SB2411 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 11430 HLH 21518 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB2411

Introduced 2/7/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

30 ILCS 500/45-45
30 ILCS 500/45-95
30 ILCS 500/45-105

Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. In provisions concerning small businesses, HUBZone business contracts, and bid preferences, provides that, if a bidder has failed to be awarded a contract after 4 consecutive bids to provide the same services to a single agency, the applicable chief procurement officer for that agency shall in writing detail why all 4 bids were rejected.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning finance.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Illinois Procurement Code is amended by changing Sections 45-45, 45-95, and 45-105 as follows:

(30 ILCS 500/45-45)

Sec. 45-45. Small businesses.

(a) Set-asides. Each chief procurement officer has authority to designate as small business set-asides a fair proportion of construction, supply, and service contracts for award to small businesses in Illinois. Advertisements for bids or offers for those contracts shall specify designation as small business set-asides. In awarding the contracts, only bids or offers from qualified small businesses shall be considered.

(b) Small business. "Small business" means a business that is independently owned and operated and that is not dominant in its field of operation. The chief procurement officer shall establish a detailed definition by rule, using in addition to the foregoing criteria other criteria, including the number of employees and the dollar volume of business. When computing the size status of a potential contractor, annual sales and receipts of the potential contractor and all of its affiliates shall be included. The maximum number of employees and the maximum dollar volume that a small business may have under the rules promulgated by the chief procurement officer may vary from industry to industry to the extent necessary to reflect differing characteristics of those industries, subject to the following limitations:

(1) No wholesale business is a small business if its annual sales for its most recently completed fiscal year exceed $13,000,000.

(2) No retail business or business selling services is a small business if its annual sales and receipts exceed $8,000,000.

(3) No manufacturing business is a small business if it employs more than 250 persons.

(4) No construction business is a small business if its annual sales and receipts exceed $14,000,000.

(c) Fair proportion. For the purpose of subsection (a), for State agencies of the executive branch, a fair proportion of construction contracts shall be no less than 25% nor more than 40% of the annual total contracts for construction.

(c-5) Failed bid notice. If a small business bidder has failed to be awarded a contract after 4 consecutive bids to provide the same services, then the applicable agency shall, in writing, detail why each of the 4 bids was not awarded to the bidder. The applicable agency shall submit by certified copy to the bidder the reason or reasons why each of the 4 bids was not awarded to the bidder. The agency shall submit that certified copy to the bidder within the same calendar quarter in which the fourth bid was rejected. This subsection does not apply if information pertaining to a failed bid was previously disclosed to a bidder by electronic means. If any agency chooses to provide information by electronic means, the agency shall have a written policy outlining how the agency will reasonably ensure the bidder receives the information. For the purposes of this subsection, "electronic means" means an email communication from the applicable agency to the bidder or a public posting on the applicable agency's procurement bulletin.

(d) Withdrawal of designation. A small business set-aside designation may be withdrawn by the purchasing agency when deemed in the best interests of the State. Upon withdrawal, all bids or offers shall be rejected, and the bidders or offerors shall be notified of the reason for rejection. The contract shall then be awarded in accordance with this Code without the designation of small business set-aside. Each chief procurement officer shall make the annual report available on his or her official website. Each chief procurement officer shall also issue a press release in conjunction with the small business annual report that includes an executive summary of the annual report and a link to the annual report on the chief procurement officer's website.

(e) Small business specialist. Each chief procurement officer shall designate one or more individuals to serve as its small business specialist. The small business specialists shall collectively work together to accomplish the following duties:

(1) Compiling and maintaining a comprehensive list of potential small contractors. In this duty, he or she shall cooperate with the Federal Small Business Administration in locating potential sources for various products and services.

(2) Assisting small businesses in complying with the procedures for bidding on State contracts.

(3) Examining requests from State agencies for the purchase of property or services to help determine which invitations to bid are to be designated small business set-asides.

(4) Making recommendations to the chief procurement officer for the simplification of specifications and terms in order to increase the opportunities for small business participation.

(5) Assisting in investigations by purchasing agencies to determine the responsibility of bidders or offerors on small business set-asides.

(f) Small business annual report. Each small business specialist designated under subsection (e) shall annually before November 1 report in writing to the General Assembly concerning the awarding of contracts to small businesses. The report shall include the total value of awards made in the preceding fiscal year under the designation of small business set-aside. The report shall also include the total value of awards made to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, as defined in the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act, in the preceding fiscal year under the designation of small business set-aside.

The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act.

(Source: P.A. 103-570, eff. 1-1-24.)

(30 ILCS 500/45-95)

Sec. 45-95. HUBZone business contracts.

(a) For the purposes of this Section:

"HUBZone business" means a business that operates and employs people in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) as designated by the federal HUBZone Empowerment Act.

"Qualified HUBZone small business concern" means a business that qualifies under the HUBZone program administered by the United States Small Business Administration.

(b) Each chief procurement officer shall establish rules, in consultation with the procuring agency, related to the eligibility of qualified HUBZone small business concerns to receive preference under this Section, and shall verify the accuracy of any information submitted by a qualified HUBZone small business concern with respect to a contract awarded under this Section.

(c) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to: (1) construction procurements; (2) construction-related services procurements; or (3) the selection of construction-related professional services.

(d) Failed bid notice. If a bidder has failed to be awarded a contract after 4 consecutive bids to provide the same services, then the applicable agency shall, in writing, detail why each of the 4 bids was not awarded to the bidder. The applicable agency shall submit by certified copy to the bidder the reason or reasons why each of the 4 bids was not awarded to the bidder. The agency shall submit that certified copy to the bidder within the same calendar quarter in which the fourth bid was rejected. This subsection does not apply if information pertaining to a failed bid was previously disclosed to a bidder by electronic means. If any agency chooses to provide information by electronic means, the agency shall have a written policy outlining how the agency will reasonably ensure the bidder receives the information. For the purposes of this subsection, "electronic means" means an email communication from the applicable agency to the bidder or a public posting on the applicable agency's procurement bulletin.

(Source: P.A. 100-881, eff. 1-1-19.)

(30 ILCS 500/45-105)

Sec. 45-105. Bid preference for Illinois businesses.

(a) (Blank).

(b) It is hereby declared to be the public policy of the State of Illinois to promote the economy of Illinois through the use of Illinois businesses for all State construction contracts.

(c) A construction agency, as defined in Section 1-15.25, procuring construction services shall make reasonable efforts to contract with Illinois businesses.

(d) Each construction agency shall submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1 of each year that identifies the Illinois businesses procured by the construction agency, the primary location of the construction project, the percentage of the construction agency's utilization of Illinois businesses on the project as a whole, and the actions that the construction agency has undertaken to increase the use of Illinois businesses.

(e) In procuring construction services for projects with a total value that exceeds the small purchase maximum established by Section 20-20 of this Code, construction agencies shall provide a bid preference to a responsive and responsible bidder that is an Illinois business as defined in this Section. The construction agency shall allocate to the lowest bid by an Illinois business that is responsible and responsive a bid preference of 4% of the contract base bid. This subsection applies only to projects where a business that is not an Illinois business submits a bid.

(e-5) The chief procurement officer shall require at the time of submission of a bid, and may require at the chief procurement officer's option at any time during the term of the contract, that the bidder or contractor submit an affidavit and other supporting documents demonstrating that the bidder or contractor is an Illinois business and, if applicable, submit an affidavit and other supporting documents demonstrating that the bidder or contractor is eligible for a 4% bid preference under this Section.

(e-10) If a contractor who is awarded a contract through the use of a preference for Illinois businesses provided false information in order to obtain that preference, then the contractor is subject to disciplinary procedures as identified in Section 50-65 of this Act.

(e-15) Failed bid notice. If a bidder has failed to be awarded a contract after 4 consecutive bids to provide the same services, then the applicable agency shall, in writing, detail why each of the 4 bids was not awarded to the bidder. The applicable agency shall submit by certified copy to the bidder the reason or reasons why each of the 4 bids was not awarded to the bidder. The agency shall submit that certified copy to the bidder within the same calendar quarter in which the fourth bid was rejected. This subsection does not apply if information pertaining to a failed bid was previously disclosed to a bidder by electronic means. If any agency chooses to provide information by electronic means, the agency shall have a written policy outlining how the agency will reasonably ensure the bidder receives the information. For the purposes of this subsection, "electronic means" means an email communication from the applicable agency to the bidder or a public posting on the applicable agency's procurement bulletin.

(f) This Section does not apply to any contract for any project for which federal funds are available for expenditure when its provisions may be in conflict with federal law or federal regulation.

(g) As used in this Section, "Illinois business" means a contractor that is, for at least one year prior, operating and headquartered in Illinois, subject to applicable State taxes, and providing, at the time that an invitation for a bid or notice of contract opportunity is first advertised, construction services. "Illinois business" includes a foreign corporation duly authorized to transact business in this State that has a bona fide establishment for transacting business within this State where it is operating, headquartered, and performing construction or construction-related professional services at least one year before an invitation for a bid or notice of contract opportunity is first advertised.

"Illinois business" does not include any subcontractors or businesses headquartered outside of the State that have an affiliated entity operating in the State.

(Source: P.A. 102-721, eff. 1-1-23; 103-570, eff. 1-1-24; 103-865, Article 35, Section 35-5, eff. 1-1-25; 103-865, Article 65, Section 65-5, eff. 1-1-25; revised 11-26-24.)