A few weeks ago I presented this problem to you - the original message was:
"I have a question for those who run shared use resources that have
equipment purchased on large instrument grants. Is it legal - and
legitimate - to allow the free use of the piece of equipment by those
who have contributed to the grant and especially the PI who organized
it? and if you do this, how long is the usual free period - or how
much use if allowed free? ANY hints will be helpful!" I received every
answer in the books - from soup to nuts - from you MUST charge everyone
the same to you MUST charge cancer center members less!! From 10 hours
free to free access forever. Actually I liked this one best: I
contacted NIH myself and they indicated that they have NO REGULATIONS
regarding the amount you should charge or whether or not you should
charge one researcher more than another (allowing PI's to have free
access is FINE with them!) - as long as you allow access to everyone
who WROTE the grant! It doesn't have to be charged - it doesn't have
to be shared with anyone else. period. Apparently regulations are up
to the institution. HOWEVER as we in Cancer Centers know, there are
OTHER restrictions. I asked my CC administrator to check on the
legality with NCI and she sent out a message to the administrators
listserv and presented them at their last meeting, with these
questions. Here is a portion of her message: "...We are seeking ways
to stabilize the upgrade and replacement of shared equipment, and are
looking for some success stories that would fit in with UCI's
situation. Historically, most core facilities have upgraded and
replaced their equipment through instrumentation grants involving a
handful of faculty members. In return for their efforts on these
grants, the co-authors expect free access to the equipment. Such
non-recharge "understandings" precede core grant requirements for
priority access, documentation of use by peer-reviewed funded research
projects, etc., and hence are an established model we must address.
Further, the University's policies preclude use of a depreciation
calculation in our recharge rates, eliminating this possibility as a
way to stabilize core facility infrastructure." Also, we KNOW that we
need to have a certain percentage of our users be CC members with peer
reviewed grants as determined by the percentage of our budgets that the
CC contributes - but can we differentially charge? And, if it is
allowed, HOW do we document free access by shared instrument PI's,
particularly if they are CC members??? "...FYI, at the Cancer Center
Administrators Forum I just attended in Philadelphia, there was
absolutely no consensus on information administrators were receiving
vis a vis CAS (Office of Management and Budget's Cost Accounting
Standards) and allowable charges in shared resources. A decision was
made to request clarification on whether NCI core grant policy
requiring priority access and allowing for reduced rates for Cancer
Center members was in violation of CAS, and if so which took
precedence. Hopefully the results of this inquiry will come across the
listserv." Other notes on issues regarding recharges: 1) As far as I
am aware, we must give "priority" to CC members - but that does NOT
mean financially (apparently). It seems that you must give priority in
access . 2) There are also restrictions by the federal government's
Office of Management and Budget in their Cost Accounting Standards
which restrict the use of the money we recharge, such as NOT using it
to upgrade equipment purchased with federal money???? I STILL haven't
figured THAT one out!!! (There is a reason why I'm not an accountant!
) 3) And, on top of everything else and to complicate the picture,
UCI faculty members have unrestricted rights to obtain and make
available large equipment in individual labs, even if comparable
equipment is available nearby on a shared basis as part of a core
facility or other public access arrangement, thereby undermining our
ability to plan and sustain core operations. AKKKKKKK!!!! SO CONFUSION
reigns still. Thanks to ALL of you who answered! It is quite clear
that there is nothing CLEAR about this issue - so I'm in good company.
Many of us are in this same boat (I think it must be a supertanker in
size!!!!) I'll keep you informed of any developments and if you learn
anything please let the me (and the list) know!
Sue - make up your own rules....just make sure that everyone's access is
equal....and that your access is more equal!!!
This was her message to me afterward:
She has promised to keep me informed of their investigation.
<bold>Sue DeMaggio
</bold>UC Irvine
714-824-4110
fax-824-3571
http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/~suedemag/OBCore/ResMgr.htm