The Crime Laboratory has begun the process of setting up and validating the new LCMS instrument. We have encountered an issue; there is a problem between the Laboratory’s air system, the nitrogen generator, and the mass spectrometer component of the LCMS. The vendor has loaned the Crime Laboratory a nitrogen generator with an integral air compressor. The nitrogen generator with the integral air compressor resolved the problem. The Crime Laboratory is working with City Purchasing in order to purchase the upgraded nitrogen generator. The upgraded nitrogen generator will cost approximately $1,800.00 more than the original nitrogen generator. Currently City purchasing polices will not permit us to purchase the upgraded nitrogen generator without going through a several month procurement process. The Crime Laboratory has reviewed the original Qiacube validation reports and it was determined that further evaluation was required. Qiagen personnel responded to the Crime Laboratory multiple times in July to perform additional testing and to complete repairs on the Qiacubes, and the EZ1 instrument. The Biology Unit reviewed the new validation report, and after discussions with Qiagen personnel everyone agreed that additional work is necessary. The Crime Laboratory’s two current FTIR instruments are so old that their manufacturer has advised us that they will not provide service to those instruments after the current calendar year. On August 12, 2020 Assistant Police Director Christianne Kellett advised the Crime Laboratory that she had located funding to procure two new FTIR instruments. |