Section 120.40  Form of Application

a)         Applications will be accepted at any time during the year.  An application should be submitted on the standard application form provided by the Department and posted to the Department's website. (https://dceo.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/dceo/businesshelp/micro/micro-application.pdf) Submittal of an application does not commit the Department to award assistance or to pay any costs incurred by the applicant in the preparation of an application.

b)         Any taxpayer planning a project to be located in Illinois may request consideration for designation of its project as a MICRO project, by application to the Department, in which the applicant states its intent to make at least a specified level of investment and intends to hire a specified number of full-time employees at a designated location in Illinois. [35 ILCS 45/110-20]

c)         Written applications will be required and must be submitted on the standard application form provided by the Department.  Applications shall be submitted to the designated Department email address specified on the Department website (CEO.MICRO@illinois.gov) and also identified on the application form.  There is no application fee and the application shall include:

1)         Application Cover Page – containing name, address, and telephone number of applicant; key contact and title; total number of new employees to be hired, and when applicable, the number of full-time employees to be retained; company Federal Employer Identification Number (F.E.I.N.); Standard Industrial Code (S.I.C.); if available, Illinois Unemployment Insurance Account Code; State Senate District number; State Representative District number; authorized signatures; and related information.

2)         Project Summary – a detailed description of the project that is to be the subject of the agreement. [35 ILCS 45/110-45(a)(1)]

3)         Site Map – an outline of the general location of the project on a site map, including the location of any flood plain areas and wetland areas.

4)         Jobs Impact – a detailed description of the number of new employees to be hired, and the occupation and payroll of the full-time jobs to be created or retained as a result of the project, and a schedule of anticipated starting dates of the new hires.  In addition, the applicant must provide the total number of full-time employees employed by the applicant and any related member, subsidiary, parent, or sister company in the State of Illinois at the time of the application. If the applicant seeks a credit with respect to retained employees, the application shall include the occupation and payroll of the full-time employees to be retained because of the project. [35 ILCS 45/110-45(a)(9)]

5)         Capital Improvements Planned – a detailed description of the minimum investment the taxpayer will make in capital improvements, the time period for placing the property in service, and the designated location in Illinois for the investment.  This shall include but not be limited to a description (or specifications or lists) of the planned capital improvements demonstrating the investment is qualified; documentation to substantiate the value of the investment (value of capital improvements as provided by appraisers, vendors, contractors and/or architects and engineers); and a schedule regarding when the eligible investment will be placed in service. [35 ILCS 45/110-(a)(10)]

6)         Total Project Costs – a detailed description of the total project cost.

7)         Statewide Baseline – a detailed description of full-time employees of the applicant and any related members employed by such entities at the time of the application.  The information provided for the current full-time employees shall include the following:  name, position title, occupation code, date of hire, and facility address.

8)         Hiring plan – a detailed description of applicant's hiring plan and commitment to recruit and hire full-time employee positions at the project site. The hiring plan may include a partnership with an institution of higher education to provide internships, including, but not limited to, internships supported by the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, or full-time permanent employment for students at the project site. Additionally, the applicant may create or utilize participants from apprenticeship programs that are approved by and registered with the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. The Applicant may apply for apprenticeship education expense credits in accordance with the provisions set forth in 14 Ill. Admin. Code 522. Each applicant is required to report annually, on or before April 15, on the diversity of its workforce in accordance with Section 110-50 of the Act [35 ILCS 45/110-50]. For existing facilities of applicants under Section 120.30(b)(3), if the taxpayer expects a reduction in force due to its transition to manufacturing semiconductors, microchips, or semiconductor or microchip component parts, the plan submitted under this Section must outline the taxpayer's plan to assist with retraining its workforce aligned with the taxpayer's adoption of new technologies and anticipated efforts to retrain employees through employment opportunities within the taxpayer's workforce. [35 ILCS 45/110-20(e)]

9)         Financial Statement – a balance sheet and a profit and loss statement of the taxpayer for the last two years.

10)       Other Provisions – any other provisions or information the Department determines is necessary to evaluate the applicant's eligibility under the Act and if the criteria established in Section 120.30 are met.

d)         The applicant is responsible for the accuracy of all data, information and documentation included in its application.  Once submitted, applications shall become the property of the Department and subject to the provisions and exemptions of the Freedom of Information Act [5 ILCS 140].