A5200.15 Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females and Persons with Disabilities

Statement

Shawnee Community College is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in its procurement activities by supporting the participation of businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities in alignment with the Illinois Business Enterprise Program (BEP). We recognize the importance of creating economic opportunities for underrepresented groups and strive to meet or exceed the BEP participation goals established by the State of Illinois.

Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities (BEP)

Pursuant to 30 ILCS 575/1 et seq Shawnee Community College will act in such a way to promote and encourage the continuing economic development of minority, female owned, and persons with disabilities operated businesses.  As a way of measuring our efforts and commitments to this purpose, the College sets the following as aspirational goals for the awarding of construction, professional service, and state contracts:

Note:  Percentage (%) shown in the table is an expression of total dollars awarded, not total contracts.

The College directs the participation of all departments in seeking out and taking necessary steps to ensure that minority, female, and persons with disabilities owned businesses are afforded economic opportunities provided by the college.

Pursuant to 110 ILCS 805/3-27.1, contracts for the purchase of supplies, materials, or work exceeding $25,000 must be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder.  In an effort to balance our commitment to this purpose with the need to be good stewards of local taxpayer monies, the College will evaluate bids based upon financial concerns first and foremost but will make consideration for qualified businesses.

Coordination of this policy will be vested in the college’s purchasing/AP department; however, the commitment to this program is college-wide and all departments shall contribute to its success.