A proposal that would require the use of electronic signatures at all city departments, as well as a related measure to ensure the city is engaging in “sustainable and socially responsible” procurement practices could be passed as early as next week, after Pittsburgh City Council advanced the legislation on Wednesday.
The ordinance, spearheaded by Mayor Bill Peduto’s administration, would mandate that all city departments continue using electronic signatures permanently, after they became commonplace during the covid-19 pandemic.
Doing so during the pandemic reduced waste by more than 5,800 pounds over two years, city officials estimated.
A second, related ordinance would ensure the city’s tax dollars support environmentally and socially responsible vendors and companies entering into professional service agreements with the city.
The proposed legislation calls for city officials to score potential vendors and servicers on factors like sustainability, diversity and inclusion. It would also instruct officials to factor in considerations like transportation distance and product repurposing when reviewing proposals.
Another segment of the legislation updates the city code related to paper products, electronics, lighting, furniture and office supplies to align with the administration considers modern environmental standards.
“We need to lead by example,” Councilwoman Erika Strassburger said, adding that the city should ensure it is abiding by sustainable and socially responsible guidelines before it asked private companies to do the same.
The measure would allow the city to grade potential vendors and companies providing professional services judging from their sustainability and social responsibility in terms of diversity and other factors. It would apply to companies like law firms who work with the city, Councilwoman Deb Gross said.
It does not, however, apply to subcontractors, like the crews who pave city roads, she said.
The proposal also urges city departments to consider things like packaging and delivery-related emissions when evaluating low-bid contracts, said Jennifer Olzinger, assistant director of procurement. Plus, it urges city workers to buy socially-responsible, sustainable items — like opting for LED lights over regular ones.
“It more guides the city staff on what we should be buying,” she said.
Gross said that the so-called “scorecards” that city officials use when making contract decisions are not currently available for City Council members, though “we’ve been wanting to see this scoring, especially on larger contracts.”
The city’s legal team advised them not to release those scorecards even to council members, Olzinger said. They are considered to be “internal deliberation” and are not subject to Right to Know laws, she said.
The proposed legislation does not seem to contain any mechanism for making such scorecards public.
Still, council members expressed enthusiasm at the idea of focusing on sustainable and socially responsible contracts.
Gross pointed out a piece of the proposal that encourages the city to consider using recycled road materials, a measure is in “enthusiastically embraced” by council, she said.
“It would solve a lot of problems,” Councilman Anthony Coghill said, adding that he had heard of a company that used recycled plastic for roads.
Elements such as recycled road materials are not mandated in the legislation, but the proposal does encourage city officials to consider such options.
Both ordinances were advanced Wednesday with support from all council members at the meeting. Councilman Corey O’Connor was absent.
Julia Felton is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Julia at 724-226-7724, jfelton@triblive.com or via Twitter .
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November 20, 2021 at 11:41PM
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Legislation requiring electronic signatures, 'socially responsible' procurement moves one step closer to approval - TribLIVE
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