ABOVE PHOTO: Stefano Ember / Shutterstock.com
If passed, a new bill will make sure that subcontractors can take a job without going broke in the process.
By Denise Clay
For subcontractors, getting a chance to participate in a project connected to the City of Philadelphia can raise their profile enough to keep them on the city’s radar.
But while the higher profile might be nice, getting paid for the work done as part of the contract is even nicer…and is often a problem.
Cindy Bass
“When a building contractor does something for the city, it has to show financial competency,” Councilwoman Cindy Bass said. “But they often want to wait to pay subcontractors until they get paid by the city. That can cause these small businesses to go out of business.”
Because of this, Bass introduced a bill during Thursday’s council session that would require the general contractors working on City jobs to pay their subcontractors within three days of these subcontractors completing their part of the project or once invoices are submitted. The bill would also allow these general contractors to utilize Joint Check Agreements, or third-party organizations like the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation to handle subcontractor payments.
Getting these contractors paid helps the City’s economy in a whole host of ways, Bass said.
“This bill is particularly relevant to the many small businesses and entrepreneurs who are vital in our city contracting process and who are disproportionally minority, women and disabled own businesses,” Bass said. “Treating businesses fairly and paying them quickly is not only the right thing to do, but it is good for our local economy.”
The bill was placed into committee during Thursday’s meeting, but Bass, who represents Council’s Eighth District, is hopeful that the public hearings on the bill will begin before Council’s Summer Recess in June.
In other council news, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown introduced a bill that would mandate LED Lighting in city buildings and facilities. This bill was also referred to committee.
Council also passed resolutions honoring the lives of Black Family Reunion founder Barbara Daniel Cox and Laborers Local 332 leader Sam Staten Sr.
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