Managing Marketing a Research Facility - NCURA Region 2

NCURA Region II Spring Meeting

New York, NY, May 1‐3, 2011

Managing and Marketing a Research Core Facility

Moderator:Mary Beth Curtin, Associate Director, The New York State Center of

Excellence in Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging, Binghamton University

Panelists:Tom Winner, Business Manager, Office of Collaborative Science, NYU

Langone Medical CenterSadie Maloof, Associate Director for Administration, Columbia University

Medical Center, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center



Session TopicsManagement:

• Definitions/Regulations• Business Structure• Rate Setting/Invoicing• Electronic Systems• NIH Shared Resource

Requirements• Compliance Issues• Data Collection

Marketing:• Building Communities• Web Sites and Materials

Examples:•Binghamton University’s Analytical and Diagnostics Laboratory

•NYU’s Office of Collaborative Science

•Columbia University’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center



DefinitionsResearch Core Facility: • Supports multiple investigators from across university• Consists of facilities and infrastructure to support research• Is managed locally at the department, college or VP Research level• Exploits economy of scale (centralized business support, collective

marketing, scheduling, etc.) • Often is available to the public to enable economic impact• Often functions as a recharge center

Recharge Center: Recharge centers at universities, also known as specialized service centers, provide goods or services to users. These centers function as nonprofit businesses, funding operations through fees from users. (Summary Report on Audits of Recharge Centers at 12 Universities; HHS Office of Inspector General, 1994)



Regulations Governing Recharge Centers• OMB Circular A-21 (Section J.47 – Specialized Service Facilities –

"the costs of services provided by highly complex or specialized facilities operated by the institution, such as computer, wind tunnels and reactors.” )

• Other OMB Circulars reference service centers (A-87, A-122, A-133)• Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) DS-2• Federal Audits of Recharge Centers (HHS OIG)• University’s Cost Disclosure Statement and institutional policy

statements.



Operating Costs and Rates

Operating Costs•Salaries and Wages•Fringe Benefits•Depreciation on equipment•Materials and Supplies•Outside Services•Repair and Maintenance•Indirect Costs•Carryover surpluses, deficits

Developing a Rate•Identify all costs associated with center and allocate to tool/service •Estimate annual usage.•Rate – Annual Costs/ Annual usage•External users may be charged a higher rate.•Off-peak rates are acceptable



Facility Management Considerations

•Well Defined Business Process to include planning for equipment breakdowns, rush orders, high demand•User lab training (general, safety, tool specific) •Recharges need to be included in grant proposals•On-line scheduling system

•Accounts Billing/Receivables Systems; timely billing•Administrative infrastructure •Support from central administration•Best practices (from audit findings)•Break-even goal



Compliance Comments

•Arbitrary Setting of Rates•Lack of written policies•Insufficient documentation on invoices•Billing for items not covered by recharge accounts•Failure to maintain published rate list•Depreciation included in rates can’t also be in the F&A rate •Generating large surpluses and using for unrelated purposes•Applying rates inconsistently



The Analytical and Diagnostics Laboratory at Binghamton University

•Part of the NYS Center of Excellence in Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging (S3IP)

•8000 sq-ft, state-of-the-art research facility

•Complete, advanced analytical lab accessible to industry and academic customers

•Capital funded by $21M NYS grant

•Personnel funded by NYS, the University and recharge rates

•Opened in Fall 2007



ADL, Con’t• ADL Staff –expert technical support:

-PhD scientists, engineers, graduate research assistants, and technicians-Materials Science & Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, and Mechanical Engineering background-Extensive experience in microelectronics industry

• State-of-the-art instrumentation; 24 hour access• Training

– Extensive safety and user training– User-scheduled training sessions– Online training documentation

• Facility Online Management– Web-based support– Online equipment scheduler– Online data access and unlimited data storage– Automatic email to users for equipment,

facilities and training alerts



ADL, con’t• Users include BU faculty, external academia, and

industry partners .

• External users represent 30% of users, 50% of incomie

• Rates include Salaries and Wages, Fringe Benefits, Equipment Depreciation, Materials and Supplies, Repairs and Maintenance, Billing Software license, Fiscal Admin, and F&A on external users.

• Recharge Rates approved by University Chargeback Committee. Charges are consistent, are reviewed and updated biannually, and are posted.

• Users sign an User Agreement (equipment rental policy) or Evaluative Testing Agreement if ADL staff are to due the work.



Marketing Facility• Customers: Faculty, Industry (gather quotes)• Alumni/Friends/Partners (fundraising)• Website (http://adl.binghamton.edu• Brochures/ Videos• Tours • Annual report • Open Houses• Statistics (#users (int/ext), revenue,

publications, grants• Building Community:

-Brown Bag Lunches-Seminars-Faculty Council-Industry Affiliate Program-Policies Committee

http://adl.binghamton.edu/

Office of Collaborative Science:Organizing NYU shared research core

infrastructure

Year One of Centralized Cores Management

Agenda• History of the OCS• Challenges we Faced• Performance to Date• Looking Ahead

NYU Office of Collaborative Science 13

14

Historically, research cores were developed on an ad hoc basis by individuals, without significant institutional organization, coordination, or systematic investment.

NYU Cancer Institute Skirball Institute

CfAR Various centers and departments

Transition of NYU Shared Servicesto OCS Cores

15NYU Office of Collaborative Science

NYU Cancer Institute Skirball Institute

CfAR Various centers and departments

OCS

Cores

15

Centralized administration and oversight to facilitate communication between clinical / basic researchers and core scientists; to enhance cooperation, strategic planning and investment; and to lower barriers to access.


Goal: A ‘virtual core’ of all campus cytometers administered under a single scheduling tool, allowing democratized use. Advantages: institution absorbs technical oversight and service contracts while minimizing costs to users.

OCS (formerly CI)• MoFlo and iCyt sorters• FACScalibur• FACScan• LSRII (2)

CfAR• FACS Aria II• FACScalibur

Smilow• LSRII• FACS Aria II

Other Departments• LSRII (2)• FACS Aria II• Cytomics FC 500

Flow Cytometry Core


Cores Centralization

RNAi Genome‐wide Screening

Genomics Technology Center

Flow Cytometry

Microscopy Imaging – Light & Electron

TABS (Tissue and Tumor Acquisition & Banking)

Histopathology/IHC

Transgenic / ES Cell Targeting

Smilow Core – Glasswash, Media Preparation

Small Animal Imaging

18

New Services for FY 2012

Proteomics

Anti‐Infectives Drug Testing

Animal Behavior

NYU Office of Collaborative Science

19

ScientificIntegration

Core Integration through LIMS

Administration

Workflow

Inventory

Data

Reporting

Billing

Scheduling

Validation

Finance Computation

Project

ERP (PS)

SSO (AD)

IRB

IACUC

EMR

CORES/Partners

Genomics

Proteomics

Histology

Imaging

Transgenic

TABS

CHIBI

Others

Challenges

• Contrasting Departmental Cultures• Inconsistent Historical Data• Budget Pressure• Matrix Organization• Navigating a Large Institution


First Year Accomplishments

• Developed Interim Billing System• Launched 1st part of Scheduling System• Established Consistent and Reliable

Dataset– Capacity, Utilization, Costs for use in Pricing

• Added Additional Headcount and Capacity• Lowered Pricing for Flow Cytometry Core


Demonstrated Financial Progress


Growth Factors

• New Cores• Grant-Supported Volume (NYStem)

• New Products• Pricing Adjustments

• Additional Staff & Capacity• Organic Growth

27%

31%

25%

26%

27%

28%

29%

30%

31%

32%

2011e 2012b

OCS Revenue Growth

37%

35%

34%

35%

35%

36%

36%

37%

37%

38%

2011e 2012b

Institutional Support

Marketing Accomplishments:OCS Website

23

Marketing Accomplishments

• NYU Cores Days• Periodic Lectures and Demonstrations• Email Newsletters• Internal Advertising• Communication with Grants Support Office


Next Steps for Marketing

• In-Depth Marketing Plans for Each Core• Targeting External Customers• Industry/Academic Partnerships


26

Office of Collaborative Science –Enhancing Research Collaboration Through Technology

26

http://cores.med.nyu.edu

http://cores.med.nyu.edu/



Shared Resource Management of the HICCC

Sadie Maloof, Associate Director for AdministrationColumbia University Medical Center, Herbert Irving Comprehensive

Cancer Center



Agenda• Why provide Centralized Shared Resources?

• Where do you begin?

• How do you prioritize early stage analysis?

• How can you quickly merge with established culture and still provide immediate impact?

• What is needed to set up long-term strategic processes and systems to assure continued efficiency?



Shared Services vs Centralized Shared Resources

• Shared Services• Shared services are common machines or methods that may be used by

more than one researcher if commonality of need arises• Typically provided out of convenience• Not necessarily subject to same level of scrutinization with regard to

utilization/revenue analysis and NIH guidelines

• Centralized Shared Resources• Open and widely used resources used throughout an organization for

highly complex or specialized services• Have published and understandable rates• Subject to several levels of evaluation, including utilization analysis,

revenue recognition, accountability establishment, and other NIH guidelines



Centralized Shared Resource Benefits –Why Bother?

Beneficial on multiple levels• Researcher

• Economies of scale associated with identifying and providing popular services allows researchers to maximize funding and budgets

• Centralized location of resources provides nearby users with convenient and immediate results for wide range of services

• University/Organization• Timely acquisition of new equipment and instrumentation increases

University appeal to prospective researchers/clinicians• A University is able to simultaneously provide research capability while

passing on associated cost savings to its researchers



First step‐ Infrastructure Identification

Who are the players and what do we have?

1. What services do we offer?

2. Who are key personnel across individual SRs and the entire organization?

3. How do they provide these services?• Equipment, space, methods, processes

4. What do these services charge and how are those rates determined?

5. What is the current allocation of responsibilities between the SR managers and administrators



How to Begin – Initial Data Collection Strategies• Met with the SR providers (Directors and Managers) to determine

supply side limitations and persistent issues• Collected ‘wish list’ per SR with desired additional equipment, staffing,

space, and other needs prioritized based on timeframe of need (immediate, within fiscal year, when possible, etc.)

• Surveyed all users to identify current perception of each SR, from product quality to hospitality, to determine demand side avenues of improvement

• Pooled responses and analyzed to determine global needs for HICCC and CUMC community



Our Common Findings –How can we improve?

Most consistent issues across SRs:1. Data collection, management, and analysis

2. Lack of central reservation/scheduling system and associated time and effort lost by SR technicians doing additional administrative work

3. Manual billing issues, including inability to verify account attributes at time of service and process to collect payment on monthly billing cycle

4. NCI reporting requirements• Service capacity utilization

• Revenue identification



Immediate Impact –Online Reservation System

Development of online reservation system allows for:• Transparent service scheduling

• Users can contact each other directly, circumventing SR manager

• SR manager administrative capability• Locking out needed time blocks for equipment servicing/upgrading

• Automated rate and billing calculations

• Customizable automated billing/utilization reports (NCI requirements)

• Data centralization



Marketing –How can we attract new users?



Marketing –How can we attract new users?



Maintaining Optimization –How can I ensure continued efficiency?

• Provide easily accessible feedback channels• Online survey system allows users to provide responses about current state of

quality at any time

• Meet regularly with SR Directors and Managers to make sure services and equipment are being maintained• Avoid costly disruption of services by planning ahead

• Monitor utilization and revenue analysis closely• Identify if a service has become outdated or unreasonable priced before demand for the

service diminishes



Thank you!

Mary Beth Curtin

Tom Winner

Sadie Maloof

Documents

Managing Marketing a Research Facility - NCURA Region 2