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Small business owner urges city procurement transparency, says local vendors are being overlooked
Summary
Auto repair business owner Andrew Siri urged the commission to examine Daly City procurement practices and increase opportunities for local vendors after reporting substantial municipal spending that he said largely leaves the city.
In public comment the commission heard from Andrew Siri, owner of AutoSound Performance on Mission Street, who asked the Small Business Commission to examine Daly City contracting and procurement practices so more municipal spending flows to local businesses.
Siri said he traced public‑sector purchases in 2024 and found roughly $11 million spent by departments on services, supplies and materials in categories that, he argued, could be supplied by local vendors. He also said he personally supplied roughly $708,000 of municipal work for several Bay Area agencies and that Daly City could benefit from similar in‑house sourcing.
“There's definitely a major flaw in the bidding, spending, and procurement,” Siri told commissioners, urging an oversight audit or reform that would increase transparency about who receives contracts and why. Siri criticized an apparent absence of published bid opportunities and asked the commission to press for clearer procurement postings and competition that would allow Daly City businesses to compete.
Commissioners acknowledged the concern and discussed the potential for a local preference or scoring matrix that would give extra weight to Daly City‑based or small businesses in procurement evaluations, while noting legal and policy constraints. One commissioner said the goal would be to strike a balance so local firms have a fair shot without violating procurement rules.
Why it matters: If valid, Siri’s concerns touch city purchasing, local economic development and whether municipal spending benefits Daly City businesses.
What’s next: Commissioners said they could examine the issue and consider recommending to council and city staff that procurement transparency and local preference mechanisms be evaluated; Siri offered to share his municipal procurement materials with the commission.
