Announcement of an Exempt Purchase

Procurement and installation of stainless steel animal pen equipment for the Biological Resources Laboratory (BRL) animal facility. The pens are designed to accommodate large animalsincluding dogs, pigs, and sheepused in University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) research studies. These enclosures will support ongoing research activities such as robotic physician training, cardiovascular drug efficacy studies, pharmacokinetic analyses, medical device development, and cancer research.

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)) If this is not approved, the replacement of approximately 50-year-old galvanized animal pensmany of which are rusted and no longer suitable for usewill be delayed, directly impacting UICs large animal research program. This would jeopardize ongoing and planned research studies and physician training activities that rely on the housing of dogs, swine, and sheep. Such delays could result in the loss of research funding, disruptions to time-sensitive studies (including those related to drug efficacy, pharmacokinetics, cancer, and medical device development), and hinder progress in robotic physician training. Additionally, the inability to house animals safely and in compliance with regulatory standards could lead to increased maintenance costs, potential citations, or even temporary shutdowns, all of which would carry significant financial and reputation consequences for the university and the State.