How to Do Business

The following information provides resources to assist vendors wishing to engage in the State Procurement Process:

Register with the Illinois State Board of Elections and obtain a certificated confirming your registration. This applies if you have aggregate bids, proposals, or contracts exceeding $50,000 annually, including the business you do with all State of Illinois agencies and universities and the value of any current solicitations to which you are responding.

For more information, call 217-782-4141 (Springfield) or 312-814-6440 (Chicago) or visit BEREP.elections.il.gov   

Hold a current Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) Eligibility Number which is obtained by filing an Employer Report Form (PC-1) with the IDHR Public Contracts Unit.

For more information, call 312-814-2431, email at IDHR.publiccontracts@illinois.gov or visit https://dhr.illinois.gov/public-contracts.html  

Register as a Vendor in BidBuy to receive notifications regarding upcoming bid opportunities and submit proposals.

For assistance with your vendor profile, call 866-455-2897, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm CT, email at il.bidbuy@illinois.gov or visit https://www.bidbuy.illinois.gov.

Register as a Vendor in the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG) to submit the IPG Active Registered Vendor Disclosure form (formerly Forms B) when responding to solicitations, creates a shell vendor profile in BidBuy via an interface, and is the certification mechanism for the Small Business Set-Aside Program.

For more information, call 217-782-1270, email at eec.ipg@illinois.gov or visit https://ipg.illinois.gov/.

The Business Enterprise Program
The Business Enterprise Program (BEP), managed by the Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI), for businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities, is committed to fostering an inclusive and competitive environment that will help business enterprises increase their capacity, grow revenue, and enhance credentials. The State’s goal is to award 30% of State contracts to qualified BEP businesses.

For assistance, call Business Enterprise Certification and Compliance at 312-814-4190 (Chicago) or visit https://cei.illinois.gov/programs0/business-enterprise-program.html. 

The Veterans Business Program
The Veterans Business Program (VBP), managed by the Commission on Equity and Inclusion (CEI), assists businesses owned by qualified veterans and service-disabled veterans gain access to State of Illinois contracting opportunities and participation in the competitive procurement process.

To learn about the VBP, visit https://cei.illinois.gov/programs0/veterans-business-program.html.

The Small Business Set-Aside Program
The Small Business Set-Aside Program (SBSP), managed by the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer, shelters Illinois’ small businesses from competing with large businesses for State awards and contracts. The State’s goal is to award 10% of State contracts to qualified small businesses in Illinois.

For assistance, email at EEC.SmallBusiness@illinois.gov or visit hhttps://cpo-general.illinois.gov/sell-2-illinois.html. 

Chief Procurement Offices
The Chief Procurement Officers (CPOs) exercise independent procurement authority under the Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500). Each CPO acts in an oversight capacity to ensure they are conducted lawfully and ethically in accordance with relevant statutes and rules.

To learn more about the various CPOs, visit https://cpo.illinois.gov/.