Engaging Locally! Located in West Philadelphia, Penn operates among a thriving business community. The University works closely with area suppliers and stakeholders to encourage local business growth.
Penn is committed to providing opportunities to businesses and individuals in our local communities, which includes: (1) the nearby community (i.e., zip codes within a three-mile radius of the University), (2) the City of Philadelphia, and (3) the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area (i.e., Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, and Chester Counties). Penn believes that outreach to those in our local communities who may become suppliers, service providers, or contractors is critical to ensuring awareness of opportunities and encouraging participation in those opportunities.
Penn’s activities and programs in support of local economic opportunities are designed to provide businesses and individuals in our communities with access to business opportunities with the University. To encourage this, Penn’s Procurement Services team actively supports local economic growth by providing access to purchasing opportunities for local and small businesses. We maintain tools to help buyers source from local suppliers and small businesses, and host regular events to connect local and small businesses with the Penn buying community. Through partnerships with community organizations and targeted outreach, we help ensure that our procurement activity contributes to job creation, business development, and long-term economic resilience in the local community and for small businesses.
Local Economic Opportunity Plenary Committee
The Local Economic Opportunity Plenary Committee exists to provide oversight and strategy to the University in formulating and managing its initiatives. Three subcommittees of the committee meet to review and monitor progress made in procurement, construction and workforce development, and report to the full Plenary Committee on a quarterly basis. There have been measurable benefits to the neighborhood, city and region resulting from these initiatives.
Collaboration
Procurement Services collaborates with a number of internal and external partners to advance opportunities with local suppliers through idea generation, ongoing information sharing, and networking. This engagement is vital to the mutual success of Penn and the organizations listed below:
- African American Chamber of Commerce of PA-NJ-DE
- Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia
- The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia
- City of Philadelphia's Office of Economic Opportunity
- Economy League of Greater Philadelphia
- Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Independence Business Alliance
- Netter Center for Community Partnerships
- West Philadelphia Corridor Collaborative