Announcement of an Exempt Purchase

Tango Card is a digital gift card service used to compensate research study participants. Funding for participant incentives is requested to recognize their time and contributions to the LITE-2 study. LITE-2 is a nationwide research initiative focused on addressing the HIV epidemic among sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth in the United States, supporting both participant retention and engagement in the study.

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)) This procurement is in the best interests of the University because the service is free when paid via purchase order, ensuring cost efficiency. Project LITE has allocated $400,000 per project year for participant incentives, including $65 for baseline enrollment and $40 for follow-ups. Having utilized this service for several months, the project has found it to be highly effective and significantly more manageable compared to alternative methods such as program advances or Amazon e-codes. This streamlined approach supports participant engagement while reducing administrative burden, aligning with the University's operational goals.