Dear all,
Having just tested this out... the change to indirect costs can be made in a template. However, I also agree with Tim that the JeS template will need changing. In addition it is not that simple...
For example, how would you get the constrained rate to show at the 100% value on the report, if you never have this present in the system, as you will need to add a lower than 80% fEC value for the Indirect costs, but your 100% unindexed figure will still be the 100% rather than 100% minus whatever the deduction is. I suppose you could override this in the final adjustment...possibly.
I am not sure what impact each institution creating its own manual fixes will have on a revised JeS template also.
Having worked with an in house system and dealt with workarounds before, it adds extra work and is then also more prone to human error. It is safer to have the changes built into the system to avoid everyone doing something different, which may also create problems for the templates.
Whilst most of you won't be aware of the FP7 fEC calculations method, it may not be that difficult for Unit 4, as there is already a system in the setup to allow for an additional Indirect/Estate cost template.
It may be better to wait a few days until we have more details from the Research Councils on what is specifically required also.
All the best,
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: pFACT user group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tim Wilkinson
Sent: 01 April 2011 10:16
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: RCUK Efficiency 2011-15 paper and pfact
I'm with Sian and Ross on this one, I believe pFACT can cope with the adjustments required, my only concern is whether the JeS report (which is hard coded independently from the income template attached to the costing will be able to cope).
Regards
Tim
-----Original Message-----
From: pFACT user group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rossana Dowsett
Sent: 01 April 2011 10:07
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: RCUK Efficiency 2011-15 paper and pfact
Hi Sian and pFACT users,
I agree with you Sian. We will be developing a Research Council income
template that applies the reduced indirect to the price whilst still
holding the full indirect rate for the Cost.
Ditto equipment - so unless I have missed something, I don't think we need
any adjustments in the guts of pFACT by Unit4.
Ross.
--On 01 April 2011 10:03 +0100 Sian King <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear All
>
> I'm not sure if I'm overly simplifying this, but I do not think there is
> any need for Unit4 to alter the systems to handle these new requirements
> by RCUK. As my feelings is the system is already flexible enough to
> handle these new requirements.
>
> As....:
> 1) The indirect rates for Research Councils can be adjusted to suit the
> needs of each institution via the Income Template Screen, FTE related cost
> type to Income Template fields.
>
> 2) The equipment costs levels can be controlled via Organisational Details
> screen, Limit for consumables field.
>
> Would be interested to hear whether or not you think this would work, as
> I'm yet to test it!?
>
> Kind regards
> Sian
>
> On 1 April 2011 09:29, Mark Gravell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> Dear all,
>>
>>
>>
>> I would be surprised by the approach of changing the rate in the system,
>> as this would mean that you would be applying the rate to all
>> non-research council clients rather than your actual fEC rate? It is
>> only the research councils that are requesting a cut to the rates.
>>
>>
>>
>> Adding an additional rate into the system as per ECFP7 Simplified method
>> gives the ability to add another rate applied to a specific client for
>> bid price purposes and is probably the most sensible route for all
>> institutions. However, if you did not wish to use this facility, you
>> would not have to. The ECFP7 facility is built into pFACT and not many
>> institutions will currently use it, but we do at Surrey.
>>
>>
>>
>> Reports in pFACT would need adjusting to show this. They will also need
>> adjusting as will the system for the changes to equipment costs.
>>
>>
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>>
>>
>> *Mark Gravell **
>> **
>> **Senior Research Support Officer/ pFACT System Administrator,**
>> **Research Administration Services (RAS),**
>> **Senate House, 07SE04 (H4)**
>> **The University of Surrey,**
>> **Guildford**,**
>> **GU2 7XH,** *
>> *
>> **Tel: (+44) 01483 683941*
>> *Fax: (+44) 01483 689567 *
>> *
>> **web:
>> **http://portal.surrey.ac.uk/finance/rasnew*<http://portal.surrey.ac.uk/
>> finance/rasnew> *
>> *
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>>
>> *From:* pFACT user group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf
>> Of *Alicen Nickson
>> *Sent:* 01 April 2011 09:13
>>
>> *To:* [log in to unmask]
>> *Subject:* Re: RCUK Efficiency 2011-15 paper and pfact
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi all
>>
>>
>>
>> Like Hazel, I think that we will just be changing the rates we use in
>> pfact to the lower rate so would not need any 'bug' type fixes. Any
>> developments of this nature would therefore need to be opt in rather
>> than applied across the board for all users.
>>
>>
>>
>> I agree with comments regarding for waiting for clarity of the changes to
>> equipment before requesting any changes from Unit4.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best wishes, Alicen.
>>
>>
>>
>> *__________________________________________*
>>
>> *Alicen Nickson**, *MA (Hons), MBA, MSc
>>
>> Deputy Director, Research Support & Development
>>
>>
>>
>> RSDO, Brunel University, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH
>>
>> Tel: 01895 265730
>> Fax: 01895 269748
>> Intranet: http://intranet.brunel.ac.uk/research/rsdo
>> Internet: www.brunel.ac.uk/research/rsdo
>>
>> Office Hours: Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 08:30 - 16:30
>>
>>
>>
>> *From:* pFACT user group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf
>> Of *Hazel Wallis
>> *Sent:* 25 March 2011 15:47
>> *To:* [log in to unmask]
>> *Subject:* Re: RCUK Efficiency 2011-15 paper and pfact
>>
>>
>>
>> Hi Tracy
>>
>>
>>
>> I had just thought that I would change the indirect rates in pFACT
>> manually if ours get reduced (but we know we will be at the low end of
>> the reduction scale anyway). I take your point about other funders,
>> though. I guess what Unit4 would need to do is have a parameter in Org
>> Details into which we put our %age reduction and that is then used by
>> the JeS report to reduce the indirect costs?
>>
>>
>>
>> As to the new equipment rules. I think maybe it would be wise to wait
>> until there is greater clarity on this before asking Unit4 to do
>> anything. I was at the Wakeham Review briefing meeting in Swindon last
>> Friday and to put it mildly, there is a lot of confusion in RC circles
>> over how all these changes are going to be implemented. For equipment
>> over £10k the expectation is that universities will be contributing at
>> least half of the cost, but whether the research councils' contribution
>> will be at 80% or 100% when over the old £50k threshold was not clear,
>> to me anyway).
>>
>>
>>
>> Best wishes
>>
>>
>>
>> Hazel
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> *From:* pFACT user group [mailto:[log in to unmask]] *On Behalf
>> Of *Moulton Tracy Miss (ACAD)
>> *Sent:* 25 March 2011 14:21
>> *To:* [log in to unmask]
>> *Subject:* RCUK Efficiency 2011-15 paper and pfact
>>
>> Dear All
>>
>>
>>
>> We at UEA have been looking at the effect the recent paper from RCUK will
>> have on grant applications and the need for modifications for pfact.
>> There are two areas that are affected. I would appreciate your initial
>> thoughts on how your organisations are planning to deal with these?
>>
>>
>>
>> 1. The Efficiency factor to be applied to institutional indirect
>> rates ( not estate) w.e.f 1 July 2011. The actual institutional
>> efficiency factor to be applied will vary between institutions based on
>> a formula and will range from a 0 to 5% cut against actual indirect
>> rates. As this only affects the JeS template which is hard coded I
>> wondered whether it was reasonable to expect Unit 4 to come up with
>> some kind of hard coded "bug fix" type approach that we can implement in
>> time for 1 July 2011?
>>
>>
>>
>> 2. Re-categorisation of equipment categories for research councils.
>> This is to take effect from 1 May 2011 which is not far away. The rules
>> say that equipment up to £10k will be set as consumables and thus one
>> assumes allocated as usual under the 80% rule, equipment between
>> 10-121,588 (the OJEU limit incl of VAT) will be allocated on a
>> contribution basis dependent upon consideration of the justification and
>> other relevant factors and equipment over that we will get 100% of IF we
>> can show a full business case style justification for.
>>
>>
>>
>> For Equipment, We have looked at the manual changes we can effect here
>> for pfact and have identified that
>>
>> if we set our exceptional items (in org details) limit to 0.01 (ie 1
>> pence) then we can get the income pricing statement to allocate the full
>> 100% of the equipment to all equipment over 10k. The re-categorisation to
>> consumables limit being set at £10k. This seems like a short term fix
>> though and any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
>>
>>
>>
>> Has anyone started talking to Unit 4 about the updates needed and the
>> timescale therein? Whilst we can add it to their on line amendments
>> request document my concern would be that this needs to take some kind
>> of "urgent" priority?
>>
>>
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Tracy
>>
>>
>>
>> School term working hours are Mon-Fri 9-3pm
>>
>> School hols working hours are Tue-Fri 9-5pm
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>>
>> *Miss Tracy Moulton, Research Contracts Manager*
>> University of East Anglia
>>
>> *Tel:* 01603 591482 | *Fax:* 01603 591550
>>
>> *Email:* [log in to unmask] |* Web:* www.uea.ac.uk/research
>>
>> Research, Enterprise & Engagement Office, The Registry, University of
>> East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ.
>>
>> University companies registered in England: UEA Enterprises Ltd (Company
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>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Sian King
> Cost Accountant
> Oxford Brookes University
> Phone: 01865 483087
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
> My working days are Tuesday to Friday (Fridays I work from home)
>
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Rossana Dowsett
Head of Research Development
Research & Enterprise Services
University of Sussex
Tel: (01273) 67 8238
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