Announcement of an Exempt Purchase

Procurement of a BSL-3 double-door pass-through chamber sterilizer (autoclave) to support tuberculosis research activities. Because of the limited number of manufacturers producing autoclaves that meet stringent BSL-3 research specifications, and given the critical importance of maintaining laboratory safety, the unit must be fully functional, highly reliable, and supported with 24/7 service availability. This will ensure uninterrupted research operations and compliance with BSL-3 biosafety requirements.

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 bidding process could delay delivery by several months, postponing BSL-3 lab readiness and impacting federally funded research and time-sensitive grant commitments. Alternative vendors may require costly facility modifications, and untested equipment could risk biosafety compliance, require re-validation, and delay regulatory approvals. Limited service support or parts availability could also increase downtime, further disrupting critical research operations.