Clarke pushing for further Philadelphia preference in contract awards
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Council President Darrell Clarke would like Philadelphia companies and businesses to have further preference when the city awards contracts. (Tom MacDonald/WHYY)
The City of Philadelphia already awards the vast majority of contracts to local companies. But City Council President Darryl Clarke is pushing for more.
“We’re Philadelphians, right so we really don’t like people other than Philadelphians,” said Clarke, tongue firmly in cheek, as he spoke Wednesday with Trevor Day, city procurement commissioner.
But Clarke was serious about contracting with more companies in the city for goods and services.
“How far do you think we can go before we get challenged by law,” he asked.
Day responded that city businesses already win lots of government work.
“We currently award 68 percent of our total contract awards last year to local businesses,” said Day. “We do a good job of employing and awarding contracts to local businesses.”
“You know Philadelphians,” Clarke replied. “We want it all.”
A bill now in the works would give city-based companies an advantage in competing for those contracts.
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