Chicago City Council November 17, 2021
ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, The United States of America and City of Chicago ("City") recognize that without the countless sacrifices made by Veterans freedom and opportunity would not exist; and
WHEREAS, The 2019 Veteran Business Program Annual Expenditure Report issued by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services reported a $5.5 million increase in Illinois Veteran Contracting due to their focus on opportunities, and an operational outlook that includes governmental entity compliance collaboration; and
WHEREAS, Veterans contribute in a myriad of ways to the success of the City, including in business and government, and even while faced with the historical obstacles that have led to the recognition and expansion ofthe City's Veteran contracting opportunities; and
WHEREAS, The City Council Members know they could not have achieved such opportunities and recognitions without the support and continued partnership of the City's Procurement Department; and
WHEREAS, City Council Members hereby take the first of many steps towards their commitment towards expanding Veteran contract opportunities with the call to establish initiatives similar to those aforementioned by the state of Illinois' focus on government entity compliance collaboration; and, now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHICAGO:
SECTION 1. Article IV. of Chapter 2-92 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by deleting the language struck through and by inserting the language underscored, as follows:
2-92-420 Definitions
(f) "Certification eligible business" or "C.E.B." means any one or more businesses in the group consisting of M.B.E.s., W.B.E.s., B.E.P.D.s., V.B.E.s and such other categories of business enterprises established by the chief procurement officer from time to time as eligible participation in a certification program, when in bis their judgment the best available evidence supports such establishment.
(Omitted text is unaffected by this ordinance)
SECTION 2. Article VIII. of Chapter 2-92 of the Municipal Code of Chicago is hereby amended by adding the underscored text as follows:
2-92-930 Veteran-owned small local business - Certification and Reporting
The Chief Procurement Officer is authorized to certify veteran-owned small local businesses. The Chief Procurement Officer shall provide a semi-annual report to the City Council Committee
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on Contracting Oversight and Equity regarding veteran-owned small local businesses certified by the City.
(a) As an alternative or in addition to conducting its own V.B.E. certification, the chief
procurement officer mav designate certain eligible public or private agencies as certifying
agencies, which mav certify businesses as meeting eligibility standards and reouirements
necessary to participate in the city's veteran-owned business enterprise procurement program.
Such designation shall be made as provided in Section 2-92-495 of this Code.
Gilbert Villegas Alderman, 36th Ward
(b) If in the chief procurement officer's judgement, or otherwise reguired bv law, additional
reguirements to the V.B.E certification issued bv anv eligible certifying agency are warranted.
the chief procurement officer is authorized to impose such additional reouirements before
accenting V.B.E certifications issued bv anv eligible certifying agency to anv such business for
participation in the city's veteran-owned business enterprise procurement program.
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