City Of Dallas To Push More City Business To Locally Owned Companies

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Photo credit Steven Pickering - KRLD

DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - The Dallas City Council is trying to push more city business to locally owned companies struggling with a drop in demand because of COVID-19.

Dallas' Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Reich says the city already has rules in place that can favor a local company. Reich says the city council can choose a Dallas-based company for low-bid contracts if they come within three percent of the lowest outside company.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson says he wants to spend more time discussing city contracts to see if they've picked a Dallas-based company and if not, does the company have employees in Dallas and did the city have any other option.

"I want to make sure that when we are approving contracts, to the extent we can, that we are spending money locally" said Mayor Johnson.

The city council's economic recovery committee says it'll get a briefing next week on the "Dallas First" plan to look at the city's options to try to steer contracts to local companies.

Dallas' chief financial officer says the city can give preference to local companies for contracts if they bid within 3% of a non-local business. She says some contracts have required the business to be within 2 hours of city hall. pic.twitter.com/geyJSHeg3s

— Alan Scaia (@scaia) May 13, 2020