Sec. 12. Services Performed by the Alliance.
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Sec. 12. Services Performed by the Alliance.
(a)The Alliance may make grants or loans to eligible businesses for the purpose of advancing the adoption and use of modern available technologies by small and medium size Illinois manufacturers. Such financial assistance shall be used to pay for:
(1)individual and industry wide technology assessments;
(2)industrial and process engineering consultation;
(3)studies to determine the appropriate application of specific types of machinery and equipment;
(4)evaluations of vendor support programs;
(5)evaluations of specific vendor performances;
(6)post-installation evaluation of machinery and equipment;
(7)consultation with respect to the terms and conditions setting forth the expected performance of machinery and equipment to be purchased or leased by a business, the services to be provided by the vendor of such machinery or equipment, including maintenance, product improvements and training, and guarantees or warranties made by such vendor or by the manufacturer of such machinery and equipment; and
(8)such other services that will accomplish the purposes of this Act.
(b)Pursuant to procedures that it shall establish by rule, the Board shall review applications for funding and shall, in its sole judgment, make such grants or loans as it determines to the business, or to the consultant under contract to the business:
(1)upon the business demonstrating that it is unable to, or anticipates that it will be unable to, perform at a level that is no less than average for the industry; or
(2)upon the business demonstrating that it is at a competitive disadvantage to establishments within its industry located outside the State of Illinois or to establishments newly locating in Illinois; or
(3)upon the business demonstrating that it otherwise has a need to adopt new technologies.
All businesses receiving financial assistance from the Alliance must first demonstrate that receipt of such assistance is necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act and that other sources, including federal, State or locally administered programs, are not immediately available to the business.
(c)Not less than 1/2 of the monies paid from the Funds for grants or loans to businesses shall come from contributions made by trade associations; except that during the 18 months immediately following the effective date of this Act, the Alliance may make grants or loans to businesses from funds received from the State of Illinois notwithstanding the requirement that not less than 1/2 of the monies paid from the funds for grants or loans to businesses shall come from contributions made by trade associations.
(d)Any grant shall be made on such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine; provided, however, that no grant shall exceed 1/2 of the cost of eligible services received by the business or its agent. In determining the amount of a grant, the Board may consider whether the business requesting financial assistance is then paying dues to a manufacturing trade association that is an Alliance Partner; provided that a grant may not be for less than 1/3 of the cost of eligible services. Each grant shall require that not less than 25% of the amount shall be withheld until 30 days after the satisfactory completion of services for which the grant was made.
(e)Any loan shall be made on such terms and conditions as the Board shall determine, including terms and conditions with respect to interest rate and maturity of loan. In determining such interest rate and maturity, the Board may consider whether the business requesting financial assistance is then paying dues to a manufacturing trade association that is an Alliance Partner.
(f)The Alliance may not provide financial assistance for services that will be performed for a period greater than 18 months.
(g)No grant or loan made by the Board shall be used to pay for the purchase or lease of machinery or equipment.
(h)It is the intention of this Act that any grant or loan made by the Alliance shall not result in the termination or layoff of workers employed by any business receiving financial assistance, provided that such termination or layoff is not the fault of the worker. The Alliance shall establish agreements with and cooperate with other agencies of the State of Illinois, federal government or local government or private organizations that may assist in retraining workers affected by the introduction of new technologies into the business.