Valerie,

Your instincts are correct, but I'm afraid we would need to search and perhaps
put together a compilation of reasons why using these standard "rates" is
inadvisable. First, since we are dealing with Federal work here, we can look to
A-21 which provides that we can charge expenses to projects that are allowable,
allocable, and reasonable. Citing a given rate for all "research scientists" is
at best inaccurate and could result in either underrecovery of costs or
overcharging the government sponsors.

There is another thought I had which pertains to how the rates are developed,
i.e. are they just some averaging of salaries or are they loaded with fringe
benefits and F&A costs? In a way, it doesn't matter because in 99% of the cases
you would not have a rate that reflects your actual costs.

Now, if a government agency uses the GSA system to "buy" a "research
scientist's" time and effort, my guess is that they would most like be issuing
a contract based on labor rates. Very few of us are intimately familiar with
the quirks and nuances of these agreements, but the bottom line is that you
would wind up charging rates that are not auditable in any meaningful way. This
could cause you significant problems later.

While I may not be completely accurate, I feel the GSA system is used, by and
large for commercial services and consultancies. University research is not
compatible, by its very nature, with the kind of costing you would find
yourself involved with in administering contracts resulting from the GSA
system.

Steve

Valerie Seaquist wrote:

> Greetings --
>
> I have several PI's who are urging/pushing me to enter our researcher's
> rates in the GSA system. I don't think that this is a proper forum for
> university research but can't find anything specific to back me up. GSA is
> obviously commercial to me and we aren't supposed to be commercial or
> commercially competitive. I have noticed a few universities listing rates on
> the GSA web page but it appears that they are either machine shops or
> laboratory testing services--repetitive services that would have a set cost.
>
> Our university mission is teaching and research and putting our "rates" out
> on the buffet for someone to pick & choose seems to conflict with that
> mission. As far as rates, we propose the actual "rate" of each individual,
> not a standard rate for a "research scientist" or "research analyst II",
> etc.
>
> I've gone to the VP level and the consensus seems to be, "well, I don't
> think we should but I don't exactly know why not." Any thoughts, support,
> guidance on the "why not?"
>
> As always, thank you.
>
> Val Seaquist
> Office of Research Administration
> The University of Alabama in Huntsville
>
> ======================================================================
>  Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
>  subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
>  via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
> ======================================================================

--
Stephen Erickson
Director, Office of Research Administration
Boston College
McGuinn Hall 600
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Telephone:  617-552-3344
On-Campus Fax:  617-552-0747
Fax to My Computer: 413-895-8328

======================================================================
 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
 via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
======================================================================