B-43531 Guidance-the-Difference-between-BEP-and-C2D.pdf

State of Illinois Commitment to Diversity:

The Difference Between BEP and C2D V.24.2

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN C2D AND BEP

What is BEP?

The Business Enterprise Program (BEP) supports businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities (WMD) by certifying those that meet specific criteria, including majority ownership and control by WMD individuals, citizenship or legal residency, and annual sales under $150 million.

BEP ensures fair access to jobs and contracting opportunities with the state, per Section 30 ILCS 575/1.

Aligning with an aspirational goal of spending 30% of state dollars with BEP-certified firms, as outlined in

Section 30 ILCS 574/40-10, the Commission oversees various responsibilities such as facilitating communication, evaluating agency directors and university presidents, promoting diversity initiatives, proposing legislative changes, and providing oversight.

What is C2D?

Section 30 ILCS 500/20-15 amended the state procurement code to add a third evaluation factor to the state's Request for Proposal (RFP) process. In addition to the technical and price evaluations, an offeror’s Commitment to Diversity (C2D) would be evaluated, and those points would be equivalent to 20% of the total technical score. (e-5)

This evaluation factor can encourage offerors to increase their investment in WMD businesses and organizations. The new evaluation factor creates exciting opportunities for offerors to impact their business and local community and help create systemic change.

The score is now evaluated with the following 6 categories:

I.BEP Goal compliance: Max 5 Points

II.Subcontracting/Contracting with any WMD (not limited to BEP): Max 10 Points

III.DEI Spend: Max 20 Points

IV.DEI Time: Max 20 Points

V.DEI Policies: Max 10 Points

VI.Diversity in Staffing: Max 35 Points

What is the Difference?

BEP is a program that focuses on certification and goal setting. C2D is an evaluation factor in the RFP that can add points to the vendor’s score through actions taken to promote DEI in their daily practices.

A full list of definitions can be found on our website at: C2D Definitions (illinois.gov) https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/commitment-to-diversity/c2d-definitions.html

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN C2D AND BEP

Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Commitment to Diversity (C2D)

Purpose Focuses on certification and goal setting for minority, women, and disabled-owned businesses.

Evaluate vendors' commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as part of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process.

Process Certifies businesses based on ownership, control, and annual gross sales criteria.

Adds a diversity commitment evaluation factor to the RFP process, including criteria such as BEP goal compliance, subcontracting with WMD businesses, DEI spend, DEI time, DEI policies, and diversity in staffing.

Impact Aims to enhance opportunities and inclusion for minority, women, and disabled-owned businesses by offering certification.

Seeks to incentivize vendors to increase investment in WMD businesses and organizations and promote systemic change through their actions.

Agency Commission of Equity and Inclusion:

https://cei.illinois.gov/

Chief Procurement Office: https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/ https://cei.illinois.gov/ https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/ https://cpo-general.illinois.gov/