Definitions

Section 10 Section 10.10  Definitions "Act" means the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities Act [30 ILCS 575]. "Department" means the Illinois Department of Central Management Services. "BEP" or "Business Enterprise Program" means the activities conducted by the Council, Secretary and Department of Central Management Services pursuant to the Act. "BEP Eligible" or "BEP Eligible Vendor" means an MBE, FBE or PBE. "Council" means the public body established by the Act to implement and oversee implementation of the Business Enterprise Program. "Eligible Group Member" means a person who meets the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 10.40(a). "FBE" means a business owned and controlled by females in accordance with the requirements of the Act and this Part. "MBE" means a business owned and controlled by minorities in accordance with the requirements of the Act and this Part. "PBE" means a business owned and controlled by persons with disabilities in accordance with the requirements of the Act and this Part. "Public Institutions of Higher Education" has the meaning provided in Section 2(A)(7) of the Act. "Racial, Gender or Disability-Based Discrimination" means specific, documented instances of racial, gender or disability-based bias in the utilization of FBE, MBE or PBE businesses for State contracts compared to the availability of these businesses in the market. Generalized allegations of societal and/or industry discrimination are not sufficient, on their own, to satisfy this standard. "Secretary" means the individual appointed to act as Secretary to the Council and to be manager of the BEP Division of the Department of Central Management Services. "Sheltered Market" means a procurement procedure in which certain State contracts are selected for businesses owned and controlled by minorities, females, and persons with disabilities on a competitive bid or negotiated basis [30 ILCS 575/8b]. "State Agency" has the meaning provided by Section 2(A)(6) of the Act. "State Contract" has the meaning provided by Section 2(A)(5) of the Act.