Localmedium impact · 4/10substantive160530

City Council proposed law would require prompt payment to Philadelphia vendors

Official:Amending Title 17 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Contracts and Procurement," by requiring the City to pay its vendors promptly, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Bass

Introduced: May 19, 2016

: Committee on Commerce & Economic Development

procurementvendor payments

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2016–2019 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill requires the City of Philadelphia to pay its vendors within a certain timeframe, typically 15-30 days, with some flexibility for complex or large-scale contracts.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

The City of Philadelphia must specify a prompt payment period for vendors, which cannot exceed 15-30 days, unless a longer period is reasonably required for payment.
The prompt payment period does not have to be the same for all procurement contracts, but must be specified for each contract.
The City must pay vendors within the specified prompt payment period, unless a longer period is reasonably required for payment.
The bill adds a new chapter (17-1700) to Title 17 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Prompt Payment of City Vendors and Their Subcontractors".