Fla. Stat. § 255.249 — Florida Code / Title XVIII / Chapter 255 / Section 255.249
255.249 Department of Management Services; responsibility; department rules.
Status: in_force

(1) The department shall have responsibility and authority for the operation, custodial care, preventive maintenance, repair, alteration, modification, and allocation of space for all buildings in the Florida Facilities Pool and adjacent grounds.

(2) A state agency may not lease space in a private building that is to be constructed for state use without first obtaining prior approval of the architectural design and preliminary construction from the department.

(3) The department shall require a state agency planning to terminate a lease for the purpose of occupying space in a new state-owned office building to state why the proposed relocation is in the best interest of the state.

(4) An agency that intends to terminate a lease of privately owned space before the expiration of its base term must notify the department 90 days before the termination. The department shall, to the extent feasible, coordinate the vacation of privately owned leased space with the expiration of the lease on that space and, when a lease is terminated before expiration of its base term, will make a reasonable effort to place another state agency in the space vacated. A state agency may lease the space in any building that was subject to a lease terminated by a state agency for a period of time equal to the remainder of the base term without competitive solicitation.

(5) The department may direct a state agency to occupy, or relocate to, space in any state-owned office building, including all state-owned space identified in the Florida State-Owned Lands and Records Information System managed by the Department of Environmental Protection. The Department of Legal Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Department of Financial Services are excluded from this subsection. However, the Department of Legal Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Department of Financial Services may elect to comply with the provisions of this subsection in whole or in part. Any relocation of an agency at the direction of the department shall be implemented within existing appropriations of the agency and shall not require a transfer of any funds pursuant to chapter 216.

(6) The department shall develop and implement a strategic leasing plan. The strategic leasing plan must forecast space needs for all state agencies and identify opportunities for reducing costs through consolidation, relocation, reconfiguration, capital investment, and the renovation, building, or acquisition of state-owned space.

(7) The department shall annually publish a master leasing report that includes the strategic leasing plan created under subsection (6). The department shall annually submit the leasing report to the Executive Office of the Governor and the Legislature by October 1. The report must provide: (a) A list, by agency and by geographic market, of all leases that are due to expire within 24 months. (b) Details of each lease, including location, size, cost per leased square foot, lease-expiration date, and a determination of whether sufficient state-owned office space will be available at the expiration of the lease to accommodate affected employees. (c) A list of amendments and supplements to and waivers of terms and conditions in lease agreements that have been approved pursuant to s. 255.25(2) during the previous 12 months and an associated comprehensive analysis, including financial implications, showing that any amendment, supplement, or waiver is in the state’s long-term best interest. (d) Financial impacts to the Florida Facilities Pool rental rate due to the sale, removal, acquisition, or construction of pool facilities. (e) Changes in occupancy rate, maintenance costs, and efficiency costs of leases in the state portfolio. Changes to occupancy costs in leased space by market and changes to space consumption by agency and by market. (f) An analysis of portfolio supply and demand. (g) Cost-benefit analyses of acquisition, build, and consolidation opportunities, recommendations for strategic consolidation, and strategic recommendations for disposition, acquisition, and building. (h) Recommendations for using capital improvement funds to implement the consolidation of state agencies into state-owned office buildings. (i) The updated plan required by s. 255.25(4)(c).

(8) Annually, by June 30: (a) Each state agency shall provide to the department all information regarding agency programs affecting the need for or use of space by that agency, reviews of lease-expiration schedules for each geographic area, active and planned full-time equivalent data, business case analyses related to consolidation plans by an agency, a telework program under s. 110.171, and current occupancy and relocation costs, inclusive of furnishings, fixtures and equipment, data, and communications. State agencies may use the services of a tenant broker in preparing this information. (b) The title entity or managing agency shall report to the department any vacant or underutilized space for all state-owned office buildings and any restrictions that apply to any other agency occupying the vacant or underutilized space. The title entity or managing agency shall also notify the department of any significant changes to its occupancy for the coming fiscal year. The Department of Legal Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Department of Financial Services are excluded from this subsection. However, the Department of Legal Affairs, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Department of Financial Services may elect to comply with the provisions of this subsection in whole or in part.

(9) The department shall adopt rules providing: (a) Methods for accomplishing the duties outlined in subsection (1). (b) Procedures for soliciting and accepting competitive solicitations for leased space of 5,000 square feet or more in privately owned buildings, for evaluating proposals received, for exemption from competitive solicitations requirements of any lease for the provision of care and living space for persons or emergency space needs as provided in s. 255.25(10), and for securing at least three documented quotes for a lease that is not required to be competitively solicited. (c) A standard method for determining square footage or any other measurement used as the basis for lease payments or other charges. (d) Methods of allocating space in both state-owned office buildings and privately owned buildings leased by the state based on use, personnel, and office equipment. (e) Acceptable terms and conditions for inclusion in lease agreements. At a minimum, such terms and conditions must include the following clauses, which may not be amended, supplemented, or waived: 1. As provided in s. 255.2502, “The State of Florida’s performance and obligation to pay under this contract is contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Legislature.” 2. “The lessee has the right to terminate this lease, without penalty, if a state-owned building becomes available to the lessee for occupancy and the lessee has given 6 months’ advance written notice to the lessor by certified mail, return receipt requested.” (f) A standard method for the assessment of rent to state agencies and other authorized occupants of state-owned office space, notwithstanding the source of funds. (g) For full disclosure of the names and the extent of interest of the owners holding a 4 percent or more interest in privately owned property leased to the state or in the entity holding title to the property, for exemption from such disclosure of any beneficial interest that is represented by stock in a corporation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or registered pursuant to chapter 517 which is for sale to the general public, and for exemption from such disclosure of any leasehold interest in property located outside the territorial boundaries of the United States. (h) For full disclosure of the names of all public officials, agents, or employees holding any interest in any privately owned property leased to the state or in the entity holding title to the property, and the nature and extent of their interest, for exemption from such disclosure of any beneficial interest that is represented by stock in any corporation registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or registered pursuant to chapter 517 which is for sale to the general public, and for exemption from such disclosure of any leasehold interest in property located outside the territorial boundaries of the United States. (i) A method for reporting leases for nominal or no consideration. (j) For a lease of less than 5,000 square feet, a method for certification by the agency head or the agency head’s designated representative that all criteria for leasing have been fully complied with and for filing a copy of such lease and all supporting documents with the department for its review and approval as to technical sufficiency and whether it is in the best interests of the state. (k) A standardized format for state agency reporting of the information required by paragraph (8)(a).

(10) The department shall prepare a form listing all conditions and requirements adopted pursuant to this chapter which must be met by any state agency leasing any building or part thereof. Before executing any lease, this form must be certified by the agency head or the agency head’s designated representative and submitted to the department.

(11) The department may contract for real estate consulting or tenant brokerage services in order to carry out its duties relating to the strategic leasing plan under subsection (6). The contract must be procured pursuant to s. 287.057. The vendor awarded the contract shall be compensated subject to the provisions of the contract, and such compensation is subject to appropriation by the Legislature. A real estate consultant or tenant broker may not receive compensation directly from a lessor for services that are rendered pursuant to the contract. Moneys paid by a lessor to the department under a facility-leasing arrangement are not subject to the charges imposed under s. 215.20.

History: s. 4, ch. 75-70; s. 2, ch. 78-166; s. 168, ch. 81-259; s. 34, ch. 85-349; s. 2, ch. 90-224; s. 148, ch. 95-148; s. 1, ch. 95-342; s. 11, ch. 98-279; s. 21, ch. 99-399; s. 2, ch. 2000-172; s. 19, ch. 2006-26; ss. 16, 17, 54, ch. 2007-73; s. 2, ch. 2007-220; s. 15, ch. 2008-227; s. 2, ch. 2009-77; s. 10, ch. 2010-151; s. 14, ch. 2012-215; s. 5, ch. 2013-152.