The Board of Supervisors finds and declares the following:
(a) This Article shall be known as the Sweatfree Contracting Ordinance.
(b) Each year the City and County of San Francisco spends hundreds of millions of dollars contracting with private sector contractors for the purchase or rental of goods. The prudent expenditure of public dollars requires that the City select responsible contractors.
(c) The City and County, as a major purchaser of goods, must be cognizant of the labor conditions that may be supported by its actions as a major market participant. Better working conditions assure consistently better quality goods for the City and County, by assuring fewer disruptions in the workplace due to workers’ grievances, fewer absences due to illnesses, less fatigue and fewer workplace injuries, less turnover of workers, and greater incentive to perform.
(d) In its role as a market participant, the City and County seeks to assure that the integrity of the procurement process is not undermined by contractors or subcontractors who engage in sweatshop practices. Contractors who use Sweatshop Labor are able to underbid responsible contractors who pay fair wages and maintain humane work environments and conditions. Such practices place responsible contractors at a competitive disadvantage, which may dissuade responsible contractors from participating in the City and County procurement process. This Article will encourage responsible contracting with the City and County and reduce any inadvertent support of contractors who use Sweatshop Labor.
(e) By adopting this ordinance, the City and County does not intend to preclude the City and County or its contractors or subcontractors from doing business with any foreign country.
(Added as Administrative Code Sec. 12U.1 by Ord. 223-05, File No. 051257, App. 9/16/2005; redesignated by Ord. 221-23, File No. 230835, App. 11/3/2023, Eff. 12/4/2023, Oper. 1/4/2024)