On the ballot Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Question 1: what voters were asked

Should the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to revise the City's contracting procedures to allow for bid preferences and set-asides for small businesses; modify the threshold and standards for contracts that can be set aside for small and local businesses; and grant the Procurement Department and the City Solicitor discretion on bond requirements for certain construction projects?

A yes vote: The Charter is amended so the City can give contracting preferences to small businesses and expand them for local businesses on City-funded projects.
A no vote: The Charter is not amended, and the current contracting rules stay in place.

The Committee of Seventy says the change would let the City award contracts between $75,000 and $500,000 to local and small businesses even when they are not the lowest bidder. Committee of Seventy

The bill text and summary below are from the version as introduced. Council amended the wording before it passed, so the ballot wording above is the one that counts.

Wording from the Philadelphia City Commissioners.

All legislation

Localmedium impact · 5/10substantive260457

Council Proposes Question to Change City's Contractor Preference Policy in Upcoming Election Ballot

Official:Providing for the submission to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia of an amendment to The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to change City procurement procedures and requirements; fixing the date of a special election for such purpose; prescribing the form of ballot questions to be voted on; and authorizing the appropriate officers to publish notice and to make arrangements for the special election.

Sponsor: Council President Johnson

Introduced: May 7, 2026

Signed: June 4, 2026

: Committee on Law and Government

procurementsmall businesslocal economy

Plain-Language Summary

This bill puts a question on the November ballot to change how the city buys goods and services from contractors. The changes would give preferences to small businesses and increase the amount of money that can be spent without competitive bidding.

What This Bill Does

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

Submits a ballot question to the qualified electors of the City of Philadelphia to change the City's procurement procedures and requirements.
Allows for bid preferences and set-asides for small businesses in the City's contracting procedures.
Increases the threshold for contracts that can be set aside for small and local businesses from $100,000 to $500,000.
Grants the Procurement Department and the City Solicitor discretion on bond requirements for certain construction projects.