According to a board release, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors unanimously decided to provide local companies an advantage in the competitive bidding process for specific goods and services. The measure’s co-sponsors, Supervisors Noelia Corzo and Board President Warren Slocum, praised the ruling as a strategic investment in the expansion and sustainability of local business ventures and a representation of the county’s values.
The new rule, which will go into effect on July 1, 2025, gives San Mateo government-based businesses that bid on government contracts a pricing edge. According to this calculation, their bids are essentially 5% less expensive than those of their competitors who are not local. Additionally, 8 percent and 10 percent, respectively, would be given preference to local small and micro companies. Supervisor Slocum and Corzo emphasized that the high rents in the area often put local businesses at a disadvantage, and these incentives are a concrete manifestation of the county’s dedication to creating an environment where they not only survive but flourish in spite of the region’s high operating costs.
“We know that our County is one with a lot of prosperity – but that prosperity isn’t shared by all,” Slocum said during the ordinance’s deliberations, highlighting the glaring inequality in the county. The County of San Mateo also expressed this view. This policy change was influenced by the county’s 2024 Supplier Diversity Study, which revealed that local small businesses—particularly those owned by underrepresented groups—were not being sufficiently used in county procurement procedures.
The board has also put some protections in place with the interests of taxpayers in mind. For example, if a local bid substantially outbids nonlocal proposals by up to $10,000 or if the county would not benefit from leveraging such a preference, the local preference may be waived. The declaration that the county was able to get emphasized that these actions are not just about giving people special treatment; they are also about fostering the local economy and, thus, moving toward economic equality in the towns within the county.
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