Illinois § 10

§ 10.

Procurement goals for local farm or food products. (a) In order to create, strengthen, and expand local farm and food economies throughout Illinois, it shall be the goal of this State that 20% of all food and food products purchased by State agencies and State-owned facilities, including, without limitation, facilities for persons with mental health and developmental disabilities, correctional facilities, and public universities, shall, by 2020, be local farm or food products. (b) The State shall support and encourage that 10% of food and food products purchased by entities funded in part or in whole by State dollars, which spend more than $25,000 per year on food or food products for its students, residents, or clients, including, without limitation, public schools, child care facilities, after-school programs, and hospitals, shall, by 2020, be local farm or food products. (c) To meet the goals set forth in this Section, when a State contract for purchase of food or food products is to be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, an otherwise qualified bidder who will fulfill the contract through the use of local farm or food products may be given preference over other bidders, provided that the cost included in the bid of local farm or food products is not more than 10% greater than the cost included in a bid that is not for local farm or food products. (d) All State agencies and State-owned facilities that purchase food and food products shall develop a system for (i) identifying the percentage of local farm or food products purchased for fiscal year 2021 as the baseline; and (ii) tracking and reporting local farm or food products purchases on an annual basis. (e) On January 1, 2024 and each January 1 thereafter, those State agencies and State-owned facilities that purchase food or food products shall publish in their respective procurement bulletins, in the form and format prescribed by the chief procurement officer, notice of their purchases of local farm or food products in the immediately preceding fiscal year. (Source: P.A. 102-1119, eff. 1-23-23.)