Multiagency Collaborative to Host Inaugural 2022 Vendor Summit

Today, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) announced the 2022 State of Illinois Vendor Summit, to be held on Thursday, November 10, 2022. The Summit will take place at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The 2022 State of Illinois Vendor Summit is an opportunity for interested business to connect with industry experts and government agencies, attend educational workshops presented by subject matter experts, and network with current and aspiring state vendors. Interested vendors can register at www.illinois.gov/vendorsummit. This inaugural event is a collaboration with the Illinois Public Higher Education Cooperative (IPHEC), Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal, and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.

This full-day event will include multiple components in an effort to maximize the amount of information that is made available to attendees. An exhibit hall will feature exhibitors sharing information about upcoming contracting opportunities, trainings, and business development programs. These exhibitors will include state agencies, universities, and organizations providing technical assistance to interested vendors. Additionally, the Summit will include over a dozen workshops, designed to help businesses navigate state procurement processes and understand resources available to vendors to help grow their businesses.

"My administration is laser-focused on advancing equity not just in every industry, but in our state government too—and the 2022 State of Illinois Vendor Summit furthers that goal," said Governor JB Pritzker. "This day full of workshops, networking, and exhibits will equip underrepresented firms with the information they need to best position themselves for collaboration with current state vendors, government agencies, and state universities. I encourage all interested Illinois businesses to attend this wonderful summit, and I thank the cross-agency team for their leadership in putting this critical event together."

The 2022 Vendor Summit is a key outreach initiative in the state's efforts to diversify its vendor pool and provide equitable access to contracting opportunities for small, minority-owned, veteran-owned, women-owned, and other disadvantaged firms, including firms owned or operated by people with disabilities. Illinois is committed to achieving the aspirational goal of 30% of all eligible dollars being spent with Business Enterprise Program (BEP) certified firms. The Summit will include matchmaking sessions to encourage networking of contractors with diverse firms of all sizes and types.

The State of Illinois issues thousands of contracting opportunities annually. CMS launched the State of Illinois' Quarterly Buying Plan to provide useful information and make vendors aware of the upcoming purchasing needs for a range of agencies. This initiative is led by the CMS Bureau of Strategic Sourcing (BoSS) team, who is committed to ensuring vendors interested in providing their goods and/or services to the state are informed, prepared, and ready to respond to solicitations.

In addition to the quarterly forecast of upcoming opportunities, the plan features sections on doing business with the state, and provides an overview of registration and pre-qualification requirements and how to access technical assistance. Interested businesses can prepare for the 2022 Summit by previewing the opportunities and resources highlighted in the latest edition of the Buying Plan at this link: https://cms.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/cms/business/procurement/documents/soi-buyingplan2022.pdf

The schedule for the Summit is as follows:

While the formal program is taking place, subject matter experts will be on-site to answer questions about upcoming contracting opportunities, navigating procurement processes, and accessing resources for businesses.

Confirmed agencies and organizations include:

For more information and to register, visit: www.illinois.gov/vendorsummit