(a) As an alternative or in addition to conducting C.E.B. certifications by the Contracting Equity officer, the Contracting Equity officer may designate certain eligible public or private agencies as certifying agencies, which may certify businesses as meeting eligibility standards and requirements necessary to participate as C.E.B.s. Such designation may be by way of: (i) entering a contractual agreement with any eligible certifying agency to act as the City's agent for the purposes of certifying businesses as C.E.B.s; (ii) entering a memorandum of understanding with any eligible certifying agency to accept C.E.B. certifications issued by such agencies; or (iii) accepting C.E.B. certifications issued by eligible certifying agencies. The Contracting Equity officer has authority to enter into such contractual agreements or memoranda of understanding on such terms and conditions as the Contracting Equity officer may deem necessary or appropriate.
(b) If in the Contracting Equity officer's judgment, or otherwise required by law, additional requirements to the certification issued by any eligible certifying agency are warranted, the Contracting Equity officer is authorized to impose such additional requirements before accepting C.E.B. certifications issued by any such agency to any such business.
(c) To be eligible as a certifying agency such agency shall:
(1) have C.E.B. certification requirements and procedures that conform with the standards and procedures for C.E.B.s certification established or adopted by the Contracting Equity officer pursuant to Section 2-92-490 of this chapter, or that, in the judgment of the Contracting Equity officer, are of equivalent effectiveness in determining eligibility for certification of C.E.B.s;
(2) have at least five years of experience in certifying C.E.B.s for participation in public and private affirmative action programs; and
(3) provide C.E.B. certification which must be accepted by one or more public agencies in the State of Illinois, other than the City of Chicago.
(d) If the Contracting Equity officer terminates any contractual agreement or memorandum of understanding with any certifying agency, C.E.B.s certified by such agency shall not have their status as C.E.B. affected by the termination of the contractual agreement or memorandum of understanding until their current certification period expires or until they are decertified in accordance with subsection (f) of Section 2-92-490 of this chapter.
(e) The Contracting Equity officer shall post the names, contact information and other information regarding a certifying agency which the Contracting Equity officer may deem appropriate on the City's D.P.S. website within 10 (ten) calendar days of execution by the City of any contractual agreement or memorandum of understanding with any certifying agency in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(f) The Contracting Equity officer is authorized to recommend to the Chief Procurement Officer such rules as the Contracting Equity officer may deem appropriate for the proper administration and enforcement of the provisions of this section.
(g) The Contracting Equity officer is authorized to enter into certification recognition agreements and any amendments thereto regarding acceptance or recognition of the City's C.E.B. certifications by other public or private agencies. The Contracting Equity officer is also authorized to enter into reciprocal certification recognition agreements and any amendments thereto as required by applicable federal law, including but not limited to, unified certification program agreements.
(Added Coun. J. 7-9-08, p. 32427, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-2-09, p. 78837, Art. 4, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. IV, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 10-27-21, p. 39543, Art. III, § 2)