Announcement of an Exempt Purchase

The requested services are essential to advancing the research groups ongoing work in developing next generation research infrastructure that integrates artificial intelligence, edge computing, and advanced sensor systems with high performance computing. This research seeks to build scalable AI workflows that support real-time data analysis and decision-making across diverse scientific applications, ultimately enabling breakthrough discoveries and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the field. In addition, the services include educational and outreach components designed to broaden participation, train the next generation of researchers, and ensure that the project delivers its anticipated educational and societal impacts.

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 specialized nature of the services requires deep familiarity with the projects technical frameworks, prior development work, and operational context knowledge that no alternative provider possesses without extensive ramp-up time, duplicative effort, and additional costs.