Cook County presents FY2025 diversity report showing $231 million to certified MWDSBE firms; board receives and files report

The Cook County Office of the Chief Procurement Officer told the county's Contract Compliance Committee on Thursday that in fiscal year 2025 the county awarded roughly $1.08 billion in contract awards and that $231,000,000 — about 21.4% — was awarded to certified MWDSBE firms, including prime and subcontract awards. The committee voted to receive and file the FY2025 Annual Diversity Report.

OCPO presenters said the county's minority- and women-owned business program is authorized under the Cook County Code (chapter 34, article 4, division 8) and uses a data-driven goal-setting methodology developed with Collette Holt & Associates. "The goal setting methodology goals are aspirational targets. They're not quotas, they're not guarantees and they're not automatic set asides," said Nicole, an OCPO presenter, summarizing the office's approach. OCPO staff said the methodology looks at market availability, subcontracting feasibility and historical utilization to set contract-specific participation goals.

OCPO reported it has roughly 706 certified firms across 23 industry sectors, engaged more than 2,900 vendors through outreach and recorded a 9% growth in the certified vendor pool year over year. Staff said they monitor about 2,400 contracts and have closed roughly 1,500; certification turnaround is averaging about 49 days.

The office described operational improvements: deployment of the BDG monitoring system, site visits and field audits to verify commercially useful function, expanded reciprocity with the City of Chicago for certain VBE/SDVBE certifications, and exploratory conversations with regional partners about a universal small-business (SBE) certification.

Committee members pressed OCPO on several points. Commissioner Anaya asked whether a universal SBE would be implemented soon; OCPO said it is not yet implemented and that ordinance changes and legal alignment with partner jurisdictions would be necessary, but some elements could be advanced with the City of Chicago and CTA within a shorter timeline. On payments and apparent lags, OCPO said delays often come from vendors submitting invoices after a contract closes and required department reviews before the comptroller processes payments; state statute sets a net-60 payment window, and OCPO reported the comptroller often pays more quickly once invoices arrive.

Nicole said the office tracked both awards and payments and would provide commissioners with more detailed breakdowns. "We are happy to announce that we are able to track for the first time the amount of prime awards that we have awarded to MBE or WBE firms," she said, and later provided counts and dollar figures on awards versus payments for county government and Cook County Health.

OCPO also reported 12 waivers during the period (six full waivers and six partial), and explained that a waiver requires documentation of good-faith outreach and cannot be granted automatically.

After questions from multiple commissioners about disaggregated metrics (participation versus percent spend, prime vs. subcontractor shares, and demographic breakdowns), OCPO agreed to provide supplemental data and the detailed report referenced during the presentation. By roll call the committee recorded 10 ayes, one excused (Commissioner Scott), and the motion to receive and file the FY2025 Annual Diversity Report carried.

The committee concluded with a brief administrative vote to approve earlier minutes and then adjourned; OCPO staff said they would share follow-up materials requested by commissioners.