Public Higher Education Bulletin

This emergency/quick purchase was required due to a situation in which immediate action was needed to prevent any disruption in University services

This emergency expenditure is for soft drink equipment for the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics (DIA) for students, faculty, staff and visitors to the University Memorial Stadium. The State of Illinois issued an RFP for a Soft Drink Prime Vendor contract for the State in FY07. State has requested that the University participate in the Prime Vendor contract once it is awarded. The RFP evaluation process took longer than anticipated putting the State behind schedule in final decision to select Pepsi Cola as their Prime Vendor.

To further slow down the award, Pepsi Cola USA responded to the RFP, but the locally owned Pepsi Cola distributors enter into their own contracts with the State facilities in their authorized distribution areas. The University had been working on their contract with the local Pepsi Cola distributor. The University is now waiting for the State of Illinois to complete and approve the State's agreement before we finalize our own with the local Pepsi Cola distributor. Previously Coca Cola had provided all of the equipment required to serve soft drinks in Memorial Stadium as part of their Prime Vendor contract. Much of the equipment supplied was removed from the stadium due to the recent renovations. We attempted to negotiate with Coca Cola to supply all of the equipment for a one year extension while we wait for resolution of the State's soft drink contract. While Coca Cola will supply some of the equipment, we will be required to purchase an additional 53 machines to service the stadium. As a result, this has put the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics in the position of a potential disruption of services to our students, faculty, staff and visitors. In order to avoid a disruption in services to Memorial Stadium, the University had to find a soft drink equipment vendor who could meet our needs immediately. We selected equipment which works with both Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola. We identified the two main manufacturers of this equipment and did a fax bid to get competition. We are accepting the lowest bid offered. The costs are considered reasonable and acceptable.