consultant; Andrea Mendez, Administrative Assistant III

District Alternates/Licensed Vendors: Patrick Martin, District 2 Alternate; Natasha Ginarte, District 3 Alternate

Guests: T.J. McCormick; Vendor; Ryan Akeley, Vendor; Pattie Fulda, Vendor; Jim Warth, Vendor

Unfinished Business:
Biennial Seminar: Jose Quintanilla
The Seminar is in good shape. A major issue with speaker Frank Kitchen’s contract has been resolved. Breakout sessions added for Friday afternoon concurrent with the trade show. Thursday night there will be a light reception and trade show preview. Trisha Waechter of Blind Girl Designs contract as second speaker is being submitted in My Florida Marketplace for approval. Breakout topics include machine repairs by Dandmat (returning due to popularity), “Ask Adam” session, grievance and selection procedures panel, interviews with long-serving vendors AI applications for business (new session), and technology demonstrations by blind operators (tentative). The trade show currently has fourteen vendors confirmed, possibly up to seventeen. The max capacity: ~28-30 tables make room for ~10 more vendors. Vendors needing power can be accommodated. Suggestions to email potential vendor contacts to Mary Ellen Harding.

Biennial Grievance & Selection Procedures Panel: Kurt Ponchak
The first organizational meeting is scheduled. New protocols for grievance handling include defined roles for moderator, chair, grievance, and agency. Emphasis will be placed on transparency and a structured process. Discussion on including agency representatives on panels. Training and education for grievance subcommittee encouraged.

Biennial Suggestions & Ideas:
Technology Demonstration: Blind vendors showcasing tools they use (e.g., Meta AI glasses).
Low Vision Tech: Patrick Martin and others to participate.
Rotating shifts for tech demos during trade show.
Disadvantaged Business Certification: Still pursuing participation.

Survey Proposal for Vendor Pricing: Collect pricing data anonymously to assist vendors gauge good pricing.

Elections & Voting:
Elections for district representative, chair, and vice-chair upcoming.
Emphasis on professionalism and avoiding past conflicts.
Voting to be conducted via Microsoft Forms to make elections secure, anonymous, and accessible. There will be an option to call in vote if accessibility is an issue.

Discussion Points:
Ongoing issues with Pepsi and Coke pricing and service.
Regional differences in support and pricing.
Discussion on using generic machines where vendor support is lacking.
Debate over exclusive vs. non-exclusive agreements.

Public Comments
Clarification: Vendors still receive CEUs for attending Florida Council of the Blind meetings.
Reminder: Elections should focus on candidates' contributions, not personal matters.

Adjourned 9:48 a.m.

 

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