Hello everyone, 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. Sue DeMaggio UC Irvine 714-824-4110 fax-824-3571 http://mamba.bio.uci.edu/~suedemag/OBCore/ResMgr.htm