CHICAGO (AP) — A state board has recommended that a $4.6 million contract the University of Illinois gave an architecture firm be voided because one of the company's owners is married to a key official at the school. The vote sends the deal to a state inspector general for further investigation.

The contract with BLDD Architects is part of the renovation of the Natural History Building on the Urbana-Champaign campus. Bruce Maxey owns part of BLDD. His wife, Jill Maxey, is the university's associate director of planning and a former BLDD employee.

The Chicago Tribune reports the Procurement Policy Board voted Tuesday to recommend that university trustees void the contract. That follows a similar vote in April that was overridden by the state's chief procurement officer for higher education.