ABOVE PHOTO: Councilmember at-Large Derek Green (phlcouncil.com/derekgreen)
The Local Business Purchasing Initiative, introduced by Councilmember Derek Green, went into effect July 1. The initiative aims to make the contracting process more efficient by reinvesting locally and improving access to opportunities.
“Enacting change starts by providing equitable opportunities for substantial growth and investment of small businesses, which are the heartbeat of Philadelphia’s economy,” Green said.
Green sponsored this legislation last year in an effort to simplify the City’s procurement procedures, as well as provide greater incentives for local businesses, particularly those that are minority, women and disabled-owned enterprises who are seeking contract opportunities with the City. This amendment was then approved by voters during the general election last November.
“Passed last year with the support of my City Council colleagues and approved by voters last fall, this amendment increases efficiency of the City’s contract bidding process and raises thresholds during a formal Request for Proposals (RFP) from $34,000 to $75,000 for all businesses, and $100,000 for certified Local Business Entities (LBE’s),” Green said in a recent Op-Ed he wrote about the LBP initiative.
“For minority, women, and disabled-owned enterprises, this presents a valuable incentive to do business with Philadelphia and simultaneously allows dollars to be reinvested back into the most vulnerable neighborhoods with the greatest needs,” he continued.
This summer, the city will launch a new contracts hub on: www.phila.gov. The new site will also make it easier to search for opportunities that match businesses and with potential capacity. Contract opportunities have been identified as a great way to grow businesses.
“We cannot bank on the federal government to have our backs, nor can we bet on going back to the way things were before coronavirus took hold of our lives,” Green said. “Here at the municipal level, we must be the change we wish to see.”
Green also suggests that the City channel the same energy of the Black Lives Matter movement and civil justice into the legislative decision-making process and for entrepreneurs who are fighting to survive at this very moment.
“In that same spirit of survival, I implore every Black and brown business owner in Philadelphia to familiarize themselves with the Local Business Purchasing Initiative and become a certified LBE. Register your business with the Office of Economic Opportunity via the Department of Commerce,” he concluded.
To find out more about the Local Business Purchasing Initiative, visit the Philadelphia Sunday SUN Facebook Page to view the SUN Spotlight segment with Councilmember Green. Additional information can also be found online at: www.phila.gov. You can get in touch with a representative by calling (215) 683-2057 or emailing [email protected] to find out more about its benefits.
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