Public Accountability Report

TOP ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Working under the leadership of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and his administration, operating within a hybrid model, the Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI) is proud of the following accomplishments:

PEOPLE FUNCTIONS

• OneNet internal and external supplier diversity training.
• Continued working with our CMS Human Resources partners to fill vacancies, as we currently have a 26.9% vacancy rate.

   

OPERATIONAL FUNCTIONS

• Standing CEI and Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Council public meetings were administered.
• Continued implementation of a comprehensive communication framework that includes regular stakeholder meetings to provide updates on BEP Council decisions, procurement policies, and diverse vendor requirements.
• Continued training and support to CEI staff members involved in communication efforts to enhance their skills in handling stakeholder inquiries and providing accurate and comprehensive responses.
• Conducted a comprehensive review of existing performance evaluation systems and identified vital metrics and indicators for increasing capacity, growing revenue, and enhancing credentials.
• Analyzed and assessed the current procurement landscape to identify areas where equity and inclusion can be strengthened, including potential biases or barriers.
• Engaged in stakeholder consultations, including chief procurement officers, to gather insights and feedback on the existing procurement rules and practices and their impact on equity and inclusion.
• Revised the annual BEP expenditure exemption request reporting template so that the statewide aspirational expenditure goal for BEP could be projected before the start of the fiscal year.
• Revised the annual compliance plan reporting template to better align with BEP Act requirements.
• Revised the BEP and Veterans Business Program (VBP) Utilization Plans.
• Revised the BEP and VBP goal waiver submission and review processes.
• Revised the BEP and VBP goal-setting review forms.
• Revised the BEP and VBP individual contract exemption submission and review processes.
• Revised the BEP class contract exemption form and process.
• Created the BEP Participation Closeout Report Form.
• Created the VBP Quarterly Contract Monitoring Form.
• Conducted a comprehensive analysis of the current laws, regulations, and policies related to inclusion and diversity in the State government to identify areas for improvement and potential legislative changes.
• Surveyed commissioners and senior staff to collect and prioritize legislative initiatives.
• Drafted proposed legislation that aligns with CEI’s objectives and statutory obligations, incorporating feedback from stakeholders and legal expertise.
• The proposed legislative changes were submitted to the Governor’s Office according to the prescribed submission process and legislative calendar.
• Conducted a comprehensive review of CEI's existing oversight structure and responsibilities over the BEP Council to identify any gaps or areas for improvement.
• Established clear lines of communication and collaboration between CEI and the BEP Council to ensure adequate oversight and coordination.
• Conducted a comprehensive analysis of the current laws, regulations, and policies related to inclusion and diversity in State government to identify areas for improvement and potential administrative rule changes.
• Collaborated with legal counsel and subject matter experts to draft and finalize the administrative rules per JCAR's formatting and submission guidelines.
• CEI compiled and maintained a comprehensive list of certified businesses owned by minorities, women, persons with disabilities, veterans, and service-disabled veterans daily. In addition to the full BEP certification, there were also the BE BEP, FastTrack, and TRC certifications. In addition to the full VBP certification, there was also the Veteran Recognition certification.
• CEI maintains the Supplier Diversity Management Portal, where purchasing entities, prime vendors, BEP firms, and VBP firms can monitor supplier diversity compliance.
• Compiled purchasing entity BEP supplier diversity expenditure data into an annual, published report.
• The first Special Committee public hearing was administered.
• CEI’s Equity Action Plan was completed.
• Monthly goal waiver, individual contract exemption, and class contract exemption reports were distributed to chief procurement officers and published on their websites.

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• New Hires/CEI and BEP Staff:
  • Marcos Zavala, Certification Analyst
  • Sarah Jardine, Compliance Analyst
  • Starla Thompson, Compliance Analyst
  • Atiyanna Jackson, Compliance Analyst