Rules Committee OKs RFQ approach, delays Vision Zero contracting ordinance for one week after LBE concerns

The Rules Committee on June 10 approved an amendment and continued an ordinance that would allow expedited contracting for Vision Zero transportation projects, after members and public commenters pressed to preserve local business-enterprise (LBE) access and worker protections.

Supervisor Asha Safai urged retaining the city’s longstanding LBE and prevailing-wage protections while still speeding project delivery. Safai proposed — and the committee agreed to pursue — an RFQ-based process to create a prequalified pool of vendors so Public Works could draw from that list when projects arise. Safai said the approach preserves competitive processes and legal safeguards while enabling faster procurement.

Bruce Robertson, Deputy Director of Finance and Administration for Public Works, told the committee that the department would develop an RFQ and a vendor pool with outreach to the contracting community and that recent project data show strong LBE participation: “86% of those, the prime contractor has been an LBE.”

Multiple public commenters from the LBE community urged the committee to slow enactment and ensure meaningful outreach; Trisha Gregory (Heavyweight Trucking) asked the committee to “put a pause on the amendments of Vision 0 projects” until LBEs are fully consulted. Committee members agreed to come back next week with amendment language; the motion to amend and continue to the June 17 meeting passed unanimously.

The amendment aims to balance faster delivery of safety projects with protections that LBEs and workers say should not be discarded in the rush to accelerate traffic-safety work.