Authorizing Council's Committee on Law and Government to investigate the process by which the City awards professional services contracts and other contracts that are not subject to the competitive bidding requirements of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter.

WHEREAS, Each year, the City of Philadelphia awards hundreds of millions of dollars of professional services contracts and other contracts that are not subject to the competitive bidding requirements of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter; and

WHEREAS, While the City sometimes uses a competitive contracting process to award professional services contracts, no such competitive process is required by the Home Rule Charter, nor does any provision of The Philadelphia Code require a competitive contracting process or otherwise regulate the award of professional services contracts; and

WHEREAS, Council needs to better understand how the City awards professional services contracts and other “no bid” contracts as the Council considers proposals to amend the Home Rule Charter or to enact other legislation regulating the award of professional services contracts; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA,

That The Committee on Law and Government is hereby authorized to hold public hearings to investigate the process by which the City awards professional services contracts and other contracts that are not subject to the competitive bidding requirements of the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That in furtherance of said investigation, the Chair of Council's Committee on Law and Government is hereby authorized to issue subpoenas or institute any other process necessary or appropriate to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.

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