Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB3334

LRB104 09454 SPS 19514 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
HB3334

Introduced 2/18/2025, by Rep. Thaddeus Jones

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the HUBZone Center of Excellence Act. Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall create the HUBZone Center of Excellence. Provides that the HUBZone Center of Excellence shall serve as a center for HUBZone business development and provide sustainable opportunities for underserved communities. Provides that the HUBZone Center of Excellence shall prioritize creating wealth and sustainability in HUBZones through economic development, education, and strategic RFP development processes. Sets forth provisions concerning the duties of the Center and the creation of an operational plan. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the HUBZone Center of Excellence Act.

Section 5. Definition. As used in this Act, "HUBZone business" means a business that operates and employs people in Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) as designated by the federal HUBZone Empowerment Act.

Section 10. HUBZone Center of Excellence.

(a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall create the HUBZone Center of Excellence. The HUBZone Center of Excellence shall serve as a center for HUBZone business development and provide sustainable opportunities for underserved communities. The HUBZone Center of Excellence shall prioritize creating wealth and sustainability in HUBZones through economic development, education, and strategic RFP development processes.

(b) The Department shall purchase or renovate a building located in a HUBZone in this State to serve as the location of the Center. The building shall be at least 3,000 square feet, have office space for at least 10 employees, sufficient room to host public workshops, and the sufficient room to hold secure servers and technology for RFP development.

(c) The Department shall hire staff for the Center, including:

(1) a Director of Operations to oversees strategy and compliance;

(2) RFP specialists to manage proposal creation and compliance reviews;

(3) educators and trainers to conduct workshops on proposal and business development; and

(4) IT specialists to maintain technology infrastructure and ensure data security.

(d) The Center shall use artificial intelligence systems to facilitate proposals, increase transparency, and improve outcomes.

Section 15. Duties of the Center. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall assist the Center in the following duties:

(1) encouraging economic development, including:

(A) creating jobs in HUBZones, benefiting communities across the political spectrum and promoting bipartisan support; and

(B) empowering minority-owned businesses with tools and training for success;

(2) providing education and skills training, including:

(A) offering workshops and certifications in proposal writing and business strategy; and

(B) providing residents with pathways to sustainable careers; and

(3) promoting community wealth building, including:

(A) strengthening local economies through targeted business development initiatives; and

(B) recirculating resources within underserved communities to promote long-term economic stability.

Section 20. Operational plan.

(a) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall establish an operational plan for the Center as follows:

(1) for the 4 years following the establishment of the Center:

(A) establish operations, build capacity, and provide education and training;

(B) achieve an annual target of 182 proposals submitted, securing a 20% win rate; and

(C) recirculate public and private resources within the community; and

(2) after 4 following the establishment of the Center:

(A) transition to partial self-sustainability by implementing a fee-for-service model;

(B) offer services, including RFP development support that targets small-sized businesses and mid-sized businesses;

(C) offer workshops to training external clients in RFP strategies; and

(D) generate approximately $500,000 to offset operational costs, demonstrating fiscal responsibility and reducing dependency on external funding.

(b) The Department shall also establish a formula that will determine the number of proposals the Center needs to generate for the Center to award a specified amount of awards and achieve a 20% win rate.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.