Sandoval Eyes Reform of Business Enterprise Program

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Business

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Business

In response to the state’s poor record of contracting with women and minorities despite a program specifically designed to include them, a special Senate committee opened a new inquiry Tuesday in the first of a series of scheduled meetings on the matter. Many public universities, including the University of Illinois, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University and Eastern Illinois University, did not come close to meeting the goal to spend 20 percent of their contract dollars with businesses owned by minorities and females last fiscal year. State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago), Chairman of the Special Committee on Supplier Diversity, called the meeting to find out why universities failed to meet the requirements of the Business Enterprise Program (BEP), what is being done to make up ground and how the state could better force compliance. He also scheduled another hearing for Tuesday, August 28 to consult with advocates, experts, and women-and minority-owned businesses. Details will be provided at a later date.  “There’s a lot of work to be done,” Sandoval added. “We have to be accountable to the people we serve and we have to direct our legislative efforts toward pushing state agencies to meet their goals.”

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