Minimum Equity Standards Compliance Plan
The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (“CEJA”) created an equity accountability system mandating a minimum equity standard (“MES”) for certain IPA administered programs and procurements. CEJA requires that successful bidders in the IPA's Indexed REC procurements comply with the MES. Specifically, Section 1-75(c-10)(1)(A) of the IPA Act provides that MES compliance plans from each entity participating in a procurement program must demonstrate “how they [the successful bidder] will achieve compliance with the minimum equity standard percentage for work completed in that delivery year.” (20 ILCS 3855/1-75(c-10)(1)(A)).
Beginning with the Fall 2022 Indexed REC Procurement, each entity awarded a REC Contract through an Illinois Power Agency Indexed REC procurement must comply with the MES. Successful bidders in Indexed REC procurements are required to file an Initial MES Compliance Plan within 30 days of ICC approval of their REC Contract regardless of whether construction activities have been performed or will be performed in that delivery year. Subsequently, by June 1 of each delivery year, Seller (Seller was a winning bidder of a project selected through the procurement event) shall submit to the IPA an MES Compliance Plan demonstrating how Seller will achieve compliance with the MES in such delivery year.
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion page on the Agency’s website provides helpful resources and tips for MES Compliance Plan submissions: https://ipa.illinois.gov/diversity-equity-and-inclusion.html
Please complete the form below to submit your MES Compliance Plan for review by the IPA. Any supplemental documents to your MES Compliance Plan should be submitted to IPA.EnergyEquity@illinois.gov. Please include "[entity name] MES Compliance Plan Documentation" in the subject line.