Council weighs local-preference changes to purchasing policy; staff to return with revised draft

Amanda introduced proposed amendments to the city's purchasing policy to define a local preference and create a tiered preference scale tied to contract size. The draft defines "local" primarily at the Branch County level and allows a company with 10 local employees to qualify; it also provides consideration for explicit local subcontracting in bids. "If you're willing to match that lowest amount, you would become the lowest bidder and we would award to you," Amanda explained as an example of the matching process staff proposes.