Forsyth County commissioners have voted to sunset a local business initiative program instituted in 2009 meant to give preference to Forsyth businesses in awarding government contracts.
The program was set up during 2009’s recession to award contracts of less than $1 million to local firms if they were within 5 percent of the lowest bids. The initiative does not include public works and road/bridge contracts, however.
County Manager Eric Johnson dubbed the program as not a best practice, and said that it could lead to retaliation by other governments that could institute their own preferential programs.
After hearing that the program affected fewer than 20 of the 2,600 transactions for which it would have been eligible last year, commissioners voted 5-0 to end the program July 1 to allow time to get the word to local businesses.
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