Refurbishment of autoclave and mandatory control upgrade

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for performing sponsored research and other sponsored activities under grants and contracts funded by the sponsor or by sources other than State appropriations. (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b)(8)) The manufacturer has discontinued many of the parts for the existing sterilizer control system making repair increasingly difficult. The main control boards for the units are no longer manufactured, nor are the main control valves. Upgrading these components to Primus who uses non-proprietary parts that are readily available, will allow the department to refurbish the existing sterilizing equipment without having to purchase an entirely new unit. The animal research program at UIC requires sterile rodent caging equipment to maintain bio-security in the rodent research colonies. The Biological Resources (BRL) currently houses close to 12,000 cages of rodents that require sterile cages and water. Sterilization ensures that research animals remain free of bacterial, viral and other infectious agents that could affect research projects. The source of funds are self supporting, directly from revenues for per diem and user fees charged to grant funds.