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Board debates Amazon Business use vs. local vendor preference; suggests 5% local preference window
Summary
Commissioners discussed whether to commit to Amazon Business for volume discounts versus adopting a local-vendor preference (suggested 5% threshold). Members said staff should still seek cheaper options and not strictly limit vendor choices.
The board discussed whether to encourage staff to use Amazon Business to obtain tiered discounts or to prioritize local vendors through procurement language that would give a modest preference to local businesses.
One commissioner proposed a local preference window of 5% — that is, local vendors would receive first consideration if their price fell within 5% of the lowest bid. Members agreed the policy should not block procurement staff from finding cheaper options and that staff can be asked to look locally first but still choose the best price overall.
