ACTION STATEMENT

 The city has created a Diversity Procurement Ordinance that provides opportunities for female, minority, and disenfranchised business enterprises to do business with the city. The ordinance applies to any contract that exceeds $50,000, to which the City is a party, for the construction, rehabilitation, alteration, conversion, demolition or repair of buildings, highways, or other improvements to real property. Small businesses that are at least 51% owned by one or more qualified persons, as defined in the Illinois Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities.  The City has enhanced policies and ordinances that clearly document the city's commitment to women/minority supplier development efforts.

 ACTION STEPS

• Regularly updating staff on the progress of the diversity procurement initiative using the city website, newsletters, etc., to highlight successful M/WBE vendor relationships. Using these examples when advertising in minority-focused publications or attendance at diversity-aimed job fairs.
• Providing mentoring, coaching, and training opportunities for vendors that will strengthen and assist in long-term growth of MBE’s, WBE’s, and DBE’s.
• Creating an orientation for new M/WBEs doing business with the city to encourage quality and timely delivery of contracted services. If financially feasible, create a rewards program for those prime contractors that excel in its good faith efforts or demonstrate exceptional active involvement in diverse communities. These incentives will encourage primes if minority supplier development positively impacts their revenue and provides potential cost savings.
• Establishing relationships between prime contractors and diverse communities through community outreach programs and minority business and career fairs. To successfully establish relationships with diverse suppliers, contractors will find it easier to gain respect and trust from diverse businesses if they became active in the community.

The city is committed to the following for subcontractor and workforce aspirational goals:

• Ensuring nondiscrimination in the award and administration of city contracts.
• Encouraging a level playing field on which MBEs, WBEs, and DBEs can compete fairly for city contracts.
• Promoting the use of female and minority workers on city projects.
• Ensuring that female and minority participation goals are narrowly tailored in accordance with applicable law. 
• Providing appropriate flexibility to businesses in establishing and providing opportunities for female and minority workers.
• Eight percent of the total contract amount should be awarded to MBEs, DBEs, and/or WBEs, if subcontracting opportunities are to be made available
• Ten percent of the total hours worked should be performed by minority workers and 2% by female workers (or blend thereof and inclusive of any workers utilized by the contractor and any subcontractors).