Announcement of an Exempt Purchase

Wharton WRDS will supply UIC Business with cloud-based access to a comprehensive suite of high-quality financial and business datasets, including core databases like CRSP, Compustat, Mutual Funds, and Short Volume data. Through the WRDS Cloud A platform, faculty and students can securely access, analyze, and download large-scale data using powerful tools such as Standards Aligned System (SAS), Python, R, and Stata. This integrated research environment supports advanced academic research, experiential learning, and data-driven coursework, enhancing both teaching and scholarship within the college.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for grants, except for the filing requirements of Section 20-80 The loss of this procurement would limit the colleges flexibility to expand access or add new datasets in the future, constraining research opportunities and curriculum development. Faculty would face challenges conducting high impact research, and students would miss out on valuable hands-on experience with industry standard data and tools potentially weakening career readiness and employer engagement.