(30 ILCS 500/50-35)

Sec. 50-35. Financial disclosure and potential conflicts of interest.

(a) All bids and offers from responsive bidders, offerors, vendors, or contractors with an annual value that exceeds the small purchase threshold established under subsection (a) of Section 20-20 of this Code, and all submissions to a vendor portal, shall be accompanied by disclosure of the financial interests of the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, or contractor and each subcontractor to be used. In addition, all subcontracts identified as provided by Section 20-120 of this Code with an annual value that exceeds the small purchase threshold established under subsection (a) of Section 20-20 of this Code shall be accompanied by disclosure of the financial interests of each subcontractor. The financial disclosure of each successful bidder, offeror, potential contractor, or contractor and its subcontractors shall be incorporated as a material term of the contract and shall become part of the publicly available contract or procurement file maintained by the appropriate chief procurement officer. Each disclosure under this Section shall be signed and made under penalty of perjury by an authorized officer or employee on behalf of the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor, and must be filed with the Procurement Policy Board and the Commission on Equity and Inclusion.

(b) Disclosure shall include any ownership or distributive income share that is in excess of 5%, or an amount greater than 60% of the annual salary of the Governor, of the disclosing entity or its parent entity, whichever is less, unless the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor (i) is a publicly traded entity subject to Federal 10K reporting, in which case it may submit its 10K disclosure in place of the prescribed disclosure, or (ii) is a privately held entity that is exempt from Federal 10k reporting but has more than 100 shareholders, in which case it may submit the information that Federal 10k reporting companies are required to report under 17 CFR 229.401 and list the names of any person or entity holding any ownership share that is in excess of 5% in place of the prescribed disclosure. The form of disclosure shall be prescribed by the applicable chief procurement officer and must include at least the names, addresses, and dollar or proportionate share of ownership of each person identified in this Section, their instrument of ownership or beneficial relationship, and notice of any potential conflict of interest resulting from the current ownership or beneficial relationship of each individual identified in this Section having in addition any of the following relationships:

(1) State employment, currently or in the previous 3 years, including contractual employment of services.

(2) State employment of spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter, including contractual employment for services in the previous 2 years.

(3) Elective status; the holding of elective office of the State of Illinois, the government of the United States, any unit of local government authorized by the Constitution of the State of Illinois or the statutes of the State of Illinois currently or in the previous 3 years.

(4) Relationship to anyone holding elective office currently or in the previous 2 years; spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter.

(5) Appointive office; the holding of any appointive government office of the State of Illinois, the United States of America, or any unit of local government authorized by the Constitution of the State of Illinois or the statutes of the State of Illinois, which office entitles the holder to compensation in excess of expenses incurred in the discharge of that office currently or in the previous 3 years.

(6) Relationship to anyone holding appointive office currently or in the previous 2 years; spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter.

(7) Employment, currently or in the previous 3 years, as or by any registered lobbyist of the State government.

(8) Relationship to anyone who is or was a registered lobbyist in the previous 2 years; spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter.

(9) Compensated employment, currently or in the previous 3 years, by any registered election or re-election committee registered with the Secretary of State or any county clerk in the State of Illinois, or any political action committee registered with either the Secretary of State or the Federal Board of Elections.

(10) Relationship to anyone; spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter; who is or was a compensated employee in the last 2 years of any registered election or re-election committee registered with the Secretary of State or any county clerk in the State of Illinois, or any political action committee registered with either the Secretary of State or the Federal Board of Elections.

(b-1) The disclosure required under this Section must also include the name and address of each lobbyist required to register under the Lobbyist Registration Act and other agent of the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor who is not identified under subsections (a) and (b) and who has communicated, is communicating, or may communicate with any State officer or employee concerning the bid or offer. The disclosure under this subsection is a continuing obligation and must be promptly supplemented for accuracy throughout the process and throughout the term of the contract if the bid or offer is successful.

(b-2) The disclosure required under this Section must also include, for each of the persons identified in subsection (b) or (b-1), each of the following that occurred within the previous 10 years: suspension or debarment from contracting with any governmental entity; professional licensure discipline; bankruptcies; adverse civil judgments and administrative findings; and criminal felony convictions. The disclosure under this subsection is a continuing obligation and must be promptly supplemented for accuracy throughout the process and throughout the term of the contract if the bid or offer is successful.

(c) The disclosure in subsection (b) is not intended to prohibit or prevent any contract. The disclosure is meant to fully and publicly disclose any potential conflict to the chief procurement officers, State purchasing officers, their designees, and executive officers so they may adequately discharge their duty to protect the State.

(d) When a potential for a conflict of interest is identified, discovered, or reasonably suspected, the chief procurement officer or State procurement officer shall send the contract to the Procurement Policy Board and the Commission on Equity and Inclusion. In accordance with the objectives of subsection (c), if the Procurement Policy Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion finds evidence of a potential conflict of interest not originally disclosed by the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor, the Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion shall provide written notice to the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor that is identified, discovered, or reasonably suspected of having a potential conflict of interest. The bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor shall have 15 calendar days to respond in writing to the Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion, and a hearing before the Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion will be granted upon request by the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor, at a date and time to be determined by the Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion, but which in no event shall occur later than 15 calendar days after the date of the request. Upon consideration, the Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion shall recommend, in writing, whether to allow or void the contract, bid, offer, or subcontract weighing the best interest of the State of Illinois. All recommendations shall be submitted to the Executive Ethics Commission. Those recommendations made concerning conflicts identified in the course of a procurement for a public institution of higher education are, for procurements having a cumulative value under $5,000, valid and enforceable, for one calendar year after the initial recommendation was made, for all subsequent conflicts for that vendor with regard to the same public institution of higher education. The Executive Ethics Commission must hold a public hearing within 30 calendar days after receiving the Board's or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion's recommendation if the Procurement Policy Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion makes a recommendation to (i) void a contract or (ii) void a bid or offer and the chief procurement officer selected or intends to award the contract to the bidder, offeror, or potential contractor. A chief procurement officer is prohibited from awarding a contract before a hearing if the Board or the Commission on Equity and Inclusion recommendation does not support a bid or offer. The recommendation and proceedings of any hearing, if applicable, shall be available to the public.

(e) These thresholds and disclosure do not relieve the chief procurement officer, the State purchasing officer, or their designees from reasonable care and diligence for any contract, bid, offer, or submission to a vendor portal. The chief procurement officer, the State purchasing officer, or their designees shall be responsible for using any reasonably known and publicly available information to discover any undisclosed potential conflict of interest and act to protect the best interest of the State of Illinois.

(f) Inadvertent or accidental failure to fully disclose shall render the contract, bid, offer, proposal, subcontract, or relationship voidable by the chief procurement officer if he or she deems it in the best interest of the State of Illinois and, at his or her discretion, may be cause for barring from future contracts, bids, offers, proposals, subcontracts, or relationships with the State for a period of up to 2 years.

(g) Intentional, willful, or material failure to disclose shall render the contract, bid, offer, proposal, subcontract, or relationship voidable by the chief procurement officer if he or she deems it in the best interest of the State of Illinois and shall result in debarment from future contracts, bids, offers, proposals, subcontracts, or relationships for a period of not less than 2 years and not more than 10 years. Reinstatement after 2 years and before 10 years must be reviewed and commented on in writing by the Governor of the State of Illinois, or by an executive ethics board or commission he or she might designate. The comment shall be returned to the responsible chief procurement officer who must rule in writing whether and when to reinstate.

(h) In addition, all disclosures shall note any other current or pending contracts, bids, offers, proposals, subcontracts, leases, or other ongoing procurement relationships the bidder, offeror, potential contractor, contractor, or subcontractor has with any other unit of State government and shall clearly identify the unit and the contract, offer, proposal, lease, or other relationship.

(i) The bidder, offeror, potential contractor, or contractor has a continuing obligation to supplement the disclosure required by this Section throughout the bidding process during the term of any contract, and during the vendor portal registration process.

(j) If a bid or offer is received from a responsive bidder, offeror, vendor, contractor, or subcontractor with an annual value of more than $100,000 and the bidder, offeror, vendor, contractor, or subcontractor has an active contract with that same entity and already has submitted their financial disclosures and potential conflicts of interest within the last 12 months, the bidder, offeror, vendor, contractor, or subcontractor may submit a signed affidavit attesting that the original submission of its financial disclosures and potential conflicts of interests has not been altered or changed. The form and content of the affidavit shall be prescribed by the applicable chief procurement officer.

(Source: P.A. 101-657, eff. 1-1-22; 102-721, eff. 1-1-23; 102-1119, eff. 1-23-23.)

(30 ILCS 500/50-36)

Sec. 50-36. Disclosure of business in Iran.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Business operations" means engaging in commerce in any form in Iran, including, but not limited to, acquiring, developing, maintaining, owning, selling, possessing, leasing, or operating equipment, facilities, personnel, products, services, personal property, real property, or any other apparatus of business or commerce.

"Company" means any sole proprietorship, organization, association, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, or other entity or business association, including all wholly owned subsidiaries, majority-owned subsidiaries, parent companies, or affiliates of those entities or business associations, that exists for the purpose of making profit.

"Mineral-extraction activities" include exploring, extracting, processing, transporting, or wholesale selling or trading of elemental minerals or associated metal alloys or oxides (ore), including gold, copper, chromium, chromite, diamonds, iron, iron ore, silver, tungsten, uranium, and zinc.

"Oil-related activities" include, but are not limited to, owning rights to oil blocks; exporting, extracting, producing, refining, processing, exploring for, transporting, selling, or trading of oil; and constructing, maintaining, or operating a pipeline, refinery, or other oil-field infrastructure. The mere retail sale of gasoline and related consumer products is not considered an oil-related activity.

"Petroleum resources" means petroleum, petroleum byproducts, or natural gas.

"Substantial action" means adopting, publicizing, and implementing a formal plan to cease scrutinized business operations within one year and to refrain from any such new business operations.

(b) Each bid or offer submitted for a State contract, other than a small purchase defined in Section 20-20, shall include a disclosure of whether or not the bidder, offeror, or any of its corporate parents or subsidiaries, within the 24 months before submission of the bid or offer had business operations that involved contracts with or provision of supplies or services to the Government of Iran, companies in which the Government of Iran has any direct or indirect equity share, consortiums or projects commissioned by the Government of Iran, or companies involved in consortiums or projects commissioned by the Government of Iran and:

(1) more than 10% of the company's revenues produced in or assets located in Iran involve oil-related activities or mineral-extraction activities; less than 75% of the company's revenues produced in or assets located in Iran involve contracts with or provision of oil-related or mineral-extraction products or services to the Government of Iran or a project or consortium created exclusively by that government; and the company has failed to take substantial action; or

(2) the company has, on or after August 5, 1996, made an investment of $20 million or more, or any combination of investments of at least $10 million each that in the aggregate equals or exceeds $20 million in any 12-month period, that directly or significantly contributes to the enhancement of Iran's ability to develop petroleum resources of Iran.

(c) A bid or offer that does not include the disclosure required by subsection (b) may be given a period after the bid or offer is submitted to cure non-disclosure. A chief procurement officer may consider the disclosure when evaluating the bid or offer or awarding the contract.

(d) Each chief procurement officer shall provide the State Comptroller with the name of each entity disclosed under subsection (b) as doing business or having done business in Iran. The State Comptroller shall post that information on his or her official website.

(Source: P.A. 98-1076, eff. 1-1-15.)

(30 ILCS 500/50-37)

Sec. 50-37. Prohibition of political contributions.

(a) As used in this Section:

The terms "contract", "State contract", and "contract with a State agency" each mean any contract, as defined in this Code, between a business entity and a State agency let or awarded pursuant to this Code. The terms "contract", "State contract", and "contract with a State agency" do not include cost reimbursement contracts; purchase of care agreements as defined in Section 1-15.68 of this Code; contracts for projects eligible for full or partial federal-aid funding reimbursements authorized by the Federal Highway Administration; grants, including but are not limited to grants for job training or transportation; and grants, loans, or tax credit agreements for economic development purposes.

"Contribution" means a contribution as defined in Section 9-1.4 of the Election Code.

"Declared candidate" means a person who has filed a statement of candidacy and petition for nomination or election in the principal office of the State Board of Elections.

"State agency" means and includes all boards, commissions, agencies, institutions, authorities, and bodies politic and corporate of the State, created by or in accordance with the Illinois Constitution or State statute, of the executive branch of State government and does include colleges, universities, public employee retirement systems, and institutions under the jurisdiction of the governing boards of the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Eastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, Chicago State University, Governors State University, Northeastern Illinois University, and the Illinois Board of Higher Education.

"Officeholder" means the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller, or Treasurer. The Governor shall be considered the officeholder responsible for awarding all contracts by all officers and employees of, and potential contractors and others doing business with, executive branch State agencies under the jurisdiction of the Executive Ethics Commission and not within the jurisdiction of the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Comptroller, or the Treasurer.

"Sponsoring entity" means a sponsoring entity as defined in Section 9-3 of the Election Code.

"Affiliated person" means (i) any person with any ownership interest or distributive share of the bidding or contracting business entity in excess of 7.5%, (ii) executive employees of the bidding or contracting business entity, and (iii) the spouse of any such persons. "Affiliated person" does not include a person prohibited by federal law from making contributions or expenditures in connection with a federal, state, or local election.

"Affiliated entity" means (i) any corporate parent and each operating subsidiary of the bidding or contracting business entity, (ii) each operating subsidiary of the corporate parent of the bidding or contracting business entity, (iii) any organization recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization described in Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or any successor provision of federal tax law) established by the bidding or contracting business entity, any affiliated entity of that business entity, or any affiliated person of that business entity, or (iv) any political committee for which the bidding or contracting business entity, or any 501(c) organization described in item (iii) related to that business entity, is the sponsoring entity. "Affiliated entity" does not include an entity prohibited by federal law from making contributions or expenditures in connection with a federal, state, or local election.

"Business entity" means any entity doing business for profit, whether organized as a corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, limited liability company or partnership, or otherwise.

"Executive employee" means (i) the President, Chairman, or Chief Executive Officer of a business entity and any other individual that fulfills equivalent duties as the President, Chairman of the Board, or Chief Executive Officer of a business entity; and (ii) any employee of a business entity whose compensation is determined directly, in whole or in part, by the award or payment of contracts by a State agency to the entity employing the employee. A regular salary that is paid irrespective of the award or payment of a contract with a State agency shall not constitute "compensation" under item (ii) of this definition. "Executive employee" does not include any person prohibited by federal law from making contributions or expenditures in connection with a federal, state, or local election.

(b) Any business entity whose contracts with State agencies, in the aggregate, total more than $50,000, and any affiliated entities or affiliated persons of such business entity, are prohibited from making any contributions to any political committees established to promote the candidacy of (i) the officeholder responsible for awarding the contracts or (ii) any other declared candidate for that office. This prohibition shall be effective for the duration of the term of office of the incumbent officeholder awarding the contracts or for a period of 2 years following the expiration or termination of the contracts, whichever is longer.

(c) Any business entity whose aggregate pending bids and offers on State contracts total more than $50,000, or whose aggregate pending bids and offers on State contracts combined with the business entity's aggregate total value of State contracts exceed $50,000, and any affiliated entities or affiliated persons of such business entity, are prohibited from making any contributions to any political committee established to promote the candidacy of the officeholder responsible for awarding the contract on which the business entity has submitted a bid or offer during the period beginning on the date the invitation for bids, request for proposals, or any other procurement opportunity is issued and ending on the day after the date the contract is awarded.

(c-5) For the purposes of the prohibitions under subsections (b) and (c) of this Section, (i) any contribution made to a political committee established to promote the candidacy of the Governor or a declared candidate for the office of Governor shall also be considered as having been made to a political committee established to promote the candidacy of the Lieutenant Governor, in the case of the Governor, or the declared candidate for Lieutenant Governor having filed a joint petition, or write-in declaration of intent, with the declared candidate for Governor, as applicable, and (ii) any contribution made to a political committee established to promote the candidacy of the Lieutenant Governor or a declared candidate for the office of Lieutenant Governor shall also be considered as having been made to a political committee established to promote the candidacy of the Governor, in the case of the Lieutenant Governor, or the declared candidate for Governor having filed a joint petition, or write-in declaration of intent, with the declared candidate for Lieutenant Governor, as applicable.

(d) All contracts between State agencies and a business entity that violate subsection (b) or (c) shall be voidable under Section 50-60. If a business entity violates subsection (b) 3 or more times within a 36-month period, then all contracts between State agencies and that business entity shall be void, and that business entity shall not bid or respond to any invitation to bid or request for proposals from any State agency or otherwise enter into any contract with any State agency for 3 years from the date of the last violation. A notice of each violation and the penalty imposed shall be published in both the Procurement Bulletin and the Illinois Register.

(e) Any political committee that has received a contribution in violation of subsection (b) or (c) shall pay an amount equal to the value of the contribution to the State no more than 30 calendar days after notice of the violation concerning the contribution appears in the Illinois Register. Payments received by the State pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited into the general revenue fund.

(Source: P.A. 103-570, eff. 1-1-24.)

(30 ILCS 500/50-38)

Sec. 50-38. Lobbying restrictions.

(a) A person or business that is let or awarded a contract is not entitled to receive any payment, compensation, or other remuneration from the State to compensate the person or business for any expenses related to travel, lodging, or meals that are paid by the person or business to any officer, agent, employee, consultant, independent contractor, director, partner, manager, or shareholder.

(b) Any bidder, offeror, potential contractor, or contractor on a State contract that hires a person required to register under the Lobbyist Registration Act to assist in obtaining a contract shall (i) disclose all costs, fees, compensation, reimbursements, and other remunerations paid or to be paid to the lobbyist related to the contract, (ii) not bill or otherwise cause the State of Illinois to pay for any of the lobbyist's costs, fees, compensation, reimbursements, or other remuneration, and (iii) sign a verification certifying that none of the lobbyist's costs, fees, compensation, reimbursements, or other remuneration were billed to the State. This information, along with all supporting documents, shall be filed with the agency awarding the contract and with the Secretary of State. The chief procurement officer shall post this information, together with the contract award notice, in the online Procurement Bulletin.

(c) Ban on contingency fee. No person or entity shall retain a person or entity required to register under the Lobbyist Registration Act to attempt to influence the outcome of a procurement decision made under this Code for compensation contingent in whole or in part upon the decision or procurement. Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a business offense and shall be fined not more than $10,000.

(Source: P.A. 98-1076, eff. 1-1-15.)

(30 ILCS 500/50-39)

Sec. 50-39. Procurement communications reporting requirement.

(a) Any written or oral communication received by a State employee who, by the nature of his or her duties, has the authority to participate personally and substantially in the decision to award a State contract and that imparts or requests material information or makes a material argument regarding potential action concerning an active procurement matter, including, but not limited to, an application, a contract, or a project, shall be reported to the Procurement Policy Board, and, with respect to the Illinois Power Agency, by the initiator of the communication, and may be reported also by the recipient.

Any person communicating orally, in writing, electronically, or otherwise with the Director or any person employed by, or associated with, the Illinois Power Agency to impart, solicit, or transfer any information related to the content of any power procurement plan, the manner of conducting any power procurement process, the procurement of any power supply, or the method or structure of contracting with power suppliers must disclose to the Procurement Policy Board the full nature, content, and extent of any such communication in writing by submitting a report with the following information:

(1) The names of any party to the communication.

(2) The date on which the communication occurred.

(3) The time at which the communication occurred.

(4) The duration of the communication.

(5) The method (written, oral, etc.) of the communication.

(6) A summary of the substantive content of the communication.

These communications do not include the following: (i) statements by a person publicly made in a public forum; (ii) statements regarding matters of procedure and practice, such as format, the number of copies required, the manner of filing, and the status of a matter; (iii) statements made by a State employee of the agency to the agency head or other employees of that agency, to the employees of the Executive Ethics Commission, or to an employee of another State agency who, through the communication, is either (a) exercising his or her experience or expertise in the subject matter of the particular procurement in the normal course of business, for official purposes, and at the initiation of the purchasing agency or the appropriate State purchasing officer, or (b) exercising oversight, supervisory, or management authority over the procurement in the normal course of business and as part of official responsibilities; (iv) unsolicited communications providing general information about products, services, or industry best practices before those products or services become involved in a procurement matter; (v) communications received in response to procurement solicitations, including, but not limited to, vendor responses to a request for information, request for proposal, request for qualifications, invitation for bid, or a small purchase, sole source, or emergency solicitation, or questions and answers posted to the Illinois Procurement Bulletin to supplement the procurement action, provided that the communications are made in accordance with the instructions contained in the procurement solicitation, procedures, or guidelines; (vi) communications that are privileged, protected, or confidential under law; and (vii) communications that are part of a formal procurement process as set out by statute, rule, or the solicitation, guidelines, or procedures, including, but not limited to, the posting of procurement opportunities, the process for approving a procurement business case or its equivalent, fiscal approval, submission of bids, the finalizing of contract terms and conditions with an awardee or apparent awardee, and similar formal procurement processes. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to communications regarding the administration and implementation of an existing contract, except communications regarding change orders or the renewal or extension of a contract.

The reporting requirement does not apply to any communication asking for clarification regarding a contract solicitation so long as there is no competitive advantage to the person or business and the question and answer, if material, are posted to the Illinois Procurement Bulletin as an addendum to the contract solicitation.

(b) The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted monthly and include at least the following: (i) the date and time of each communication; (ii) the identity of each person from whom the written or oral communication was received, the individual or entity represented by that person, and any action the person requested or recommended; (iii) the identity and job title of the person to whom each communication was made; (iv) if a response is made, the identity and job title of the person making each response; (v) a detailed summary of the points made by each person involved in the communication; (vi) the duration of the communication; (vii) the location or locations of all persons involved in the communication and, if the communication occurred by telephone, the telephone numbers for the callers and recipients of the communication; and (viii) any other pertinent information. No trade secrets or other proprietary or confidential information shall be included in any communication reported to the Procurement Policy Board.

(c) Additionally, when an oral communication made by a person required to register under the Lobbyist Registration Act is received by a State employee that is covered under this Section, all individuals who initiate or participate in the oral communication shall submit a written report to that State employee that memorializes the communication and includes, but is not limited to, the items listed in subsection (b).

(d) The Procurement Policy Board shall make each report submitted pursuant to this Section available on its website within 7 calendar days after its receipt of the report. The Procurement Policy Board may promulgate rules to ensure compliance with this Section.

(e) The reporting requirements shall also be conveyed through ethics training under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act. An employee who knowingly and intentionally violates this Section shall be subject to suspension or discharge. The Executive Ethics Commission shall promulgate rules, including emergency rules, to implement this Section.

(f) This Section becomes operative on January 1, 2011.

(g) For purposes of this Section:

"Active procurement matter" means a procurement process beginning with requisition or determination of need by an agency and continuing through the publication of an award notice or other completion of a final procurement action, the resolution of any protests, and the expiration of any protest or Procurement Policy Board review period, if applicable. "Active procurement matter" also includes communications relating to change orders, renewals, or extensions.

"Material information" means information that a reasonable person would deem important in determining his or her course of action and pertains to significant issues, including, but not limited to, price, quantity, and terms of payment or performance.

"Material argument" means a communication that a reasonable person would believe was made for the purpose of influencing a decision relating to a procurement matter. "Material argument" does not include general information about products, services, or industry best practices or a response to a communication initiated by an employee of the State for the purposes of providing information to evaluate new products, trends, services, or technologies.

(Source: P.A. 100-43, eff. 8-9-17.)