30 ILCS 575/4

(30 ILCS 575/4) (from Ch. 127, par. 132.604)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on June 30, 2030)

Sec. 4. Award of State contracts.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), not less than 30% of the total dollar amount of State contracts, as defined by the Secretary of the Council and approved by the Council, shall be established as an aspirational goal to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities; provided, however, that of the total amount of all State contracts awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities pursuant to this Section, contracts representing at least 16% shall be awarded to businesses owned by minorities, contracts representing at least 10% shall be awarded to women-owned businesses, and contracts representing at least 4% shall be awarded to businesses owned by persons with disabilities.

(a-5) In addition to the aspirational goals in awarding State contracts set under subsection (a), the Commission shall by rule further establish targeted efforts to encourage the participation of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities on State contracts. Such efforts shall include, but not be limited to, further concerted outreach efforts to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.

The above percentage relates to the total dollar amount of State contracts during each State fiscal year, calculated by examining independently each type of contract for each agency or public institutions of higher education which lets such contracts. Only that percentage of arrangements which represents the participation of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities on such contracts shall be included. State contracts subject to the requirements of this Act shall include the requirement that only expenditures to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities that perform a commercially useful function may be counted toward the goals set forth by this Act. Contracts shall include a definition of "commercially useful function" that is consistent with 49 CFR 26.55(c).

(b) Not less than 20% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts is established as an aspirational goal to be awarded to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities; provided that, contracts representing at least 11% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts shall be awarded to businesses owned by minorities; contracts representing at least 7% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts shall be awarded to women-owned businesses; and contracts representing at least 2% of the total dollar amount of State construction contracts shall be awarded to businesses owned by persons with disabilities.

(c) (Blank).

(c-5) All goals established under this Section shall be contingent upon the results of the most recent disparity study conducted by the State.

(d) By December 31, 2028, the Commission on Equity and Inclusion shall conduct a new social scientific study that measures the impact of discrimination on minority and women business development in Illinois. By June 30, 2029, the Commission shall issue a report of its findings and any recommendations on whether to adjust the goals for minority and women participation established in this Act. Copies of this report and the social scientific study shall be filed with the Governor and the General Assembly. By December 31, 2029, the Commission on Equity and Inclusion Business Enterprise Program shall develop a model for social scientific disparity study sourcing for local governmental units to adapt and implement to address regional disparities in public procurement.

(e) All State contract solicitations that include Business Enterprise Program participation goals shall require bidders or offerors to include utilization plans. Utilization plans are due at the time of bid or offer submission. Failure to complete and include a utilization plan, including documentation demonstrating good faith efforts when requesting a waiver, shall render the bid or offer non-responsive.

Except as permitted under this Act or as otherwise mandated by federal regulation, a bidder or offeror whose bid or offer is accepted and who included in that bid a completed utilization plan but who fails to meet the goals set forth in the plan shall be notified of the deficiency by the contracting agency or public institution of higher education and shall be given a period of 10 calendar days to cure the deficiency by contracting with additional subcontractors who are certified by the Business Enterprise Program or by increasing the work to be performed by previously identified vendors certified by the Business Enterprise Program.

Deficiencies that may be cured include: (i) scrivener's errors, such as transposed numbers; (ii) information submitted in an incorrect form or format; (iii) mistakes resulting from failure to follow instructions or to identify and adequately document good faith efforts taken to comply with the utilization plan; or (iv) a proposal to use a firm whose Business Enterprise Program certification has lapsed or is not yet recognized. Cure is not authorized if the bidder or offeror submits a blank utilization plan, a utilization plan that shows lack of reasonable effort to complete the form on time, or a utilization plan that states the contract will be self-performed, by a non-certified vendor, without showing good faith efforts or a request for a waiver. All cure activity shall address the deficiencies identified by the purchasing agency and shall require clear documentation, including that of good faith efforts, to address those deficiencies. Any increase in cost to a contract for the addition of a subcontractor to cure a bid's deficiency shall not affect the bid price and shall not be used in the request for an exemption under this Act, and, in no case, shall an identified subcontractor with a Business Enterprise Program certification made under this Act be terminated from a contract without the written consent of the State agency or public institution of higher education entering into the contract. The purchasing agency or public institution of higher education shall make the determination whether the cure is adequate.

Vendors certified with the Business Enterprise Program at the time and date submittals are due and who do not submit a utilization plan or have utilization plan deficiencies shall have 10 business days to submit a utilization plan or to correct the utilization plan deficiencies.

(f) (Blank).

(g) (Blank).

(h) State agencies and public institutions of higher education shall notify the Commission on Equity and Inclusion of all non-responsive bids or proposals for State contracts.

(Source: P.A. 102-29, eff. 6-25-21; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-1119, eff. 1-23-23; 103-961, eff. 8-9-24.)