Comptroller Mendoza urges Illinois small businesses to take advantage of services offered by her office

This is National Small Business Week and Comptroller Susana Mendoza is highlighting programs that are available through the Illinois Office of Comptroller (IOC).

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 1.4 million small businesses in Illinois, employing 2.4 million people.

“Small businesses are what keep our economy and our communities strong,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “I want all of our local entrepreneurs to succeed, and my office’s SMART Business program helps small businesses register to bid on state contracts…creating new opportunities and furthering sales.”

The SMART Business program teaches business owners about the Illinois certification and procurement process, provides counseling, guidance, up-to-date resources, information, and alerts members of state contract opportunities. The idea is to expand the state’s contractor network and provide opportunities for small and minority-owned businesses.

IOC staff help small business owners through the process of registering for the Small Business Set-Aside program, which features contracts “set-aside” for small business owners. This assistance includes instruction on what paperwork is needed, how to navigate the state’s BidBuy procurement system and what contract opportunities may be available.

“My staff will work one-on-one with small and minority owned businesses and get them registered so they can bid on state contracts,” continued Mendoza. “Small business owners are our neighbors, our friends, our job creators and the heartbeat of every community. It’s imperative that we support their goals.”

The IOC can also walk business owners through the process of certifying as a minority/women/veteran/disabled owned business through the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and our staff can share information for getting certified with other entities and potential grant opportunities.

It’s recommended that business owners begin by contacting the IOC and registering for the SMART Business program. They can register here and someone from the IOC will be in touch.

Additionally, the IOC offers presentations to organizations about the SMART Business program in-person or virtually. For more information, please call Julie Ayres at 312-814-0034 to inquire about scheduling.