General

Section 10 Section 10.50  General a)         The certification process verifies that the business is owned and controlled by BEP eligible individuals in accordance with requirements of the Act and this Part. The Secretary to the Council will oversee the certification process.  The certification procedure consists of the requirements and procedures outlined in this Section. b)         The Secretary will certify a business firm that meets the requirements of the Act and this Part.  All certifications, new and existing, shall be valid for a period of 7 years from the effective date of the certification, subject to annual confirmation. c)         Only certified businesses are eligible for the benefits of the Program. Agencies may count only those expenditures with a certified business or certified business subcontractor toward meeting the goal. d)         A business owned and controlled by minority females shall designate whether the business will be certified as FBE or MBE. e)         A business owned and controlled at least 51% by any combination of minorities, females and persons with disabilities shall be counted as a business owned and controlled by the eligible group that has the largest percentage of ownership.  When there is a tie, the business shall select the eligible group classification. f)         A business owned and controlled by a person with a disability, or by an entity that is a not-for-profit agency for the disabled, is a PBE certified business regardless of the ethnicity or gender of the owner or owners, or of the governing board. g)         These classifications facilitate consistent accounting of agency contract awards to businesses covered by the Act.  These classifications do not preclude such businesses or not-for-profit agencies from receiving any contract that may be awarded under the Illinois Procurement Code [30 ILCS 500] or other applicable law.