Industry Supplier Diversity: Reports and Workshops

The Filing Year is the year of the report submission deadline. For reports due April 1, 2024, the Filing Year is 2024. However, the second part of Question 5 asks about results from the preceding calendar year. In Filing Year 2024, this means that the second part of Question 5 relates to data for 2023.

Generally, no. Fields with red borders apply to all risk-bearing entities and reporting groups. Fields without red borders apply depending on the other answers you provided.  

For example, Question 4 begins by asking whether your entity sets internal goals for your supplier diversity program, and it includes as possible responses “Yes,” “No,” and “N/A, no supplier diversity program.” All entities must respond to that prompt.

The second part of Question 4 begins “If yes...” So if your entity responded “yes” to the first part of the question, then you need to provide information in the second part. If your entity answered “No” or “N/A,” then the second part of the question does not apply to you.

No. The NAIC code is required. If you are filing as a Risk-Bearing Entity, write the NAIC Code on the third line of the report labeled “NAIC Code”. If you are filing as a Reporting Group, write the NAIC Code of each included entity in the “NAIC Codes” field next to the “Official Names” box.

Fill in the introductory fields as applicable, and answer as follows:

• Question 1: Select a response to the multiple choice.

• Question 2: Fill all fields for your procurement program (web portal only if applicable).

• Question 3: Do not answer unless the entity launched a supplier diversity program after the end of the previous calendar year and before submitting the report.

• Question 4: Select a response to the multiple choice. Ignore the second part of the question.

• Question 5: For the first part, answer the prompt: “If you have no supplier diversity program, please explain why," and if applicable to your entity, answer the prompt about creating a program within the next 12 months.

• For the second part, under “For each procurement category...” provide numbers in items i., iii., and iv. Write “N/A” in item ii.

• Under “For each type of certified inclusion supplier...”, write “N/A” in all fields.

• Question 6. Respond to the extent applicable, especially to explain estimated or incomplete information provided to the previous questions. 

See the top of this page.

Form 15549, or Form 15549-2 (which corrects an auto fill  error discovered in the first form), is the PDF template that the entity or group fills out with information about its supplier diversity program or about its procurement program generally. Once the entity or group has completed the PDF, save it, log into SERFF, and upload that PDF using the designated TOI/sub-TOI combination.

Yes.

Consistent with the California supplier diversity reporting guidelines that were a model for several of the fields in the Illinois template, “total $ contracts signed” and “total $ contracts w/ inclusion suppliers” pertain to the total amount signed, regardless of whether or how much money is actually paid out under the contract. If the contract is for a period greater than one year, then the amount reported for a specific year should be reported as the average for just one year within the contract period.
 

For example, if a two-year contract for $100,000 took effect in 2023 and will last through 2024, then the Filing Year 2024 report should only report $50,000 for 2023 and the remainder will be reported in the Filing Year 2025 report. Furthermore, that $50,000 figure should be reported regardless of how much was paid out under the contract in 2023. Amounts paid out would be reported separately under the fields for “total $ procurement spend” and “total $ spend on inclusion suppliers”.

The Department created the template using Adobe Acrobat Pro (32-bit) version 2023.008.20470. Other than the Filing Year, none of the fillable fields have a character limit. Those fields have been tested to be able to fit more than 5,000 words and more than 28,000 characters, and they have been sent to other individuals who successfully opened the PDF and scrolled through the entire text originally inserted into the field. We encourage entities having technical difficulties with character limits or scrolling problems to ensure that they are using a recent version of their PDF program, work with the template in the native PDF application instead of within a web browser, and continue experimenting with inputting and scrolling inside the form fields. 

However, if before the April 1, 2024 deadline you are still unable to fit all responsive information into the template as downloaded from the Department’s website, then for Filing Year 2024 ONLY you may, without changing any of the questions, add your own text boxes to provide your responsive information. If you end up doing this, please send an email to DOI.InfoDesk@illinois.gov that describes 1) which PDF program you are using, 2) which version of the PDF program, 3) which operating system, 4) whether you were filling in the form within a browser or in the native PDF application, and 5) the specific problems you were encountering. The Department would like to ensure ease of use for future versions of our template.

General penalty statutes for violating Illinois insurance laws apply to the supplier diversity reporting statute. E.g. 215 ILCS 5/403A. Especially in light of the flexibility afforded for estimated or incomplete information in Filing Year 2024, the Department emphasizes the requirement to submit a report by the deadline.

Yes. Illinois’ supplier diversity reporting statute contains different requirements from California’s statute. The differences in the statutes create differences in the reports. For example, California’s report contains no information specific to Illinois suppliers, and Illinois’ report contains no information specific to California suppliers. Still, there are some similar fields between the two reports, so companies may be able to copy some information from one report to the other.

Supplier diversity reports are designed to show industry efforts and achievements in cultivating a diverse pool of suppliers. For the reports submitted to the Illinois Department of Insurance, when a regulated entity makes an intentional effort to include historically underrepresented populations in opportunities to become suppliers, the Department’s PDF template and related guidance refer to the targeted businesses as “inclusion suppliers.” In other states, the term “diverse supplier” may be used to refer to the same businesses.