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CMS Bureaus

The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) consists of the following bureaus/programs:

Administrative Hearings​​
The Bureau of Administrative Hearings provides centralized coordination and support for administrative hearings functions across the State through best practices, judicial education services, and oversight of administrative hearing processes. The Bureau conducts high quality, independent administrative hearings for agencies that do not employ their own administrative law judges, providing an impartial forum where Illinoisans receive fair and prompt resolution of disputes. The Bureau also facilitates professional development, coordinates IT solutions, promotes uniform hearings rules, and seeks to improve administrative justice in our State.

Agency Services
The Bureau of Agency Services supports employee transportation needs for agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor. The Bureau oversees and coordinates the acquisition, repair, maintenance, fueling, and management of State-owned vehicles, many of which provide critical services such as snow removal, law enforcement, and emergency management services. Additionally, the Bureau handles mail and messenger services, surplus property.

Benefits
The Bureau of Benefits administers employee and retiree benefit programs, including comprehensive health, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage for State employees and retirees, as well as similar programs for community college retirees, school district retirees, and local government employees and retirees. The Bureau works with labor representatives, health care providers, and insurance carriers to provide benefits to more than 440,000 members and their dependents, while working to keep plans affordable for participants and controlling costs for the State. The Bureau manages the administration of numerous benefits for members, including: Flexible Spending Accounts, Commuter Savings programs, Deferred Compensation program. The Risk Management Division administers workers’ compensation claims and administers auto liability and insurance procurements for all property, casualty and liability expenses, as well as the State’s Representation and Indemnification Program.

Communication and Information
The Office of Communication and Information (IOCI) provides a wide range of media services for State agencies, including pamphlets, signage, and fliers to promote State programs, services, and opportunities. IOCI maintains a Directory of State Communications Officials for State government entities and provides on-location and studio video production, satellite broadcasting, radio services, photographygraphic design and press summaries and press release distribution.

Diversity and Inclusion
The mission of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion is to develop equity-based inclusion strategies that enrich the diversity of the State’s workforce and open access to State employment. The Office works to ensure that State government is fully representative of, and accessible to, its culturally diverse populations. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion works closely with State agencies, boards and commissions, advisory councils, legislators, advocacy organizations, and the general public to identify opportunities for diversity enrichment.

Emergency Management

CMS Emergency Management works with IEMA and other State Agencies to improve the State’s capability to mitigate against, prepare for, and respond to natural disasters, health pandemics, and other emergency situations. Our success is reflected in the ability to provide support and other resources to ensure the State’s continuity of operations. In addition, Emergency Management is responsible for the preparedness, training, and coordination efforts to effectively respond to an emergency at CMS facilities including the safe evacuation of its occupants.

Internal Audit
The Bureau of Internal Audit (BIA) is responsible for conducting a broad, comprehensive program of internal auditing. All audits are conducted in accordance with the International Standards for the Professional Practice of Internal Auditing, promulgated by the Institute of Internal Auditors. The BIA also plays a major role in coordinating the annual internal control self evaluation process mandated by the Fiscal Control and Internal Auditing Act (30 ILCS 10/).

Labor Relations
The Office of Labor Relations negotiates more than 30 collective bargaining agreements with labor organizations representing State employees and home healthcare workers. The Office administers these agreements, including oversight and coordination of grievances and arbitrations.

Legal Services

CMS Legal Services provides proactive, timely, practical and innovative legal solutions and legal counsel that will meet or exceed the expectations of CMS and other state agencies who are our clients. By providing such legal counsel, Legal Services will continuously maximize the total value and efficiency of the services CMS provides to other agencies and the People of Illinois. CMS Legal Services operates like a mid-sized law firm with a managing partner (General Counsel) and several attorneys, each specializing in their own area of the law. Areas of specialty include: Personnel, Benefits, Labor relations, Property Management, Strategic Sourcing and Financial and Administrative Services.

Operational Excellence, Rapid Results
The Office of Operational Excellence works to improve State government services in Illinois through centralized Statewide training and support for employees from all agencies as they utilize its Rapid Results principles of continuous improvement. The Office’s mission is to reduce process waste, and improve service value by empowering employees to deliver services more effectively and efficiently. Unlike traditional “top down” operational improvement initiatives, Rapid Results leverages the skills and knowledge of front-line State employees to identify opportunities for improvement and implement effective solutions.

Personnel
The Bureau of Personnel is responsible for the development and administration of the State’s merit employment system in accordance with the Personnel Code, Personnel Rules, Pay Plan, Position Classification Plan, current collective bargaining agreements, and other applicable laws for the approximately 45,000 employees under the jurisdiction of the Governor. In addition, the Bureau of Personnel is responsible for the recruitment and counseling of potential state employees as well as the administration of grading, testing, classification and compensation standards of current and new positions.

Property Management
The Bureau of Property Management oversees State-owned and leased facilities for agencies, boards, and commissions under the jurisdiction of the Governor, including services such as janitorial maintenance and building engineering. The Bureau works to limit costs and minimize the State’s environmental impact by using existing State-owned and leased space more efficiently, reducing the number of overall leases, implementing newer space, and adhering to utilization standards.

Strategic Sourcing
To maximize the value of taxpayer dollars spent by State agencies, the Bureau of Strategic Sourcing provides a centralized, strategic sourcing framework that adds improved transparency, accountability, and cost savings to the sourcing process. The Bureau assists agencies in determining purchasing needs and drafting solicitation documents, such as requests for proposals or information and invitations for bids, to ensure uniformity and efficiency.

Surplus Property Control
The Surplus Property Control Division redistributes and disposes of surplus State property and administers the distribution of Federal surplus property through the Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) and Government Services Administration (GSA) programs. The Bureau conducts online public auctions of surplus items and provides recycling services at CMS-managed facilities and electronics recycling services for equipment such as computers, monitors, printers and fax machines.