DENVER — DENVER — Both Denver mayoral candidates have signed a pledge to prioritize local companies when it comes to city contracts.
Thepledge was created by One Main Street Colorado, an advocacy group with a mission to expand the middle class. The group say both Kelly Brough and Mike Johnston signed a pledge to enact "best value contracting" practices during their first 100 days in office.
Instead of choosing the lowest bidder on city contracts, best value contracting looks at a company’s safety record, quality of work and if they hire local workers.
“Rather than fussing, hiring out-of-state companies who bus people in from out-of-state, pay them a low wage, and then bus them back to their state where they'll spend their paycheck outside Colorado, best value contracting ensures that we're hiring a local workforce who are going to get paid fair wages and going to spend their paycheck here in our local economy,” Andrew Short with One Main Street Colorado said.
Short says this practice will not only help Colorado small businesses but provide a living wage so workers can afford to live here.
Best value contracting is already being used in Adams County.
